CommunityAmerica | Savin Mavens

CommunityAmerica's Savin' Mavens are the resource for sensible and creative tips to help you become financially fit. The Mavens collectively offer more than 100 years of practical personal finance experience and have helped thousands of people become more financially savvy. The Mavens have lent their expertise to consumers through outlets such as KMBC & KCTV, The Kansas City Star and even national magazines like Family Circle.

If you have a problem or just want great tips for a better financial future, call on the Mavens.

Meet the Mavens

JASON ARMSTRONG helped major corporations launch credit union branches before bringing his family-friendly skills to CommunityAmerica in 2006. He's currently the manager at the Olathe branch and works with members to set budgets, cut expenses, consolidate debt and create
savings plans that improve their financial futures. This year he is coaching the Holland family in CommunityAmerica's Financial Makeover. Jason and his wife, Cheri, live in Olathe with daughter Mayci, 9, and sons Tucker and Drew, 6, and Max, 4. He's already coaching himself on how to put them all through college.

SHERI BAKER has been helping CommunityAmerica members for 10 years and is currently serving as the branch manager at the Tiffany Springs location. She's been in the financial industry since 1993, starting as a teller. As a single mom, Sheri walks the walk of total financial organization by dedicating every penny of each paycheck before those pennies even hit her account. Sheri is the Financial Makeover coach for the Balagna family and encourages them to "tell your money where to go before you wonder where it went." Sheri lives in Kansas City, Mo., with her son Jordan, 15, and daughter D'sarae, 14.

KRISTINE BATCH has more than 17 years experience in the financial services industry most recently with Edward Jones and Wells Fargo & Co. With a strong background in financial management and consumer lending, she now oversees six CommunityAmerica branches in Johnson County. From the moment Kristine picked up her first financial calculator, she's been helping people cut back on their spending, eliminate credit debt and "calculate" a plan to live debt-free. Kristine and her husband Mike live in Lee's Summit with kids Grace, 4 and Charlie, 15 months.

RANCE CARLSON has nine years of experience at CommunityAmerica, and currently manages over $80 million of investments for our members through CUSO Financial Services, L.P.* He has also coached families in the Financial Makeover contest for three years. Rance serves on the board of a 401(k) plan with over $800 million in assets. And although he specializes in income-oriented investments for retirees and near- retirees, he's got a lot of arrows in his quiver, and loves to be a resource to members. He and his wife, Brylie, live in Smithville with their three boys — Creed, Roman and Maddox, and their dog, Sophie.

DANA GERING, branch manager at our Ridgeview Hy-Vee branch, is in her 10th year with CommunityAmerica. She's served in the contact center and as a retail branch associate and financial relationship specialist, so she's always worked to help members make their financial situation stronger. Dana loves helping members succeed in their goals — and now she's poised to help Kansas Citians across the metro formulate a financial plan that fits their needs, regardless of their situation. Dana is married to husband Mark, and the couple recently brought their baby girl Brooklyn home on their third anniversary last September. Now if you want precise planning in your life like that, Dana can help!

AMY GROTHAUS has more than 12 years' experience in the financial services industry with investment companies American Century and JPMorgan. Although her specialty was retirement planning, she now oversees nine CommunityAmerica branches in the Northland. A young mom passionate about teaching financial responsibility, she's a veritable treasure trove of creative savings ideas for moms and shares these through her blog, Financial MOMentom. And be prepared to drop and give her 20 — Amy honed her skills for organization and discipline in the Army National Guard. She and her husband, Lance, live in Gladstone with kids Cael, 7, Stella, 2, and Liam, 6 months.

KAT HNATYSHYN started her career at CommunityAmerica as a traveling financial services specialist, which is sort of like a traveling vacuum salesman, except with a bag of financial tips and strategies instead of a vacuum. In that capacity, she helped members with financial issues in various branches across the KC Metro. In 2008 she coached the grand prize winner in CommunityAmerica's Financial Makeover. She now manages the Nall Hills branch, and she also writes a weekly post for the KC Star's Dollars and Sense blog. Kat and her husband, Alex, celebrated the birth of their son Jack in January and live in Overland Park with their dog, Sam.

RACHELLE JACKSON has more than 30 years of financial experience in the Kansas City area and is passionate about helping others grow, both personally and financially. As CommunityAmerica's Blue Valley branch manager, she coaches families into financial fitness and also is a Certified Professional Life Coach, helping people reach their maximum individual potential. Rachelle and her husband, Doug, live in Olathe, have been married for 33 years and have two grown children and two grandchildren. If you think you've got a problem that no one has ever seen, turn to Rachelle. She's seen it all and worked through it all, too.

MARY RHODES is the vice president of product management, overseeing all savings products at CommunityAmerica, which means she really knows how to save. She is intimately familiar with all the ins and outs of savings programs and the latest happenings in the industry. Her more than 26 years of financial experience includes seven years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. So if you need to follow the money, Mary knows all of its hiding places. Mary and her husband, Doug, live in Lee's Summit with daughter Megan, 15, and son Clayton, 9.

STEPHANIE WILEY began working at CommunityAmerica over 6 years ago and worked part-time to help pay for her MBA, which she received in 2008. She fell in love with CommunityAmerica's approach to helping members achieve their financial goals and dreams and now manages our Liberty Hy-Vee branch. Stephanie facilitates financial seminars for people in different stages of their financial life and has served as a coach in the Financial Makeover program during the past three years. Stephanie cares as much about your financial success as you do, so you have an ardent supporter, coach and friend to help you achieve your goals. Stephanie lives in the Northland and has three dogs that also mirror her effervescent personality.

*Non-deposit investment products and services are offered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. ("CFS"), a registered broker-dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC) and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Products offered through CFS: are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk including possible loss of principal. Investment Representatives are registered through CFS. CommunityAmerica Credit Union has contracted with CFS to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members.

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