Sandy Lingerfelt is a credit union legend from Northeast Tennessee. Sandy joined the credit union movement in 1974 and has worked every job within a credit union from teller to CEO. Sandy retired from Clinchfield Federal Credit Union (CFCU) in 2019 where she served for 43 years. Sandy currently serves as the treasurer on CFCU’s Board of Directors.
While Sandy is well-known in her community and across Tennessee for her work in the credit union movement, she is also famous for her homemade bread. The League met with Sandy to bake some bread and learn her recipe for a successful career.
Fall in love with the movement.
Sandy shared how she immediately fell in love with the credit union movement because of how they give back to the community. One of her fondest memories of helping members at Clinchfield FCU was issuing “Mother Teresa Loans” – a $400 loan to use on groceries or whatever immediate need there was. Your kindness will be rewarded with lifetime members.
Trust your team.
Sandy shared that since she worked every job in the credit union, sharing responsibility can sometimes be challenging, but you need to trust your team. That is why you hired them.
Advocate for your members.
Sandy is a credit union advocate, she has hiked the Hill many times, including the historical 1998 event. She encourages others to share their credit union stories with lawmakers. She said, “They may not remember your name but they will remember your stories”.
Have gratitude.
Life is a gift and you should make an effort to slow down and express gratitude daily. Sandy shared that her life has been filled with many blessings and she is so grateful to have had such a fulfilling career in the credit union industry.
Sandy’s Sourdough Bread
You can enjoy Sandy’s Sourdough Bread at home. Here’s her recipe [PDF].
