This International Women’s Day, LLCU proudly celebrates the incredible women who are shaping our organization from the top. A defining characteristic of LLCU’s leadership is that four of the seven positions on our Senior Management Team are held by women. This representation is not just a statistic—it’s a testament to our commitment to fostering inclusivity and driving meaningful change in the financial industry.
Despite progress in gender diversity, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles globally. According to the Academy of Women's Leadership, as of 2023, women made up 41.9% of the workforce worldwide, yet only 32.2% held senior leadership positions. In the finance sector specifically, women occupied just 26% of leadership roles in 2015, increasing to 32% by 2021. While these numbers show growth, there is still work to be done to close the gender gap in leadership, particularly in traditionally male-dominated industries like finance.
At LLCU, we recognize the value of diverse perspectives in leadership. The women on our Senior Leadership Team bring expertise, innovation, and a commitment to excellence that drive our organization forward. Their leadership not only strengthens our workplace culture but also inspires the next generation of women to pursue leadership opportunities in finance.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we take this opportunity to highlight women of LLCU's Senior Leadership Team.
Beverly Davis | Executive Vice President / Chief Operations Officer
Q: How long have you worked at LLCU?
A: 23 Years (this time).
Q: What was your very first paid job?
A: Part Time Teller at LLCU while attending college.
Q: Briefly describe the trajectory of your career path.
A: I was a part-time teller at LLCU in college, then graduated with a B.S. in Accounting and worked for KPMG as a public accountant/auditor. After a few years I returned to LLCU as Controller and then moved to be Controller at Millikin University. Since returning to LLCU in 2002, I have held the roles of VP Special Projects, VP of IT, CFO, and now EVP/COO.
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or most impactful mentor?
A: My 29-yr old son Chase. He required a BMT at age 10 for a disease called Adrenoleukodystrophy. Ever since his diagnosis and the medical procedures that have followed, he has defied the odds. Even though he will always have significant physical disabilities, his strength, faith, and positive outlook on life reminds me of what is truly important each and every day.
Q: Describe your leadership style.
A: I’m most comfortable in a transactional leadership style, providing clear and direct communication and expectations. Using more of a coaching style is something I am trying to incorporate more often.
Q: What skill do you feel is your greatest?
A: My greatest strength is probably analytical/critical thinking.
Q: What skill would you like to develop or improve?
A: I definitely am not creative or artistic.
Q: What types of challenges do you feel women face in leadership roles?
A: In order to overcome stereotypes, many times women have to ‘prove’ that they are professional and should be taken seriously, as well as ensure they aren’t seen as emotional, because that would portray weakness.
Q: What do you feel is the most important piece of advice you can offer to women aspiring for leadership roles in their career?
A: First, be true to yourself, your values and your life priorities. Next, always try to serve and lift up those you are leading – helping them grow is the most important responsibility you have.
Q: Do you have a book recommendation for aspiring female leaders?
A: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
Jeri Phillips | Senior Vice President / Chief Member Services Officer
Q: How long have you worked at LLCU?
A: 24 Years
Q: What was your very first paid job?
A: I delivered newspapers in LaPlace when I was 10-11 years old.
Q: Briefly describe the trajectory of your career path.
A: I started working as a collector at LLCU in 1998 and did that for 3 years. That's when I recognized I enjoyed serving people. I moved from the collector position to a loan officer, credit manager, assistant branch manager, branch manager, AVP, and now, Senior Vice President.
Q: What do you love most about the work you do here at LLCU?
A: Being a part of a financial institution that values educating it's members and community to improve their lives.
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or most impactful mentor?
A: I can't identify just one as I have had several throughout my life that have made me who I am today.
Q: Describe your leadership style.
A: I provide staff with the education and training they need to be successful. Once they are confident with their abilities, I empower them to make decisions without me.
Q: Do you feel women tend to lead in a different way than our male counterparts? And if so, how?
A: No I don't. How you lead isn't determined by your gender. How you lead is determined by your life experiences and what you take from them.
Q: What skill do you feel is your greatest?
A: When I'm at work, decision making is my greatest skill.
Q: What skill would you like to develop or improve?
A: I would like to develop my project management skills.
Q: What types of challenges do you feel women face in leadership roles?
A: Lack of opportunities and recognition leading to leadership roles, as well as others biases, and unequal pay.
Q: What do you feel is the most important piece of advice you can offer to women aspiring for leadership roles in their career?
A: Be confident and find ways to make leadership aware of your accomplishments without being boastful. Trust your instincts and don't second guess yourself. Coach yourself as you would coach your best employee.
Brandi Binkley | Senior Vice President / Chief Human Resources Officer
Q: How long have you worked at LLCU?
A: 2 Years
Q: What was your very first paid job?
A: Babysitting
Q: Briefly describe the trajectory of your career path.
A: Worked in social services and public health for 17.5 years in human resources, public relations, community relations, case management, and leadership roles. Then proudly joined the LLCU in my current human resources role.
Q: What do you love most about the work you do here at LLCU?
A: Working with my teammates - those with whom I directly work on a day-to-day basis and ALL of the LLCU employees I have the pleasure of working with on a less frequent basis. They all make LLCU such a great place to be, work, serve, and find career fulfillment. HR is about people and they are the best!
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or most impactful mentor?
A: I couldn't pick just one, as I try to learn from everyone around me and I have had ongoing opportunities to learn from many. I have had several professional mentors and teammates in my career for whom I am very grateful. Personally, I have been inspired by my husband, children, parents, siblings, and the friends and family with whom I surround myself with. They all have offered me so much support. love, guidance, and wisdom that has helped me become who I am today and helped me achieve what I have.
Q: Describe your leadership style.
A: Empower and lead by example.
Q: Do you feel women tend to lead in a different way than our male counterparts? And if so, how?
A: I think everyone has their own leadership style, so without generalizing, I will speak for my own experience. The experiences I have had as a teenage girl when I was younger and a woman in the workplace have informed the type of leader I have become. For example, knowing that statistically in some workplaces, women are paid less than their male counterparts, I have been an advocate for pay equity for ALL in my career. Knowing how my experience with work-life balance struggles as a parent have impacted my career and home, I have done everything I could as a leader to provide flexibility to my team where possible and advocated for employee- and parent-friendly policies. Knowing that women's career and education experience is discounted in some workplaces, I have done what I can as a leader to empower my teams and provide professional development opportunities.
Q: What skill do you feel is your greatest?
A: I think empathy and trying to understand where others are coming from is my greatest skill or at least one that I am always trying to put at the forefront of my thoughts and actions personally and professionally.
Q: What skill would you like to develop or improve?
A: Since joining LLCU 2 years ago, it has been a focus of mine to develop my skillset and knowledge base specific to financial institutions. Since I haven't always worked in the "financial institution world," this has been an excellent learning opportunity for me. I have been thankful to learn from many experienced teammates of mine!
Q: What types of challenges do you feel women face in leadership roles?
A: Women face misplaced doubt from others that is often based on no evidence. Because of this, it may not matter how many credentials, years of experience, or layers of education a woman has, she may still not be listened to, heard, or seen and valued as a credible source of knowledge or contribution. Women face the obvious pay inequities in some workplaces. I think many women face struggles with work-life balance while trying to achieve in their careers while also being present in the home for their family as they want to be. If a woman shows her emotions while maintaining professionalism, it should be seen as a sign of balanced strength, but instead is seen as weakness and then her words and merit are even further doubted and discredited.
Q: What do you feel is the most important piece of advice you can offer to women aspiring for leadership roles in their career?
A: Here are a few:
Always be open to learning from others, no matter who they are as you may learn what type of leader you do or do not want to be. Seek to surround yourself with and learn from people who are NOT like you, as diversity in knowledge and experience makes you a stronger, better leader.
Remember who you are and who you want to be. Make decisions based on your expertise, and also ethics and morals. You want to be able to lay your head on your pillow at night and be proud of who you are and have become.
Pull others up with you as you achieve and lead. With leadership comes privilege and power. You have the opportunity to make positive impact with and for others. Make sure you use it for good and to empower and uplift others, especially those who may not have the resources you did in your journey.
Q: Do you have a book recommendation for aspiring female leaders?
A: I think some excellent words to live by come from Maya Angelou – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” It can be applied personally AND professionally, and I think it’s important to always keep in mind.
Cayla Hittmeier | Senior Vice President / Chief Marketing Officer
Q: How long have you worked at LLCU?
A: 7.5 Years
Q: What was your very first paid job?
A: Clerk at Video Revue
Q: Briefly describe the trajectory of your career path.
A: I began my career in advertising sales at a local radio station, while also serving as on-air talent for a popular local Talk Radio morning show. From there, I moved into Print & Digital Advertising sales at the local Decatur newspaper. While in that role, I served as Account Executive for LLCU and because of our working relationship, when the Marketing Director position opened here, the CEO at that time reached out to see if I might be interested. And the rest is history - I absolutely LOVE my job and what we do here at LLCU for the community.
Q: What do you love most about the work you do here at LLCU?
A: The most rewarding part of my work here at LLCU is seeing the positive impact that we have on our local communities, whether that's through the volunteerism our staff provides regularly, the generous level of community donations we make, or through the countless hours of financial literacy and counseling we provide to not only our LLCU members, but to any member of our community. Making people's lives better through helping them improve their financial wellness is so truly rewarding. It is making generational change and it is truly inspiring.
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or most impactful mentor?
A: From a professional standpoint, I have been blessed with some amazing leaders and bosses throughout my career. Joel Fletcher, my boss (& friend) throughout my time in radio and print/digital, was an incredible mentor to me and continues to be. He is a compassionate leader with a perpetual, contagious positivity that I have always admired. And, in the last 7+ years of my employment at LLCU, I have been extremely blessed with my current boss, Robert Ares (LLCU President/CEO), who is an amazing and unique leader. Robert exemplifies servant leadership. I have learned so much from him in such a short time, most especially, how to lead with empathy, vision, and compassion. He has helped me learn so much about myself as a leader, developing my strengths and weaknesses and understanding the importance of boundaries. From a personal standpoint, I am always inspired by my husband, who is a tremendous leader in his career and provides an amazing example to our kids in our home.
Q: Describe your leadership style.
A: Over the years, my leadership style has evolved so much, not surprisingly. Overall, I try to be a leader who actively listens to those I lead in order to best understand how they feel and how they are impacted by projects, decisions, environments, etc.
Q: Do you feel women tend to lead in a different way than our male counterparts? And if so, how?
A: I think there are many differences in how men and women lead, (and many similarities, as well) - but I find that those differences, if nurtured carefully and mutually respected, only serve to improve a team's effectiveness and enhance the cultural impact of an organization. Some may lead more empathetically and others more pragmatically. But these two types of leadership placed together can lead to amazing, positive results - if the differences are respected, embraced, encouraged and nurtured.
Q: What skill do you feel is your greatest?
A: As a leader, I feel one of my best skills is my ability to bring teams together to form cohesive goals and effective outcomes. I am often able to inspire cooperation and synergy, even in environments that are hostile or uncooperative.
Q: What skill would you like to develop or improve?
A: Time Management. This, hands down, throughout my entire career, has always been my biggest challenge. Today's work environment is one of fast pace, growth-driven initiatives, with very little downtime. Mix that in with my kids being at the busiest times of their adolescent lives, it can make it very difficult to manage time, energy, etc. It can become a bit overwhelming at times, but I am extremely grateful for the great support system I have in my corner, both at home and at work.
Q: What types of challenges do you feel women face in leadership roles?
A: Work-Life balance is pretty challenging at times. Our employment culture has evolved tremendously in the last 20-30 years and working women are increasingly recognized and supported. Unfortunately, I think women often feel it is their sole responsibility to maintain the household and we are not always the best at asking for help and we put too much pressure on ourselves to be everything to everyone. Taking care of our own selves becomes a low priority, and should be at the top.
Q: What do you feel is the most important piece of advice you can offer to women aspiring for leadership roles in their career?
A: Read regularly, ask questions, seek feedback, learn continually, and give yourself grace. Learn from yours (& others) mistakes and successes. Finally, learn to effectively delegate. Understand that delegating tasks to your team members does not diminish your own worth. This is something that many women (& men) fear when they consider delegating duties. In truth, delegating frees you up to do more effectively, while simultaneously helping you better develop your team members and avoid stifling their own individual growth. This goes for home too, getting your partner and kids to pitch in around the house will in turn make you a happier and healthier partner and/or mother, all while developing very important character values in your children.
Q: Do you have a book recommendation for aspiring female leaders?
A: I am very blessed to work in an environment that respects and celebrates the differences among our leaders - both men and women. My work environment respects and encourages my goal of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Unfortunately, I know that not all are blessed with that same type of work environment. For those that aren't, I recommend the book, "Boundaries, Priorities, and Finding Work-Life Balance" (Harvard Business Review). It's a great, quick read to energize you to find the balance on your own.