Announcement of Nominating Committee Candidates

The Nominating Committee is announcing the six candidates it has nominated for the Board of Directors. The five candidates receiving the most votes will be elected for a three-year term. Four candidates have applied for the open Associate Director position. The candidate who receives the most votes will be elected for a three-year term. Candidates appearing on both the Director and Associate Director ballots may be elected to either seat but will become a Director if elected to both.  You may vote for such candidates on either or both ballots. 

Nominations from the floor will not be accepted during the virtual Annual Meeting.  

Board of Director Candidates

Emsad Begic – Cedar Falls, IA  
Emsad, a Cedar Valley resident since immigrating as a refugee in 1997, is seeking re-election to Veridian’s Board of Directors. He’s passionate about community service and is focused on enhancing member experiences and employee engagement. Emsad holds a Master’s in Technology Management from UNI and leads 16 agents as the managing broker of Vine Valley Real Estate. His previous role as Global Supply Base Manager at John Deere complements his strategic approach. Married with three daughters, Emsad is committed to using his diverse expertise to ensure Veridian continues supporting and uplifting its members.

Cindy Sprole – Waverly, IA
Cindy has been a dedicated Veridian Board member since 2021. She has contributed her skills across several committees, including Nominating, Governance, Credit, and Audit and Risk. With a diverse background in human resources and insurance, she brings expertise in operations, strategic planning, IT, leadership development, succession planning, and people operations. Her passion for making a meaningful impact on others and driving organizational effectiveness is evident in all her efforts. As she seeks re-election, Cindy remains committed to leveraging her experience to continue shaping Veridian’s strategic direction, ensuring its long-term success and sustained positive impact.

Reed Mick – Clarksville, IA
Reed has been a dedicated Veridian Associate Director for the last two years. He brings 15 years of professional experience supporting credit unions. His background in financial services and his professional licenses in the securities industry have equipped him with an understanding of member needs and a commitment to enhancing value. He successfully led teams focused on relationship management, fostering growth and efficiency. His passion for empowering the community and improving Veridian’s services motivates him to continue serving on the board. He’s eager to leverage his expertise to support Veridian’s growth and ensure members' needs are met.

Nick Waters – Johnston, IA
Nick is seeking re-election to Veridian’s Board of Directors because he wants to continue advocating for the credit union movement of “people helping people.” During his 12 years on the board, Veridian has focused its efforts on finding new ways to exceed members’ and employees’ expectations. As a segment manager for Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Des Moines, Nick applies his financial, strategic and relationship-building skills to help Veridian deliver successful results. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a minor in Economics.

Stephanie Atkin – Des Moines, IA
Stephanie has served on Veridian's Board of Directors since 2019, currently as Board Chair and previously as Treasurer and Chair of the Audit Committee. She is passionate about advancing the credit union movement and its philosophy of “people helping people”. Outside of Veridian, Stephanie works as a Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Apex Analytix and holds a Master of Public Administration from Drake University and Bachelor's Degree from Simpson College. Stephanie lives with her husband, Kevin, and their 17-year-old daughter, Halle.

Traci McBee – Elkhart, IA
Traci is the Chair Elect for Veridian Credit Union's Board and is seeking re-election to continue serving Veridian's members. Traci has been an active part of Veridian's board and is most proud of Veridian's "people helping people" philosophy which offers products and services to members at every stage of their financial journey. Traci will continue to ensure the board focuses on members and employees. She is employed by LCS Holdings and spends her spare time traveling and volunteering in the community. Traci is a UNI graduate and has completed the Leadership Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute programs.

Associate Director Candidates

Reed Mick – Clarksville, IA
Reed has been a dedicated Veridian Associate Director for the last two years. He brings 15 years of professional experience supporting credit unions. His background in financial services and his professional licenses in the securities industry have equipped him with an understanding of member needs and a commitment to enhancing value. He successfully led teams focused on relationship management, fostering growth and efficiency. His passion for empowering the community and improving Veridian’s services motivates him to continue serving on the board. He’s eager to leverage his expertise to support Veridian’s growth and ensure members' needs are met.

Jim Hoyt - Johnston, IA 
Jim retired from GROWMARK, INC., an international agricultural cooperative, where he was the vice president of strategic planning and corporate services. He is currently an independent consultant with Cooperative Resources. He attended Iowa State University and Columbia Pacific University and has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing. Jim has served on more than 10 volunteer boards as a director and consultant. His entire career was with a member-owned cooperative system. He believes his executive-level experience in a member-owned business allows him to make thoughtful and strategic contributions to the Veridian Credit Union Board of Directors. 

Jonathan Sunderland - Waterloo, IA  
Jonathan is seeking new opportunities outside of his industry to challenge himself and develop his leadership skills while still utilizing the strengths that have supported his success. Since graduating from Iowa State University in 2012, he’s held various roles in the agriculture industry across two different large equipment manufacturers. During this time, he worked at every stage, from dealer support to new product design. Since volunteering with his parents as a child, he’s always sought out ways to give back to the community, from short-term commitments to serving on professional organizations and company committees for multiple years.

Christopher Miculinich - Decorah, IA 
Outside of his professional and community roles, Christopher enjoys giving back through volunteer work and by participating in civic events. He’s passionate about advocacy, especially for individuals with disabilities, and he strives to create inclusive opportunities for all. In his free time, he enjoys reading about leadership and organizational development, exploring the outdoors, and supporting local businesses. Building connections and fostering collaboration within his community are deeply important to him, and he takes pride in contributing to meaningful growth and positive changes in everything he does. These values drive his dedication to serving on the Veridian Credit Union Board.