St.
Thomas, Virgin Islands — Keisha L. Richards is being recognized by Continental
Who's Who as an Exceptional Business Professional for
her outstanding achievements in Banking and Finance and in acknowledgment of
her work with St. Thomas Federal Credit Union.
A
seasoned professional with 22 years of experience in her field, Ms. Richards
has enjoyed a steady rise through the banking industry ranks. She began as a
bank teller and today serves as the CEO of St. Thomas Federal Credit Union in the
Virgin Islands.
In
pursuit of her higher education, Ms. Richards obtained a Bachelor of Arts in
Business Administration at the University of the Virgin Islands. She also holds
a Graduate Certificate in Auditing from Walden University. Additionally, she is
certified as a Bank Secrecy Officer, Risk Manager, Credit Union Development
Professional, Credit Union Internal Auditor, and Human Resources Compliance
Professional. She also possesses regulatory management, corporate compliance,
fiscal oversight, and market analysis expertise.
When
she accepted a position as a bank teller in 2000 with Popular Inc., she admits
that she never expected it to turn into a long-term career. At the time, she
was primarily concerned about providing for her growing family. However, she
quickly developed a love for the world of banking and finance. She found that
she possessed the necessary leadership abilities and determination to launch a
successful career in the field.
Ms.
Richards rapidly rose through the professional ranks receiving multiple
promotions and challenging leadership roles, earning various titles throughout
the institution's tiers. She was eventually named Vice President of Regional
Operations, charged with overseeing nine branches and a cash processing center
in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Finally, in 2015 she
was named Chief Executive Officer of St. Thomas Federal Credit Union, the
largest credit union in the Virgin Islands. She proudly became the youngest
female CEO in the organization's history.
Under
her vision and leadership, Ms. Richards has reimagined the credit union
experience for the clients it serves. Her ambitious approach has grown the
credit union's assets from just over $50 million to $81 million in six years.
Today St. Thomas Federal Credit Union is recognized as a leading financial
institution across the Virgin Islands and abroad, receiving Recognition of
Excellence from the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions in
2019.
Despite
her many professional achievements, Ms. Richards says serving as a mentor to
other bankers has been one of the most fulfilling parts of her career. She
remembers how important it was for her career to have had such mentorship from
a leading financial pioneer in the Virgin Islands. She also loves promoting
financial literacy within the community educating people on budgeting, saving,
and managing credit.
In
addition to her banking career, Ms. Richards has also been instrumental in
developing much-needed affordable housing in the Virgin Islands. She co-founded
Solum Group LLC in 2015 with its mission of rehabilitating distressed
properties and transforming them into high-quality and affordable rental dwellings
with modern amenities.
Her
strong community advocacy and volunteer efforts are not limited to professional
or institutional reinvestment activities. She actively donates her time to
helping the various community and family-outreach organizations.
In her
spare time, she loves spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, and
enjoying the beautiful outdoors. She thanks her family, especially her
children, Myron Prince, Jr, and Myeisha Prince, her parents Frank and Althea
Richards and her three sisters, for their love and support. She also wishes to
dedicate this recognition in memory of Virgin Islands Banking Pioneer, Mr.
Valentino I. McBean.
