Oswego native Janel Cabadas was recently promoted to Executive Vice President of Earthmover Credit Union. With over 20 years at the credit union, Janel has held a variety of roles, most recently Vice President of Marketing & Business Development, where she played a key role in growing Earthmover to its current asset size of $420 million, a rebrand of the credit union and a merger with Peoples Energy Credit Union of Chicago.

Janel, who started her career as a teller at Earthmover’s student-run branch, is excited about her new role. “I want to help Earthmover remain a banking powerhouse in our community,” she said. As Executive Vice President, she will guide strategic projects, including opening new branches.

A first-generation Mexican-American, Janel credits her parents for inspiring her work ethic and passion for community service. Whether it’s leading business growth or lending a hand at community events, Janel is committed to building strong relationships and helping Earthmover thrive.

We recently sat down with Janel to ask her some questions about herself, the credit union and what the future looks like for Earthmover.

Back when you were at Earthmover’s student branch, Panther Credit Union, did you ever see yourself in the position you are today?
Absolutely. Actually, it never crossed my mind. Oddly though, when I was young, and got through “I want to work at McDonald’s” phase, I did dream of becoming a businesswoman that worked in a high-rise building somewhere in a big city. So maybe I always did see it, but clearly never understood it was right in my own backyard in the suburbs.

How have you seen the financial world change since your early days at Earthmover?
So much! When I first started to work at Earthmover, it was the time when debit cards were starting to become a “thing.” We would have to explain to members to either select debit or credit. We also had many who were still writing checks. It is very different now. Everything is a lot more digital and there is definitely less physical cash being moved between people. Nowadays there is a lot more focus on technology and increasing convenience. I get it. With so many things to juggle, we need to be there to help members lives improve, not create friction.

Describe the diversity of work and positions you’ve held at Earthmover and how that multi-faceted experience in the credit union is so beneficial in this next chapter.
I have been fortunate to grow my career within Earthmover. I started as a teller in our student-run branch. Then once I graduated college, I worked as the Business Development Administrator. In this position, I visited so many of our Employer Partners in the area and met so many great members who shared their stories of joining the credit union. I also learned what new products we needed for the credit union so we could continue to earn business from the community. From there, I was promoted to Marketing Director before getting promoted to Vice President of Marketing & Business Development. Throughout my career, I have been exposed to so many sides of the business and worked one-on-one with our incredibly experienced senior management team. I wish I could just absorb all their knowledge and experience. I have been taught that even the smallest decision can affect every single department, which is a lesson I carry throughout my career. I cannot do this alone. I need a good team along my side to give me their perspectives too.

How do you approach leadership?
Leading by example. I love to see a team come together to accomplish a common goal and sometimes I feel like to accomplish something, we can’t shy away from getting our hands dirty too. We have great staff at Earthmover. They want to do well for our members, and I want to do well for our members. So together as a common force, we will do well for our members.

What does Earthmover Credit Union look like in 2034?
Earthmover will still be the powerhouse it is today. We will continue to serve the community, expand further into our field of membership, and make certain that our membership benefits along the way. I never want to lose our community touch because that is at our core.

In the world of finance, the terms "APY" and "APR" are everywhere. On the surface, they can appear relatively similar—but in reality, they couldn’t be more opposite of each other. Understanding them and how they can affect you is crucial to your financial well being. Let’s take a quick look at the two.

APY is short for Annual Percentage Yield and refers to the amount of interest you’ll earn on your savings or investments over a year, factoring in compounding interest. The higher the APY, the more money you’ll see in return for your savings. In a nutshell, APY is a relatively good thing and indicates a percentage of money you will gain.

On the flip side, APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the interest rate you’ll pay on things like loans or credit cards. It shows you the cost of borrowing money. Lower APRs mean you’re paying less over time.

So, while APY helps you grow your savings, APR is what you want to minimize when borrowing. Understanding these two will help you make better financial decisions and get the most out of your credit union membership!

Speaking of which, if you’re looking for a simple way to up your APY (that’s the good stuff) then check out our new Velocity Checking Account which earns you an amazing 2.50% APY¹ plus has no monthly fees, available overdraft protection², ability to get paid up to two days early³ and more.

Go with Velocity

¹ 2.50% APY: APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Earthmover Credit Union membership required. In order to qualify for 2.50% APY on account balance, members must maintain a minimum account balance of $0.01, must be enrolled and active in Earthmover’s Online Banking, be enrolled in paperless statements (eStatements) or be 65 years of age or older, have an active Earthmover Visa Credit Card and complete at least one (1) transaction OR make a minimum of 15 Visa debit card transactions per month with a $10.00 minimum per transaction amount (does not include ATM withdrawal), and have a total direct deposit amount of at least $500.00 in savings and/or checking. Direct deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, or are non-recurring in nature (e.g. IRS tax refunds), do not constitute direct deposit activity. 2.50% APY is only valid up to $5,000.00. Any balance greater than $5,000.00 will be paid at the stated dividend rate and APY for that tier. Dividends earned will be posted to the account on the second business day of the month following the dividend period. Offer and rate is subject to change without notice. See an Earthmover Credit Union team member for more details.

² Overdraft Protection Available: Qualified Earthmover members will have the ability to access a line of credit which will serve as overdraft protection. Not all members will qualify for this line of credit. If qualifications are met, the member will need to apply for it in order for the line of credit to be tied to their Velocity Checking Account. Non-qualifying members will have the option to opt in for Earthmovers’ Optional Overdraft Services which will protect your checking account when you don’t have available funds to cover a transaction. Visit our Optional Overdraft Service Opt-In Request page for complete details on this service and how it applies to you.

³ Get Paid 2 Days Early: Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. Not every employer submits and settles their payroll early. Earthmover Credit Union generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to two (2) days earlier than the scheduled payment date. If you have questions on your payroll timing, please consult your employer’s payroll department.