I have been studying the impact of loyalty on the success of our credit union. It is clear that building an organization that members can be loyal to is critical to our long-term success. In addition, the current economic challenges that we face have made it clear that loyalty to our community is important to the viability of Southern Oregon. After a recent meeting I was struck by the intense loyalty to Southern Oregon by one of our communities’ unsung heroes.
In this time when we all need to hear stories of hope and passion I was reminded of the story of Brain McQuade. Brian is the Southern Oregon Corporate Sales Manager for Umpqua Dairy. I first came to know Brian as a member of our credit union and was immediately struck by his passion for and loyalty to, his company. After that first meeting with Brian I felt incredibly guilty whenever a competitor’s milk product ended up in my refrigerator. And as I got to know Brian I was encouraged by his loyalty not only to Umpqua Dairy, but to Southern Oregon.
Brian has been a champion for Umpqua Dairy and Southern Oregon. Local and national retailers are selling Umpqua products because of Brian’s passion. Many folks in Southern Oregon owe their livelihoods to Brian’s relentless pursuit of making sure that if you are going to do business in Southern Oregon, you must use Southern Oregon products.
Fortunately, his loyalty to our community does not stop there. He can be seen scooping ice cream for a Boys and Girls Club fundraiser, driving an Umpqua truck in a local parade, teaching a Junior Achievement class on financial literacy to grade school kids, or purchasing a lamb at the 4H and FFA auction. Brian and his wife have personally donated their own funds and personally purchased Umpqua Dairy products to donate to community organizations such as ACCESS, Kids Unlimited, MDA, Multiple Sclerosis, fire fighter and law enforcement groups, and a variety of causes that make our community a better place to live.
Brian, thanks so much for being the consummate example of how loyalty to our community is making Southern Oregon a better place to live!
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