TCU’s Angie Salazar takes pride in helping others through life’s financial journeys

TCU’s Angie Salazar takes pride in helping others through life’s financial journeys

With passion for banking and personal finance, Angelina (Angie) Salazar, St. John branch manager and small business lender for Teachers Credit Union (TCU), is more than appreciative to be in a career that allows her to help others through their financial journey.

“In my line of work, you really have to have passion for what you do and be ready to help people in all stages of their life,” Salazar said. “I take pride in helping those that need financial advice, guiding them as they plan their short and long-term goals. Whether it’s their business, personal, career goals or their retirement, I’m dedicated to helping our members  achieve financial freedom. At the end of the day you have to bring it all together and tie in the pieces which also includes giving back to the community that we serve.”

Salazar came to TCU five years ago with almost 20 years of banking experience already under her belt and saw the credit union as the perfect next step in her career.

“I feel that banking is an excellent fit for me because I’ve always been interested in personal finance and business, and I’ve always really loved math. I knew my opportunities for advancement in this industry were endless, and so, I want to take every opportunity to grow within a financial institution,” Salazar said.

Salazar currently manages the St. John branch. Additionally, she also serves as the small business lender at the St. John location, along with the Hammond, Whiting, Gary, and Chesterton locations. This portion of her job allows Salazar to assist local businesses with loans and other financial services, which can be a huge benefit to those with a smaller staff or are just starting out. 

TCU has always been a big supporter of community involvement;an aspect Salazar greatly enjoys about being a part of the credit union team. Working at TCU has allowed for Salazar to become involved with local school systems, such as Lowell and Lake Central. In Lowell, Angie teaches students about financial literacy, and she also works with the Lake Central Education Foundation. 

Salazar has also joined the Lake Central Education Foundation Board, which helps the school system promote fundraising for innovative educational opportunities. Through her work with schools and small businesses, Salazar has enjoyed making contributions to help others in the community around her and appreciates that her workplace has values and passions that align with her own.

“The biggest vision and mission for Teachers Credit Union is really to help the communities we serve,” Salazar said. “It's our business lending for small business owners getting started as well as just being a part of the community with helping with students’ financial education.”

What means the most to Salazar when looking back at her time at TCU is the positive impact she makes through those relationships.

“What I enjoy most about all of it is that it never really feels like a job,” Salazar said. “It feels like you're touching someone's life, through every stage of their life. People have different needs at all times. You always have to be ready for those different things that come up in their lives, and you always have to take that opportunity to assist them. I think that the passion behind it really helps to grow the business, even when times are tough. You always look to the future.”

For more information on Teachers Credit Union, visit tcunet.com.