Dion Williams, President & CEO, Piedmont Advantage Credit Union

Invest: spoke with Dion Williams, president and CEO of Piedmont Advantage Credit Union, about lending demand, technology priorities, and how a mission-driven culture helps the institution compete in a fast-shifting financial landscape. “We put people over technology. We’re a people business, but we understand technology has a place,” Williams said.

What changes or shifts are you seeing in the economy and the financial sector that have shaped your priorities at Piedmont Advantage Credit Union?

It was a welcome sight to see interest rates start to come down in the latter portion of the year. I’m not sure if it was the interest rates or the combination of the interest rates and the tariffs, but we did see consumers a little more cautious in their spending habits. We didn’t have as strong of a loan production year as we thought we might have, because going into the year, we expected a more interest-rate-down environment earlier.

When you couple that with the tariffs and the impact on the automobile market, there was some angst and uncertainty. But the year finished out strong. We saw the fourth quarter come in strong; it just took longer to get there.

The other big factor is housing. Property values are doing really well in North Carolina, but if you locked in a 3% mortgage a few years back, what’s your motivation to trade that for a 5% or 6% mortgage? We hope we see that loosen up this year so there’s more activity, housing is more affordable, and we can help more people realize their goal of homeownership.

What products or services are in highest demand among members, and how are you adjusting offerings to meet that demand?

On the real estate side, where we’re not seeing a lot of buying and selling, we are seeing activity with home equity loans. As property values have gone up, people are tapping into that equity, whether it’s college expenses, consolidating debt, or home improvements. With rates coming down, home equity loans are generally tied to the prime rate, so that’s coming down too. That’s a good, affordable lending opportunity right now.

In automobile lending, cars are expensive, so people are holding on to their vehicles longer. We’re trying to price ourselves as competitively as possible, so when people are ready to buy a new car or a new used car, a new car to them, we’re positioned to help.

We’ve also seen more unsecured lending activity than normal, especially late in the year, as people seek debt consolidation alternatives. The goal is to help members move higher-interest debt into a structure with a better rate and payment.

What makes the Greater Charlotte region a good fit for Piedmont Advantage Credit Union?

Charlotte is a niche market for us. We were brought to Charlotte for the aviation industry. Our roots are in Piedmont Airlines and Piedmont Aviation, so our branch is right there at the airport, and we have an ATM on-site at the maintenance building. That’s our corner of the world in Charlotte.

There are so many people involved in aviation, whether they work for an airline or for the airport itself. Those are the people we serve there. We’re excited to see the airport area growing and expanding, because that’s a great opportunity for us. We’re not trying to be all things to all people across Charlotte. We have a niche, and that’s where we see our growth.

How are you attracting and retaining talent as you grow?

We had low turnover this past year, and that’s been a strength for us for a number of years. It’s culture. You could go to another organization, like a commercial bank, and make more money, but at the credit union, we’re mission-driven. We’re a not-for-profit financial cooperative.

We’re upfront that someone can go somewhere else and maybe earn a bigger paycheck, but with us, there’s a community focus and a focus on relationships. If you’re driven by mission, purpose, and community, this is an outstanding place to work. We’ve been fortunate to find staff who are vested in that.

How are you approaching AI and automation while maintaining the relationship connection that defines the credit union model?

We put people over technology. We’re a people business, but we understand technology has a place.

In 2024, we upgraded our core system, which drives the data that comes in and out of the organization. That positions us to do more technology-based services moving forward. But our focus isn’t replacing people with technology. We’ll have tools available for members who want to self-serve, and we’ll still make sure people can walk into a branch, call in, and speak with a live person.

One AI-specific example is voice recognition in our call center, which we call our member relationship team. Instead of a long list of verification questions, a member can simply state who they are and what they need, and the system can verify identity or flag the call if additional verification is needed. We see AI as especially valuable for fraud prevention and security.

We also have a major digital upgrade on the roadmap, allowing members to open an account online in under five minutes. Right now, it’s a more manual process. The point is to create efficiency and convenience, without losing the people-first value proposition.

How are you supporting financial literacy and long-term planning for members at different stages?

There are three things I’d point to. First, we have a wealth management service for members. We’re a $400 million financial institution, but we have an additional $100 million under management in wealth services. For members who are retired, looking to retire, or higher-wealth, this provides access to services beyond traditional deposit and loan products.

Second, we have staff members in every branch who are certified credit counselors. They’ve gone through training so they can help members with budgeting and debt management. When someone says, “I don’t have anything saved for retirement,” or “I need to get out of debt,” we have people equipped to help.

Third, we have the PACU Foundation. The year 2025 marked our fifth year. In years one through four, we raised and distributed $100,000 total. In year five, we raised $42,000, and we expect to reach $50,000 or more this year. That support goes into financial literacy and helping people facing hardship.

In a competitive landscape that includes fintechs and large banks, how do you build lasting member relationships and maintain your differentiator?

A lot of people say, that’s my credit union. They know the staff. They see the same people year after year, and that matters when you want real conversations and real guidance, not just a transaction.

We know fintechs are competitors, and they’re also influencing expectations. One example is buy now, pay later. We can see members using those services, so instead of ignoring it, we’re looking at implementing our own version. We’re not so proud to say we do everything better than everybody. If something works and it brings value to members, we want to learn from it and incorporate it in a way that fits our model.

Looking ahead, what are your top goals for the next two to three years?

There are still residual impacts from the pandemic on financial institutions. A big one is balance-sheet pressure from older, low-rate mortgages alongside higher-rate deposit products over the past couple of years. That squeezed profit margins.

As lower-yielding loans and investments pay off, we’re getting right with the market, and we’re seeing that improve. As a cooperative, when the bottom line improves, we give back to members. That can mean better loan rates, better deposit rates, or continued investment in technology. Our goal is to make sure members have the tools they want and the people available when they want that conversation.