Angelo DeCamps, President & CEO, Coastal Community Federal Credit Union

In an interview with Invest:, Angelo DeCamps, president and CEO of Coastal Community Federal Credit Union, discussed his priorities as a new CEO, the impact of inflation on members, and the role credit unions play in strengthening local communities. “When members do well, credit unions do well,” DeCamps said.

What have been your main priorities since stepping into the CEO role?

One of my first responsibilities has been listening to employees and understanding what may be preventing them from being successful. My priority has been identifying those roadblocks and helping remove them.

I became CEO in January, so I am still early in the role, but the main focus has been building infrastructure. It is my responsibility to make sure our foundation is strong so we can grow alongside our community and continue serving the environment around us.

How has your experience shaped your approach to leading the credit union?

I have been a banking executive for about 25 years. I worked for some of the top banks in the United States, overseeing retail, business, commercial banking, and middle markets.

About eight years ago, I moved into the credit union world, which is different from traditional banking. Every decision I made at a bank was about shareholder return and increasing shareholder value. At a credit union, every decision is about returning value to members.

That means looking at how we can offer better products, expand lending, and serve people who traditional banks may not serve. When I moved into the credit union world, I fell in love with banking again because I could see the impact we make in the community.

What economic factors are having the biggest impact on your members today?

The biggest impact right now is inflation. The cost of living is high, and it affects everyday families buying groceries, filling up their cars, and managing household expenses. Dollars are not going as far as they used to.

People are having to reassess what is important and learn how to budget. The great thing about what we do at Coastal Community is that we help members through that process. We become financial advisers and help people navigate difficult situations.

What trends are you seeing across the communities you serve?

Houston is a diverse melting pot, and that is one of the reasons I love it here. I come from immigrant parents. My father is Dominican, my mother is Colombian, and they chose Houston to raise their family.

In the communities we serve, we work with people across every income level. We have members who are doctors, bankers, and mortgage professionals. We also serve refinery workers, mechanics, plumbers, construction workers, and people living paycheck to paycheck.

We have to be diverse enough to serve all of them. The conversations may be different depending on the member, but everyone needs guidance and education to make the right financial decisions.

How are higher interest rates affecting borrowing and lending activity?

Financial institutions operate in an environment heavily influenced by the Federal Reserve. Rates have stayed high, but people still need to borrow, and they are borrowing at a higher cost.

You are also seeing homes stay on the market longer, creating more of a buyer’s market because there is more inventory available. Right now, many people are in a state of limbo.

The important thing for financial leaders is educating members on responsible budgeting and responsible borrowing. What people want and what they need are two different things, and helping members understand that is part of our responsibility.

How is Coastal Community adapting to competition from larger banks and fintech companies?

We live in a time where convenience matters. People expect quick answers and digital access, so technology is extremely important. We have to adapt and make sure we provide strong online and mobile banking platforms where members can handle regular banking needs efficiently.

What sets us apart is the individual banker. It is having the time and opportunity to give members personal attention when they are making major life decisions, whether it is buying a home, buying a car, or getting out of debt.

There is value in knowing your banker will answer the phone and help you. Members are not just numbers to us. Their wins are our wins, and their losses are our losses.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities and challenges around AI?

The biggest opportunity with AI is lending because it can help streamline decisions on loans that are easier to process.

The challenge is making sure systems do not replace human judgment. AI sees the story, but it does not understand the member behind it. A banker can understand the background and the circumstances that may not appear in a system.

AI is necessary, but it still needs to be balanced with human interaction and decision-making.

How are you approaching cybersecurity and fraud prevention?

We lean heavily on our security experts. Cybersecurity is not an area where you want to cut corners. It is something leaders need to continue investing in every year because technology changes constantly.

You have to stay current and make sure your teams stay informed, especially those responsible for security and cybersecurity.

How important is business lending to your long-term strategy?

It is our heartbeat. I come from parents who owned a janitorial company, and that is how they supported our family.

Small businesses are a major driver of the Texas economy, and if financial institutions are not adapting to them, they are missing the boat. At Coastal Community, small business and commercial lending are major components of our future growth strategy.

How are you attracting and retaining banking talent?

It is an interesting time because employee expectations have shifted, especially around hybrid work. Part of my job as CEO is understanding those changes and learning how to adapt to them.

I am not personally a fan of hybrid work, but I understand the importance of it when it comes to attracting talent. Beyond that, organizations need a culture where employees feel appreciated and feel like they have a voice.

What role do credit unions play in supporting long-term financial stability?

Financial literacy is one of the biggest pillars we have. If we can teach parents about responsible credit, borrowing, and budgeting, they can pass that knowledge on to their children.

That is how communities change over time. Credit unions operate at the local level, and that local education matters. At Coastal Community, we focus heavily on educating our communities because we want to see them flourish. When members do well, credit unions do well.

What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?

The first priority is providing safety and security for our members and the financial resources they have entrusted to us.

The second priority is continuing to educate members through financial literacy initiatives.

The third priority is becoming a preferred lender for local families, small businesses, and commercial clients.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight?

I want to emphasize the value credit unions bring to the communities they serve. When credit unions stay true to their mission of people helping people, they can make a real difference.

I worked in traditional banking for more than 20 years, but when you take that banking knowledge and apply it in a credit union environment, you can have a direct impact on your community. It becomes about what we can do for our members, not what they can do for us.