During a special Awards Banquet at the Nebraska Credit Union League’s Annual Convention, the 2024 Professional Distinguished Service Award was presented to Mary Johnson, President and CEO of Omaha Police Federal Credit Union and Ann Loftis, President and CEO of First Nebraska Credit Union.
Mary began her career with the Omaha Police Federal Credit Union on May 16, 
1979. At the time Mary’s Father, Eugene Ausdemore, was a full-time Omaha Police Officer and a part-time employee of the Credit Union. While he initially asked Mary to fill in “temporarily” due to some staffing shortages they were experiencing, fortunately for the credit union Mary never returned to work for any other employer.
Back in 1979 the Omaha Police Federal Credit Union had no job titles. Everyone did whatever the credit union members needed whether it meant conducting a teller transaction, opening a new account or CD, handling the accounting duties and computer systems, processing a loan request, or taking out the trash.
Joleen Miller was the manager and Mary’s mentor in those days. Joleen taught Mary what member service and teamwork are truly about and allowed her to grow with the organization and develop into a true credit-union professional.
Joleen was eventually promoted to President and Mary became Vice President and continued to help build the organization’s mission. When Joleen retired in 2004, the board of directors named Mary the CEO of the Credit Union where her commitment to their members and the Credit Union Movement remains strong.
During her tenure at the credit union Mary has been more than willing to give freely of her time and talents, serving on various Boards and Committees during her 44 years of service. She has served on the League’s Legislative Committee, Nebraska Corporate Central Board of Directors, The League’s Foundation Board, and the Cooperative Solutions Group Board. Mary served six years as a League Board member retiring in 2014, only to return for a third term in 2020.
For 20 years she has been actively involved in state and national advocacy events including the Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, DC, “Hike the Hill” and Jam the Unicam. She has engaged with lawmakers and regulators in many meetings which remain one of the most important visual representations of credit union grassroots advocacy creating a lasting positive impact on the movement.
In 2015 Mary was inducted in Credit Union House Hall of Fame. Last year Mary was presented with the Hal Allen Legislative Leadership Award.
Over the years Mary has served her community well. Shortly after assuming the CEO position, Mary became involved in what eventually became the Omaha Police Officers’ Association, not only adhering to one of the most important credit union principles of serving the underserved but also staying true to her heritage of coming from a law-enforcement family.
She is also very active in the Omaha Crime Stoppers foundation where she has been an active board member since 2018, serving as Chair in 2023.
Mary Johnson is a perfect example of a lifetime commitment of excellence and service to both law-enforcement and the credit union industry. And it is not just Mary’s professional achievements that we celebrate tonight, but the compassion, integrity, and veracity with which she has carried out her duties. She has truly embodied the mission and spirit of the Omaha Police Federal Credit Union, placing the needs of the members at the forefront of everything she does.
Ann has 45 years of experience in banking & finance, having worked in every facet of financial services operations. She started at the credit union as a loan officer in 1992, implementing mortgage lending and risk-based lending programs and overseeing loan operations. Ann has also served as the Mortgage Loan Manager, VP of Lending, and Executive Vice President prior to being promoted to her current position as President and CEO.
Ann has a passion for helping people, pursuing excellence in work, and in all that she does. She has continued educational and professional development for herself and others over the years. Ann has attended multiple advocacy meetings and events, she is heavily involved in collaborating with other Credit Unions, the Nebraska Credit Union League, and Americas Credit Unions, and takes every opportunity to promote the Credit Union Movement and to expand and share her knowledge.
Under Ann’s leadership and guidance, the credit union has grown exponentially. Her ability to inspire and lead has cultivated a culture of excellence and integrity at the Credit Union. She has always been at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that the Credit Union stays ahead in an ever-changing financial landscape. Her initiatives have not only modernized credit union services but has also made them more accessible to First Nebraska members.
Ann has truly demonstrated the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People” over the years. She approaches each credit union member with a philosophy of seeking first to understand the members’ story before identifying how best to meet their needs. Often, Ann would explore all avenues to, in her words, “find a way to say YES to the member.” As CEO, Ann employees a leadership style that always puts the membership first with the focus of serving the underserved.
