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Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share a bit about your background and what has led you to your current role?

I spent 17 years in the nonprofit space, mostly in executive roles focused on operations and people. That’s where I learned how to lead, how to build teams, and how to serve communities. I wasn’t looking to move into financial services, but sometimes the right opportunity finds you.

The former CEO of Red Rocks Credit Union sat on the board of the nonprofit I was leading. Over the course of five or six years, we built a strong relationship. One day over lunch, I told him I was thinking about making a career change. I said, “I’m almost 40 and ready for something new. Keep your eyes and ears open for me.” He looked at me and said, “Funny you’d say that. I’ve been thinking about working with you for the past three years. I’m planning to retire in five to seven years. What would you think about coming in as my number two?”

I was surprised and honestly, I said no. I hadn’t considered banking. I had thought about entrepreneurship, but not this industry. A few months later, we reconnected and he said, “I still think you’re the guy.” He told me, “I can’t teach what you do. You’re a leader of leaders. But I can teach you this industry.”

I joined Red Rocks as Chief Impact Officer, which meant I was running operations. A year later, I was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Then, two years in, I became interim CEO when he retired. At that point, I had gained exposure to the financial side and the frontline side of the business. I didn’t feel fully ready, but sometimes opportunity shows up before you think you’re prepared. That moment turned into the rest of my career.

While I was interim CEO, I led a two-year core conversion, returned the organization to profitability after two years of net losses, and vetted a merger opportunity. The board saw someone who was willing to take risks, who understood operations and people, and who could build the right team. That’s how I stepped into the CEO role, and it’s been a great two and a half years.

What inspired you to start or join your business, and what is its core mission?

What drew me to Red Rocks was the credit union model itself. I come from a people-centered industry, and the idea of joining a not-for-profit organization built around the mantra of “people helping people” really resonated with me. Credit unions are rooted in community and focused on helping people live their best financial lives. That aligned perfectly with my values.

I also believe deeply in the power of relationships. Relationships are equity. Relationships are currency. I got into this role because I managed and stewarded a relationship with a mentor, and that opened a door I hadn’t expected. That opportunity wouldn’t have surfaced if I hadn’t invested in that connection.

Our business is built on relationships. The ones we have with our members, with our staff, and with our community. We prioritize those relationships every day, and that’s what makes our mission to enrich lives more than just words. It’s something we live out in every part of the organization.

Could you tell us about your journey in the industry and any significant experiences that have shaped your approach to purpose driven business models?

Definitely. Before I came into the credit union space, I spent about 15 years as a pastor. That experience shaped how I lead today. At the heart of being a pastor is a deep care for people. You think about the greater good, and you learn to prioritize others, sometimes even above yourself.

That mindset has carried over into my work at Red Rocks. One of our core values is relentless care for others, and that’s not just something we say. It’s something I live. I genuinely want to see people thrive. Whether it’s our members, our staff, or our community, I want to help create the conditions for people to live out the best version of themselves.

That belief in people and in their potential is what drives our purpose-driven approach. It’s not something I had to learn when I got here. It’s something I brought with me, and it’s been central to how I lead and how we build our culture.

What inspired you to create a business model that prioritizes purpose alongside profit, and how do you ensure this balance in your daily operations?

Purpose over profit is built into the credit union model. We’re not-for-profit by design, so prioritizing people is part of our DNA. But for me, it’s also personal. When I stepped into this role six years ago, one of the first things I noticed was that we didn’t have a clear set of company values. So I worked with the team to define them.

We landed on three: relentless care for others, doing the right thing and doing it well, and engaged collaboration. Those values are closely tied to what I believe in. I care deeply about people. I want to see them thrive. That shows up in how I lead and how we operate as an organization.

We don’t serve shareholders. We serve member-owners. That means our focus is always on what’s best for them, not just what’s best for the bottom line. In our daily operations, we use our values as guardrails. They don’t tell us exactly what to do, but they shape how we do it.

For example, we just came out of an ALCO meeting where we were discussing pricing. One of the questions we asked was, does this pricing benefit our members or does it only help our balance sheet? That’s the kind of lens we use every day. Our goal is to enrich lives, and that’s what keeps us grounded in purpose while still being financially responsible.

How do you measure the social or environmental impact of your business model, and what challenges have you faced in aligning these metrics with traditional business goals?

It’s hard. Measuring social impact isn’t always straightforward, and it doesn’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet. For us, it really comes down to how we engage with our community. That’s where we see our purpose in action.

A few years ago, there were wildfires here in Colorado. We live in a dry climate, so unfortunately, those kinds of disasters aren’t uncommon. When things like that happen — whether it’s fires, school shootings, or other crises — we respond with care and generosity. That’s part of who we are. One of our core values is relentless care for others, and we take that seriously.

We’ve even written policies to help us respond quickly and thoughtfully when something happens in our community. It’s not just about being reactive. It’s about being ready to show up with empathy and support.

Beyond crisis response, we also host annual events for our members and the broader community. We recently held a shredding event, which may seem small, but it’s part of how we help people protect their financial well-being. Every year we do something around the holidays, we support back-to-school efforts, and we stay active throughout the summer. Colorado is beautiful, and we love being out in the community, encouraging our members to engage too.

The challenge is that traditional business metrics don’t always capture the value of these efforts. But we believe they matter. They build trust, strengthen relationships, and reflect the kind of organization we want to be.

Can you share an example of a tough decision where you chose to prioritize purpose over profit, and what was the outcome?

I really like this question because it gets to the heart of what makes credit unions different. Last year, we had a situation where a few of our members were caught in a pretty serious fraud scheme. It was unfortunate, and even though we did everything we could to protect them, they ended up making decisions that led to financial loss.

We had to ask ourselves a hard question. Do we step in and help make them whole, even though the loss came from choices they made? From a financial standpoint, the answer could have easily been no. But when we looked at it through the lens of our values, especially our commitment to relentless care for others, the answer was yes.

We chose to absorb a significant loss so those members wouldn’t carry the burden alone. That’s not something every financial institution would do. I know banks that wouldn’t have even considered it. But we’re a credit union, and we’re built on the idea of people helping people. That decision reflected who we are.

It wasn’t easy, and it definitely impacted our bottom line. But it was the right thing to do. That said, we are also responsible stewards of our members’ collective resources. We do not take on losses lightly, and we evaluate each situation carefully. Purpose over profit does not mean profit never matters. It means we lead with our values, even when it is hard.

How do you stay innovative while remaining true to your core mission, especially in a rapidly changing market?

Innovation starts with listening. We stay close to our members and staff, constantly gathering feedback and watching for shifts in needs and expectations. We also invest in technology and process improvements that enhance service without compromising our values.

Our core mission is to enrich lives, and that gives us a clear filter for innovation. If a new idea doesn’t serve that mission, we don’t pursue it. But if it helps people thrive financially, connect more deeply, or access resources more easily — we’re all in.

What role does community engagement play in your business model, and how have you successfully integrated feedback from those you aim to serve?

Community engagement is at the core of our business model. We’re not just here to provide financial services. We’re here to walk alongside our members and be a meaningful part of their lives. That means we have to stay connected to what they’re experiencing and what they care about.

We pay close attention to member surveys, online reviews, and what people are saying on social media. That feedback helps us understand where we’re doing well and where we need to improve. And we don’t just collect it. We act on it.

We’ve made real changes based on what our members have told us. Sometimes that means adjusting a service. Other times it means improving how we communicate or how we show up in the community. When people see that their voice matters, it builds trust. It shows that we’re listening and that we’re willing to grow in ways that serve them better.

What are your “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Purpose Driven Business”? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

1. A Clear Mission — You have to know why you exist. At Red Rocks, our mission is to enrich lives. That’s not just something we say, it’s something we live. It shows up in how we serve our members, how we support our staff, and how we make decisions. Without a clear mission, it’s easy to get pulled in too many directions.

2. Agility — You’ve got to be able to pivot. Things change fast, and if you’re too rigid, you’ll get left behind. When we went through our core conversion, it was a huge lift. We had to learn new systems, retrain our team, and keep member service strong through all of it. Being agile helped us stay grounded in our values while adapting to what the moment required.

3. Vision — You can’t just lead for today. You have to be able to see what’s coming and prepare for it. When I stepped into the interim CEO role, we were facing some real challenges. But I had a vision for where we could go, and that helped us make bold moves — like vetting a merger opportunity and restructuring parts of the organization. Vision gives you the courage to lead through uncertainty.

4. Execution — Ideas are great, but they don’t mean much if you can’t follow through. We returned Red Rocks to profitability after two years of operating at a net loss. That didn’t happen because of one big idea, it happened because we executed consistently. We made tough decisions, streamlined operations, and empowered our team to deliver. Execution is where purpose becomes impact.

5. Alignment — Your team has to be aligned with your mission and values. Early on, we didn’t have a formal set of values, so I worked with our team to define them: relentless care for others, doing the right thing and doing it well, and engaged collaboration. Those values became our foundation. When your team is aligned, you move faster, communicate better, and serve more deeply.

Can you share a story of someone who has inspired you in your journey?

One of the most defining moments in my life happened when I was 16. I had just moved from Detroit to Atlanta to live with my mom after my parents divorced. That transition came with a lot of emotional weight and, honestly, some poor decisions on my part. I ended up spending three nights in juvenile detention.

At the time, I didn’t realize how pivotal those three nights would be. I had to stay until my court date, and during that time, I had a moment of clarity. I remember thinking, I don’t want to have to ask someone for toilet paper. I don’t want to be told when I have to eat. That experience made me realize that this wasn’t the trajectory I wanted for my life. It was uncomfortable, but it was also transformative. I made a decision in that space to change.

When my court date came, my mom showed up — thank goodness for her — and she wasn’t alone. An elder from our church came with her. That man, the pastor of the church, became one of the most important mentors in my life. He saw something in me that I hadn’t yet seen in myself.

He didn’t just help me get out of a tough situation — he invested in me. He gave me a scholarship to go to college. He invited me into his home and showed me what it looked like to be a good husband, a good father, and a responsible leader. I watched him cook for his family, wipe down counters, manage his finances, and care for his kids. He modeled integrity, consistency, and love in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

He also ran a thriving church and a growing business. He gave me my first job out of college. And more than anything, he gave me a vision for what my life could be. Without his influence, I honestly don’t know where I would have ended up.

Because of him, I’m a better husband, a better father, and a better leader. My wife and kids have him to thank. My staff at Red Rocks have him to thank. He changed the trajectory of my life by choosing to invest in a kid who was heading in the wrong direction. And I carry that with me every day — in how I lead, how I mentor, and how I show up for others.

How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?

Redrocks.org — company website

Darius Wise LinkedIn

This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!