Richmond, Virginia, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virginia Credit Union (VACU), a member-owned financial cooperative with 1,100 employees and 490,000 members, has achieved a double milestone: receiving the 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA) for the fourth consecutive year while earning recognition from Gallup for its strengths-based culture for the first time.
The dual honors position VACU among an elite group of organizations worldwide that excel at both employee engagement and strengths-based development. Each year, the global research and analytics giant Gallup invites companies meeting a certain standard of excellence to vie for the prestigious GEWA, which recognizes the world's best workplace cultures based on rigorous measurement of employee engagement, leadership, and performance.
Only 78 organizations worldwide received the GEWA this year, with VACU joining an even more select group of 22 organizations recognized for their work to nurture and sustain a strengths-based workplace culture. Only six organizations were recognized with both awards this year. By investing in strengths-based development, Virginia Credit Union helps teams perform at their best while advancing business results.
VACU’s recognition is particularly noteworthy given that 2025 marked the first full year of operations following its merger with Member One Federal Credit Union. VACU deployed organization-wide initiatives to onboard Member One staff into its CliftonStrengths program, roll out leadership development training, and encourage participation in Gallup's Q12 employee engagement survey — demonstrating the credit union's ability to successfully scale its exceptional culture during a period of significant staff growth.
"This recognition reflects the extraordinary dedication of our staff, who are the driving force behind our ability to deliver on our mission and value proposition," said Chris Shockley, President/CEO of VACU. "Our people don't just work here — they invest their talents, energy, and passion into serving our members, their teammates, and our communities every single day.”
“By helping our team members discover, develop, and leverage their unique strengths, we're unlocking potential that translates directly into a world-class workforce and exceptional service for our members,” said Shockley. “This dual recognition from Gallup validates our belief that when employees are valued, supported, and celebrated as individuals, organizational success follows.”
Gallup's meta-analysis on team engagement and performance is the most comprehensive workplace study ever conducted, with data on more than 3.3 million employees in 347 organizations across 53 industries and 90 countries. Highly engaged organizations, such as VACU, significantly outperform their peers on important business outcomes, including customer/member satisfaction ratings, profitability, productivity, turnover, absenteeism, quality, and well-being.
"Our investment in developing our staff and leadership is intentional and unwavering because we understand that organizational excellence begins with the work and contributions of every Virginia Credit Union teammate," said MaryAnn Fatheddin, Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Enterprise Communications. "When employees find meaning in their work and fulfillment in being part of a workplace that celebrates their unique strengths, they bring their best selves to work. This creates a ripple effect throughout our organization — engaged, strengths-focused employees inspire member confidence and trust as they deliver exceptional experiences for our members, which is the very heart and soul of our mission."
"Congratulations to this year's Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award winners for setting the standard for a thriving workplace," said Jon Clifton, Gallup's Chief Executive Officer. "Your commitment to creating an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to do their best work is truly remarkable. By prioritizing both people and performance, you are shaping the future of work and proving that exceptional workplaces drive real results."
VACU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. View our careers page for available opportunities.
About Gallup
Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.
About Virginia Credit Union
A financial cooperative serving almost 500,000 members, Virginia Credit Union and its Member One Division offer a variety of affordable banking services, loans, mortgages, and free financial education resources, with a focus on helping people live more confidently. Virginia Credit Union and its Member One Division are equal housing opportunity lenders and are federally insured by the NCUA.
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Lewis Wood Virginia Credit Union 804-560-5664 lewis.wood@vacu.org
