About Gene
I am passionate about the vital role credit unions play in improving the financial lives of our members and our communities.
For over twenty-five years, I led Harvard University’s credit union in achieving remarkable growth and success by deploying a focus strategy. I learned the key to earning member loyalty depends upon truly understanding member needs and then delivering the products and services that members value most. I also learned that an organization’s culture can be its greatest competitive advantage.
Over the course of my career, I launched new business lines and made game changing breakout plays while still managing balance sheet risk. At key times, I missed not having a knowledgeable and trusted confidant to provide me with additional analysis and objective insights to help in evaluating my thinking. My experience and expertise enable me to contribute to every aspect of running a credit union. I am happy to talk about any initiative and am most interested in providing one-on-one mentoring to credit union CEOs.
I work closely with credit union professionals to help them find patterns, identify key issues, frame their ideas, and use data to create new possibilities.
"I work closely with credit union professionals to help them find patterns, identify key issues, frame their ideas, and use data to create new possibilities."
– Gene Foley, President of Focus Strategy Group
Fellow, Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate
Want to find out more?
Please tell me a bit about yourself and your business and we’ll find a time to talk about working together. This is your opportunity to ask questions about my approach and for us to make sure we’re a great fit. After we’ve spoken, we’ll make it official with an in-depth evaluation to kick-start our work together.
Press & Media Resources
Gene Foley is the founder and President of Focus Strategy Group (FSG), a management consulting firm dedicated to helping credit union CEOs optimize profitability, growth, and organizational effectiveness.
Prior to forming FSG, Gene was the President / CEO of Harvard University Employees Credit Union (HUECU), a billion-dollar credit union serving Harvard Faculty, Students, Alumni and Staff. Over his 25-year tenure as CEO, Gene grew the Credit Union from $90 million to over $1.3 billion in assets under management, achieving ten consecutive years of double-digit annual growth.
While leading HUECU, Gene was instrumental in developing the first financial literacy course offered for Harvard students, launching the Harvard Alumni affinity credit card program, and making HUECU one of the top credit union private student loan lenders in the country.
Gene has also been an influential figure in the credit union industry and has served in leadership positions both locally and nationally. He testified before Congress regarding data security on behalf of credit unions, wrote opinion pieces as an Advisory Board Member of Banker and Tradesman newspaper, served on the Massachusetts Fair Lending Task Force, was a key contributor in developing the multi‐state Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA), and has taken on committee assignments and board‐level roles with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the Massachusetts Credit Union League, Filene Research Institute, and Payment Systems for Credit Unions (PSCU). His active involvement, solid reputation and passion for the industry have frequently sent him to Washington D.C. to participate in political and lobbying efforts geared towards the betterment of the credit union movement and its members.
Gene has won numerous industry awards, including being named a Credit Union Hero by Banker and Tradesman newspaper, honored as an inaugural member of the Cooperative Credit Union Association Hall of Fame, winner of the Desjardins Award for Adult Financial Literacy and induction into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in Washington D.C.
Gene earned his BA from Boston University and his MBA from Babson College.
For high-res photos and headshots, please email a request to: Press@FocusStrategyGrp.com.
Gene has won numerous industry awards, including:
- Credit Union Hero by Banker and Tradesman newspaper
- Inaugural member of the Cooperative Credit Union Association Hall of Fame
- Winner of the Desjardins Award for Adult Financial Literacy
- Induction into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in Washington D.C.
If you are interested in having Gene speak at your engagement, please email Press@FocusStrategyGrp.com and provide the date of the event, the size of the audience, and any other information you can supply, such as, hosts, sponsors, and other speakers.