Marshall Boutwell – A leader in corporate citizenship

Marshall Boutwell’s life didn’t Atlanta-area companies. than 400 other employee groups across turn out exactly as planned. He never In 1994, he became president/CEO its seven county footprint. expected to run a large credit union, let of Gwinnett Federal Credit Union, “Credit unions are there to help alone one that helps students attend now named Peach State Federal Credit people afford life,” Boutwell said. college at GGC. Union (PSFCU). Founded to serve “Unlike banks, we don’t have investors/ Raised in a military family, he enlisted teachers, the organization once oper- stockholders, we don’t pay federal taxes in the U.S. Army and held several ated out of a car trunk filled with boxes and our board is all-volunteer. Our command and staff positions. He of its members’ files. members are also our owners and they learned all he could about leadership, From such humble beginnings, it have expectations of service, so we have aware of his responsibility when grew to 5,000 members and $14 million a social mission. We invest 10 percent leading soldiers into combat. in assets. Under Boutwell’s 20-year of our profits in the community through Highly decorated, he earned leadership, PSFCU expanded to 41,000 support of education, schools and several medals including members, $265 million in assets, about the arts.” Go to the Purple Heart, Bronze 100 employees and 12 branches. Its Boutwell is enthusiastic about engage.ggc.edu Star and Distinguished Lawrenceville headquarters has PSFCU PSFCU’s commitment to education. for the full story Flying Cross. well-prepared for future growth as the “What teachers do is multiWhen a reduction in credit union continues its pattern of 15 generational,” he said. “It carries on.” force ended his military percent annual growth. It is one of the When Georgia Gwinnett College was career, he had to rethink his fastest-growing credit unions in the established, it became part of PSFCU’s future. He earned a degree in trust state and in the nation. commitment to education. PSFCU management from Campbell Univer- PSFCU remains education-centric, funds two scholarships for education sity in Buies Creek, N.C. His banking serving employees of city and county majors and committed $50,000 to the career included positions at several school systems, governments and more Daniel J. Kaufman Scholarship Fund. To Boutwell, corporate citizenship is a duty and education the most effective way to support the community. “Companies owe it to themselves and to the community to do everything they can to support education,” he said. “We get a lot more than we receive.” In addition to leading an organization committed to its corporate citizenship, Boutwell himself serves the community through board positions for several industry-related groups, Aurora Theatre and the Lawrenceville Planning Commission. He also is active in Rotary. “I know that I have an impact on people and that I have a tendency to end up in leadership positions,” said Boutwell. “I spent 25 years training for this job and didn’t know it. Sometimes I have to pinch myself because it feels like I’m on vacation. I love what I do.”

”Companies owe it to themselves and to the community to do everything they can to support education.”

– Boutwell