Needham, MA – August 2025 – Direct Federal Credit Union’s six-part Leadership Development Program has been honored with a Brandon Hall Group™ Silver Award for Excellence in the category of Best Leadership Development Program.

Since its launch, 27 emerging leaders at Direct Federal have completed the program, gaining skills to take on greater responsibilities and strengthen leadership across the organization. The curriculum spans key leadership competencies, including communication, strategic thinking, decision-making, and leading teams through change.

“Our Leadership Development Program reflects our commitment to fostering personal growth and professional achievement,” said Erin Proulx, AVP, Training and Development. “It’s about giving employees the tools and confidence they need to develop as leaders and contribute meaningfully to Direct Federal’s future.”

That impact is already visible. Andrew Gabriel, SVP and COO, shared, “The program gave me new skills to better support my teams and take on the exciting challenges of my role as COO.”

The program was evaluated by a panel of senior industry experts with Brandon Hall and recognized for its strong design, measurable results, and innovation.

“The 2025 Excellence Award recipients represent the pinnacle of achievement in human capital management. What sets this year's winners apart is their bold embrace of emerging technologies and their commitment to creating meaningful employee experiences that drive tangible business results. These organizations have demonstrated that when you invest in your people with purpose and innovation, the impact resonates throughout the entire enterprise, creating sustainable competitive advantages in today's dynamic business landscape," said Brandon Hall Group™ Chief Executive Officer Mike Cooke.

About Direct Federal Credit Union

Founded in 1953, Direct Federal Credit Union is a leading not-for-profit financial institution serving Middlesex and Norfolk counties in Massachusetts. With a focus on financial education and community involvement, Direct Federal offers a wide range of financial products and services designed to help members achieve their goals.

About Brandon Hall Group™

Brandon Hall Group™ is the only professional development company that offers data, research, insights and certification to Learning and Talent executives and organizations. The best minds in Human Capital Management (HCM) choose Brandon Hall Group™ to help them create future-proof employee development plans for the new era.

For over 30 years, we have empowered, recognized and certified excellence in organizations worldwide, influencing the development of over 10 million employees and executives. Our HCM Excellence Awards® program was the first to recognize organizations for learning and talent and is the gold standard, known as the “Academy Awards of Human Capital Management.”

The awards recognize the best organizations that have successfully developed and deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems and tools that have achieved measurable results. We are honored to receive applications from organizations worldwide ranging from small, medium, large and global enterprises to government, not-for-profits and associations.

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