Meet Shelley McDade CEO of Sunshine Coast Credit Union, a cooperative that has operated for more than 80 years and has close to $1 billion dollars in assets under administration. Shelley is currently board chair of Central 1 Credit Union while also serving as a board director for Sunshine Coast Insurance Services Inc. and The Co-operators Group. With more than 40 years of experience and leadership in the Canadian credit union system, Shelley is known for her commitment to collaboration as well as her mentorship and advocacy for women in leadership roles.
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
As a teenager, I volunteered at a salmon hatchery, where I developed a strong interest in biology. I assisted with the fertilization and release of salmon eggs and gave tours to tourist and other students, passionately sharing the importance of our work. This experience made me feel like I was truly making a difference in saving the salmon. Being part of that process stayed with me throughout my career, reminding me that people want to make a difference wherever they are. Everyone wants to feel they're doing something that matters.
If you think back on leaders who inspired you in your career or leadership style, who were they and why were they inspiring?
In Grade 10, I had a biology teacher who was an equal-opportunity leader. He noticed my interest in biology and gave me extra credit for helping him prepare for each class. He nurtured my passion for the subject and was the first to teach me about purpose-led leadership. He showed me that when you set high expectations of someone, push them, and provide support, they often surprise themselves and others. I actually call it "pushing you off the cliff, but floating down with you to make sure you’re safe."
Later in my career, during a tough economic time in the credit union industry, I had a great leader named Garth Sheane at Evergreen Savings (now part of Coastal Community Credit Union). He was a tough but compassionate values-driven leader who organized free financial workshops across Vancouver Island. These workshops were designed to help members and communities learn how to weather the storm and survive challenging situations.
What motivates you every day?
What motivates me every day is building for better and leaving things better than we found them. It’s about thinking not just about tomorrow, but about a million tomorrows ahead. I ask myself: What are we doing today that will make a difference in all those futures? That’s what excites me.
What drives all of us in the credit union system is keeping the system strong and vibrant because we believe in cooperative values.
It’s not just about serving customers—we’re serving our owners, our members, and their well-being is at the core of everything we do.
What do you want to change in the world and why?
Two key things that I want to change.
First and foremost, I want to ensure that women are an equal and respected part of the dialogue at political, religious, corporate, and community tables. Our world deserves the perspectives, knowledge, experience, energy, and passion of 50% of the population to address pressing issues. I advocate for women to lead in all these areas, aiming for balance rather than swinging the pendulum back to the other extreme.
Second, I want to ensure people have financial certainty, safety, security, and hope. Everyone should have the stability to weather economic ups and downs without fear of losing their ability to thrive.
What is the purpose and vision of Sunshine Coast Credit?
Our vision is to enrich the lives and communities where our members live and work. This brings us back to our cooperative roots and the purpose-led model that defines our existence. We are excited about moving from vision statements to a full purpose statement. This purpose will be the foundation that guides our decision-making, ensuring every choice aligns with our mission to serve and uplift our members. By staying true to our purpose, we create meaningful impact and build stronger, more resilient communities.
What one piece of advice would you give other CEOs and leaders regarding leading with purpose?
Leading with purpose means constantly checking in with yourself as a leader because purpose-led organizations face greater transparency and scrutiny - and that’s a good thing. A trick I learned long ago, from a workshop, is to ask,
"What would the headline say if you made that decision, and would it reflect your true purpose?"
I still use this approach today and coach my team to do the same. By considering what the headline would be, you can assess whether it aligns with your purpose and values.
What one question would you like to ask other purpose-led CEOs?
How do you embed the passion for being purpose-led in new hires and ensure they integrate purpose into their decision-making?
A second question I might ask is if they have joined the call to purpose through the Canadian Purpose Economy Project.
The vision of the project is that by 2030, at least 25% of Canadian businesses are adopting, disclosing, and authentically embedding a social purpose across their operations and relationships, and collaborating with others to achieve it.
Purpose-led leaders can learn more here.
One question from the CEO we interviewed before you, Orlane Panet, Co-Founder and CEO, MicroHabitat.
If you could go back and change one aspect of your business journey, what would it be?
I would have taken more risks sooner, especially in the early phases of my leadership. Back then, a lot of energy was spent just getting into the room and staying there. When all your focus is on that, you might not be as creative or innovative as you could be. Embrace fast failure - figure it out, recover, and get back on track quickly. Use the lessons from each failure and deploy them swiftly. Successful leadership will depend on your ability to switch tracks quickly, take manageable risks, and mitigate them effectively.
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