Cultivate Leadership with Credit Unions ft. Malik Wilkes

Credit unions grow differently because the mission is different.

It is not just about getting attention.
It is about earning trust.
It is about serving members well.
It is about using data, marketing, and technology to create better conversations before the loan ever starts.

In this episode of The MikedUp Show, Michael Kelleher and Michael Zau sit down with Malik Wilkes, CMB, Assistant Vice President of Product Marketing Mortgages at Space Coast Credit Union, for a conversation about leadership, member engagement, mortgage marketing, and how credit unions can build growth without losing their purpose.

Malik brings more than a decade of mortgage industry experience, a Certified Mortgage Banker designation, and a rare mix of product knowledge, compliance awareness, marketing strategy, and people development. His background gives him the ability to connect the practical realities of mortgage lending with the modern tools lenders need to reach members more effectively.

At Space Coast Credit Union, Malik stepped into a mortgage marketing function that had room to grow and helped turn it into a stronger, more modern engine for member engagement. Since joining SCCU in 2025, he has built a multi channel marketing strategy across paid media, automation, AI powered tools, content marketing, member intelligence, and retention campaigns.

The results speak to the work.

He rebuilt the credit union’s paid search and digital advertising strategy across Google Search, Meta, YouTube, and Performance Max, reaching a blended cost per click of $3.23 across channels. He also introduced mortgage focused social media campaigns, SEO driven content, and automated programs designed to help loan officers stay connected to past members and future opportunities.

One of the biggest themes in this conversation is the power of knowing your members.

Malik helped implement a homeowner financial intelligence platform that monitors SCCU’s 24,000 member database for refinance and home equity opportunities. That work has helped create stronger engagement and better timing, including a Home Digest email sequence that reached a 71 percent open rate.

That is not just marketing.

That is connection.

The episode also gets into how Malik developed an AI powered loan cost analysis tool that reached full adoption across the loan officer team. The goal was not to chase technology for the sake of technology. It was to help loan officers communicate more clearly, move faster, and serve members with better information.

This is where leadership shows up.

Not just in a title.

Not just in a department.

But in the ability to bring people, systems, data, and purpose together so the entire team can perform better.

Malik’s leadership approach is also shaped by his background in communication and people development. As a Florida International University graduate with a degree in English, and as a member of the FIU Alumni Association Board of Directors, he brings a strong belief in clear communication, relationship building, and helping people reach their goals.

This episode is for credit union leaders, mortgage marketers, loan officers, executives, operations teams, and anyone thinking about how member first lending can grow in today’s market.

Because credit union growth is not just about more leads.

It is about better relationships.

It is about better timing.

It is about better service.

And it is about cultivating leaders who understand that members are not transactions. They are the reason the work matters.

Watch and listen to the full episode of The MikedUp Show.

Visit us at https://www.mikedupshow.com

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Truework
Truework helps mortgage teams verify income and employment faster. It reduces the back and forth that slows files down and gives lenders a cleaner way to move borrowers through the process.
https://www.truework.com/

FundingShield
FundingShield helps protect mortgage closings from wire fraud, payoff fraud, and transaction risk. It gives lenders real time checks before money moves.
https://www.fundingshield.com/

Addy AI
Addy AI helps mortgage teams handle repetitive work, respond faster, and keep borrower communication moving. It gives teams practical AI tools built around real lending tasks.
https://addy.com/

TRUE
TRUE helps mortgage companies use AI to clean up loan files, reduce manual work, and improve speed across operations. It is built for lenders that need better execution without adding more complexity.
https://true.ai/

Covered Insurance
Covered Insurance helps make insurance easier for borrowers, lenders, and real estate partners. It supports the home buying process by helping customers compare options and secure coverage with less friction.
https://itscovered.com/

Friday Harbor
Friday Harbor brings AI into mortgage origination and underwriting, helping lenders create cleaner, more complete loan files earlier in the process. It supports teams working to move faster with fewer surprises.
https://fridayharbor.ai/

AskBob AI
AskBob AI turns company knowledge, guidelines, overlays, and internal documents into fast answers for mortgage teams. It helps reduce repeat questions and gives teams trusted information inside their daily workflow.
https://www.askbobai.com/

FICO
FICO helps lenders make smarter credit decisions with scoring solutions used across mortgage and consumer finance. For mortgage teams, it supports clearer credit risk assessment and more confident lending decisions.
https://www.fico.com/

First American
First American supports real estate and mortgage transactions with title, settlement, data, valuation, and risk solutions. It helps lenders and real estate partners create more secure and reliable closing experiences.
https://www.firstam.com/