A new day is breaking on the hills along the mighty Columbia River! Last week, we said goodbye to Randy Brackman, our Internal Auditor and a 28 year Wauna Credit Union veteran. Today, we say hello to a new era, as we welcome Rachel Kamaunu as our new Internal Auditor!
While Rachel is our new Internal Auditor, she is a seasoned employee of Wauna Credit Union. She was hired into the Accounting Department as an Accounting Assistant back in April of 2012. Rachel was promoted to Senior Accountant on January 1, 2015, and has been under Internal Auditor Randy Brackman’s wing for some months now preparing for this day.
The Wonderful World Of Wauna caught up with Rachel to find out how she was feeling about this new chapter in her WaunaCU career:
Why did you apply to be Internal Auditor?
Rachel: During all my years in the banking industry, I always envied the Internal Auditor. However, I found over the years, prior to my employment with Wauna, that an Internal Audit position in a financial institution is hard to come by. I was lucky enough to work as an auditor right out of college for a short time, before starting my family. Even though Accounting was my focus, Auditing has always been my passion. I feel fortunate to have been selected for this position.
It certainly takes a special kind of person to be passionate about Auditing! Aside from that obvious qualification, what strengths do you bring to this position?
Rachel: I have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting as well as over six years in prior banking experience. I managed a small business for seven years before and while attending college, as well as over 6 years in the US Army Reserve, serving as an officer. My prior experience as well as education bring great strengths to this position. I am also a strong independent individual with excellent attention to detail and organization skills.
How do you hope to grow the position?
Rachel: First things first, I hope to grow my knowledge and resources first. The department was developed perfectly by my predecessor, Randy. I plan to follow in his footsteps of producing thorough, accurate and timely audits.
What is the most unexpected thing you have learned during training under Randy?
Rachel: My time with Randy has been a rewarding experience. I quite honestly didn’t know what to expect, so it was all unexpected! He has done nothing but make sure I am well taken care of, giving me the reigns and the desire to jump right in and make my mark on this department. All the while, he has gracefully stood by, offering his wisdom, sharing his stories and has been encouraging me the whole way.
What is your favorite thing about working at Wauna Credit Union?
Rachel: My favorite thing about working for Wauna, is being part of the Wauna Family. Wauna Credit Union cares about every employee here, and goes through great lengths to set a workplace that is friendly, adaptable and family oriented.
Randy explained last week that the Internal Auditor deals with the CEO and the Supervisory Committee, there’s been a lot of change to the Supervisory Committee this year, (including the retirement of Larry Cole, longtime Supervisory Committee Chair). How do you feel about those changes, and what do you hope so many new faces bring to the committee?
Rachel: I feel the changes come at the perfect time. A partially new committee and a new Internal Auditor, all with various backgrounds and experience, will surely bring new ideas to the table. I welcome the discussions and challenges it brings.
Please tell us a little about your past, where you grew up, your hobbies, whatever you would like to share.
Rachel: I was born and raised in the Bay Area, California. I moved to Las Vegas when I was 19 years old and lived there for 13 years. I moved to Longview in 2007 to be near my sister. I have two children, a nine-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy. I am getting married next month (April 7th), and in addition to my spouse, I will be blessed with four step-children and two step-grandchildren. This year has proven to be an exciting one, with many new adventures. In my spare time, I love to travel. I also love the sun and spend every moment in it when I can. I am adventurous by nature, so challenges are exciting to me. I love my family and creating memories with and for them.
Thank you Rachel, we’ll look forward to catching up with you in the future and seeing the changes you initiate as our new Internal Auditor! Congratulations!