Student Spotlight: Payton McCue

This article is the latest in a series in association with Rhinelander Partners in Education.

Ripco Credit Union has a rich history of growth in the Northwoods. Initial memberships started in 1932 with employees from the Rhinelander Industrial Paper Mill Company. Nine decades later, the bustling branches in Rhinelander and Eagle River serve over 12,700 members. Growth continued in 2009 when the branch opened a full-service, student-run branch at Rhinelander High School.

RHS student Payton McCue has joined the team as a student teller.

“I wanted to learn more about finance, so when my mom and I saw the opening for a student teller I saw it as an opportunity, so I applied,” he explained.

The position is specifically tailored to work for a student schedule, offering both support and flexibility.

McCue has been working for the credit union for two and a half years and in that time his passion for and knowledge of finance has grown exponentially.

“I want to go to law school after getting a degree in accounting,” he explained. “I think knowing how money moves behind the scenes in a business will give me more insight when working in law in the future.”

The opportunities in the long-term are exciting for him, but his largest area of growth while working at the credit union has been learning how to create a “work-life balance.”

“I learned how to figure out what my priorities are and how to communicate them so I can prepare in advance in order to do all the activities I like,” he explained.

 “Working is a great way to manage time and realize that people rely on me when I say I'm going to be there,” he added.

The student apprenticeship program has also helped McCue learn lessons in time management, communication, and finance far beyond his years. 

“There are many things to learn at work that are just as valuable as being in school,” he noted.

Beyond the personal lessons learned over time, McCue also embodies the values Ripco has long reflected in its mission. 

“The bank is a comfortable community setting where you feel people know you when you walk in.” 

Working with financing can be touchy for some people and empathy goes a long way when working in a small community. 

“Even though I want to work in a bigger city when I'm older, I still want to bring the comfort and trust that I learned while at Ripco when working with members,” McCue noted.

The day-to-day interactions with  members help offer competitive financial options for growth and allow members to go places faster and farther. 

As a member and an employee at the credit union, McCue has not only set up a foundation for financial knowledge that will pay dividends in terms of his long-term academic and career goals, he has also established an understanding of how to explore all his priorities from school, co-curricular activities and his personal time while working. 

A small but mighty credit union has offered exponential growth for McCue and many other student tellers who have worked at the main branch and the student-run branch.

Ripco is dedicated to the growth and advancement of young community members and McCue is an exemplary member and employee that is going places fast with Ripco.