Margaret Hunnicutt – Survivor, Achiever, Business Woman of the Year

Posted on | June 17, 2010 | 1 Comment

By Michelle Pence, Communications Department Intern

Margaret Hunnicutt, who was named 2010 Business Woman of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, may not describe herself as a “survivor,” but few would argue that the term is inaccurate. If you look beyond her impressive resume, which includes her current position as President and CEO of Tempe Schools Credit Union (TSCU), her many years serving on boards and her active community involvement, you will find a story more interesting than that of most movies.

“I married young. My first husband and I went through the loss of a child, a joyous adoption, and then nine months later had twins who were born 13 weeks premature and weighed only 2 pounds,” explained Hunnicutt. “The marriage didn’t last, and I found myself at age 27 divorced, working at a low-paying job, with little college education, living on food stamps with three 3-year-old children to support.

To many people, this doesn’t sound like the background of a future CEO. At the time, she was struggling in almost every aspect of her life. But there was one obvious sign of the success to come:  she continued working  at financial institutions, something she had started when she was 17 years old, noting that she did not choose to start a career in finance but that it “just sort of happened.” 

Despite having to overcome several other obstacles over the years, Hunnicutt never lost the drive to finish her education, completing her degree in business with a major in accounting at the University of Texas in San Antonio in 1996.

After gaining experience in several different areas of banking, Hunnicutt welcomed the challenge of completing the CPA review course and certification when it was offered to her by one of her employers.

“Professionally, I’ve paid my dues,” said Hunnicutt. “I’ve started at the bottom and worked my way through each job, learning every facet of it that I could.”

Luckily, no good story would be complete without a fairytale-like twist of fate. Shortly after moving to the Phoenix area in 1998, Hunnicutt unexpectedly reconnected with an old boyfirend, now her husband, and began to see her life take an even more positive path.

“He was my first boyfriend from high school; 25 years later, we were married,” said Hunnicutt. “We have five great children, one granddaughter and are expecting another grandchild in June. We should have married in 1977!”

Hunnicutt and her family have continued to overcome adversity; during her son’s senior year of high school, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer originating in the lymphatic system. “He is truly a survivor and has been cancer free for seven years,” Hunnicutt proudly noted.

Hunnicutt served as TSCU’s Chief Financial Officer for seven years before being named President and CEO in 2008. In addition to being selected as the Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Business Woman of the Year, she has been involved with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance initiative with the Tempe Community Council for seven years and has received numerous awards recognizing her outstanding work in the community.

Speaking from her experience with hardship, Hunnicutt has plenty of well-informed advice for those facing similar situations.

“Don’t give up! Life is not easy, and you just have to stay focused on the important things in life,” Hunnicutt advised. “I am very grateful for what I’ve been blessed with in my life – my husband, my children, our family and our friends.”

As for what the future holds, Hunnicutt’s plans are simple: “Continue to live my life with purpose, do the right things and have fun while I can,” she said. “I work with a great team of people and am challenged every day doing work that I love.  And when I’m not working? You can find me on the golf course!” said Hunnicutt.

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