Meet Fidel - Bringing Connection (and Fresh Fruit!) to USF CU

At USF Credit Union, Humans in Finance is our storytelling series celebrating the people who make banking feel a little more human. And today, we’re featuring someone whose curiosity and kindness help keep everyone connected - literally and figuratively: Fidel.

By day, Fidel is a Network Engineer, ensuring every system, wireless connection, and piece of technology behind the scenes runs smoothly. But ask him what really matters in his work, and you’ll get an answer that has nothing to do with cables or servers.

“Honestly, at the end of the day, the biggest difference you’ll notice as a member is the personality,” Fidel says. “Every time you go into a branch, you’re going to get someone who really knows you.”

For Fidel, every member experience is unique- and that’s what makes USF CU so special. “You have to figure out what benefits the member most,” he shares. “Every member is different.”

The Engineer With a Green Thumb

If Fidel isn’t solving tech challenges, there’s a good chance he’s in his garden - smiling, laughing, and probably eating something he just picked.

“I have dragon fruit, bananas, star fruit, guava, mango, and lemon,” he says proudly. He’s even planning to expand into a vegetable and herb garden. For Fidel, gardening is joy, patience, and growth - all values he brings to his work too.

And if he’s not gardening? You may find him line dancing…to hip hop. (Yes, really.)

A Simple Daily Goal

When asked what he tries to do every day, his answer is quiet but powerful: “My natural goal and objective every day is to be nicer and better - honestly. It’s just been stuck in my head for so long, and I’ve trained myself to do that.”

Why USF Credit Union Feels Different

Working behind the scenes gives Fidel a special window into what makes USF CU unique.

“I see the interactions of everybody knowing everybody,” he says. “Employees know members personally. When members bring something to the branch - like a thank-you gift - you see how strong those connections are. These people really do know each other.”

It’s these moments, he says, that show what USF CU stands for.

“It’s really a member-first mentality. Credit unions are here to help - and I think people would truly appreciate that if they knew.”

If Fidel Had a Billboard…

He’d probably fill it with fruit emojis, but at the heart of it, his message would echo what he believes every day at work: USF CU is here for you - personally, genuinely, and always with your best interest first.

If you’d like to join a place where people truly know you, you can become a member today and enjoy Better Banking for All.