After more than two decades with Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, Chief Operations Officer Angela Cattladge has witnessed a vision become a lasting community legacy.
By Asi Nail
The Truth Reporter
When Angela Cattladge returned to Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, she wasn’t simply returning to a workplace.
She was returning to a mission.
After spending time working at another credit union in Columbus, Cattladge realized something was missing; the deep connection to a community that depended on financial guidance, education and someone willing to listen.
“I missed that,” Cattladge says. “We nurture the underserved and those in our community that need guidance on financial wellness.”
That passion brought her back to Toledo Urban, where she first began her journey more than two decades ago. Over the years, Angela has served in multiple roles, including Electronic Service Manager and Bookkeeper, before stepping into her current role as Chief Operations Officer.
Through every position, she has remained committed to one purpose: helping people.
That appreciation grew even stronger after she briefly left Toledo Urban to work elsewhere. Like many people facing the pressures of a new work environment, she found herself sitting in her car before the workday began, praying for strength and peace. It was during those quiet moments that she realized what she had taken for granted.
Returning to Toledo Urban wasn’t simply returning to a job, it was returning to a workplace where faith, compassion and service were part of the culture. “That’s when I realized this place is a gem,” she reflects. “Not everybody gets to work in an environment like this.”
For Cattladge, the difference isn’t measured only by financial services, but by the sense of purpose she experiences each day. Serving members while openly living her faith has become one of the greatest blessings of her career.
“I love what I do,” she shares.
Angela has also watched Toledo Urban FCU grow from its early days without online banking or debit cards, into a modern financial institution reaching a multitude of families across Toledo.
“Our growth makes me proud,” she reflects. “To see that we are financially empowering more and more people in our community, I’m very proud of that.”
But for Angela, the work has never been just about transactions.
It is about transformation.
She credits Suzette Cowell’s leadership for teaching her perseverance and the importance of meeting people where they are.
That patience extends into financial education. Angela believes knowledge must be shared so people can eventually teach others.
“I want to teach you so you can teach somebody else,” she explains.
Today, Angela is excited about the future of Toledo Urban, especially the upcoming Resource Center, which she believes will expand the organization’s ability to support families beyond traditional banking services.
“People don’t really know all we do for our community,” she says. “We are a lifeline and extended family to many.”
Three decades later, Cattladge’s story reminds us that the true strength of a credit union is found not only in its founders, but in the people who continue its mission every day.