2008 Most Influential Women Honoree: Kathie Peterie

“I believe we influence people every day in the things that we do, the things that we say and even in the way we look at people,” she says.

A graduate of Butler High School, Peterie started her financial services career in 1979 as a manager at Southwest Teachers Credit Union in Springfield. She rose rapidly, becoming president of Milgrams Credit Union in Kansas City a year later, and then joining Metro Credit Union in 1982.

In her 25 years as Metro CU president, the financial institution has grown from a staff of three and assets of $2 million to a staff of 15 and assets of more than $40 million. Metro CU now serves more than 8,600 member/owners through two locations.

A graduate of the Cuna Management School in Madison, Wis., Peterie defines her leadership style as “open-door” and “by example.”

“There is no job that I am above doing myself,” she says. “I am very passionate about the credit union and the philosophy of ‘people helping people.’”

While her professional and civic achievements are many – including a key role in a joint venture for data processing with three other area credit unions, 20 years on the board of Springfield Area Crimestoppers and 10 years raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network – Peterie said she is proud of her family.

A single mother of two for 10 years, Peterie married husband Jerry 12 years ago and the couple has two young children, Gaven, 7, and Nikki, 6.

“I was 48 years old when our son, Gaven, was born prematurely, weighing only 2 pounds,” she says. “We spent many hours for more than 11 weeks going back and forth between home, work and the hospital.” At the same time, the couple was serving as first-time foster parents to two little ones.

Nikki came to live with the couple in the summer of 2004 at age 2, and they adopted her in spring 2007. In the last seven years, Peterie and her husband have been foster parents to more than 20 children.

The busy mother and executive is also a proud grandmother of six.

“I strive every day to help my family to be successful in life, in their jobs, school, family, finances and in their spiritual lives,” Peterie says. “I think about the individuals that have helped to make me the person that I am today, and it was never any one thing that they did to help me succeed, it was in everything they did: the encouraging word, the pat on the back, the prayers and the living by example. I … hopefully have influenced the success of others in the same manner.”

Name an influential woman, living or dead, you’d like to meet. Why?

Mother Teresa. She had such a servant’s heart. In her 87 years of life, she was devoted to helping the sick and poor. She was a wonderful humanitarian!

What advice do you have for young women just getting started professionally?

Be passionate. If you are doing something that you are passionate about, you will succeed. Keep your priorities in the right order, and always do the right thing. Be patient and look at change as an opportunity.

What celebrity have others compared you to, or do you identify with?

My husband compares me to Jackie Onassis, when I wear my sunglasses.

As a young girl, what were your career aspirations?

I always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher because I felt that was the most important year and set the tone for the rest of the school years. I also always wanted to be a great mom.

Tell us about your family.

I am married to Jerry Peterie, an owner of Midwest Lending Source. I have four children: Tracy Hilderbrand and her husband, Jerry; Josh Stoner and his wife, Michelle; Gavin Peterie, 7, and Nikki Peterie, 6. I also have (my) seventh grandchild on the way.

Web Exclusive: How does Kathie “rock out” for stress relief and relaxation when she’s off the clock?

Answer: She loves to play Guitar Hero on Wii. [[In-content Ad]]