Commercial Loan Officer / Age 32
Fox Communities Credit Union
During the pandemic, Jose Villa played an instrumental role in helping to keep the workforce employed at local businesses by leading the Paycheck Protection Program at Fox Communities Credit Union, a key resource for local businesses during that tumultuous time.
Villa, a first-generation college graduate, is passionate about helping people reach their financial goals. The Sturgeon Bay native started his working life at age 14 by dishwashing at Village Café and feeding calves at a local farm. He went on to earn degrees from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and UW-Green Bay, then this spring completed his MBA through St. Norbert College.
A strong proponent of financial literacy, Villa has offered workshops to first-generation students at UWGB and recently joined the board of directors for Casa ALBA Melanie, where he had volunteered for years and started a financial literacy program. Villa also serves on the Green Bay Botanical Garden board and is an active member of the Latino Professional Association of Northeast Wisconsin.
Villa says equity in technology growth is one area of concern for Northeast Wisconsin. “Not all sectors of our community can create the infrastructure needed to support technological advancement,” he says.
He says the best advice he received was to surround himself with the right people, and he counts a long list of mentors that includes his mother Maria Mercado, former employers and educators.
