The president and CEO advocates for accessible, sustainable financial assistance for Latino community members
By Katie Scherner | Photo by John Michael Simpson
Vicky Garcia envisioned a career in industrial engineering when she went off to study it at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. But a finance class reshaped her perspective when her professor recommended her for a position at a Colombian bank, ushering her into money management.
Vicky honed her skills at the bank for eight years before relocating to North Carolina with her husband, Alejandro Lutz, in 2001 so he could obtain his master’s from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Vicky, too, later graduated from Kenan-Flagler in 2007, drawn to the university’s resources, supportive environment and diverse community – a perfect fit, as she describes it.
A friend introduced Vicky to the Latino Community Credit Union the same year she and Alejandro moved to the U.S., and Vicky soon began volunteering as a loan officer at the downtown Durham branch, helping prepare loan applications and educating others on the significance of credit building and history. She transitioned to a full-time role as a lending director in November 2003.
Vicky finds passion for what she does in every family she helps move into a home and the compound effect that financial stability has on those individuals. “Once you give that access to members, they flourish,” she says. “This industry affect[s] people’s lives directly. … If the credit union wasn’t there, that person wouldn’t have the opportunity.” Among the many members she encounters, Vicky treasures the relationship she developed with one who she still occasionally meets while running on the Al Buehler Trail at Duke University. His was among the first loans approved when LCCC launched its mortgage program, which gave him the opportunity to send his kids to college. She also recounts how the credit union supported him in securing a car loan for his painting business after a traumatic robbery incident.
Vicky’s personal and professional mission became clear over time: to advocate for the financial stability and accessibility of low-income individuals with little to no credit history while also expanding the credit union’s reach across North Carolina. When Vicky became CEO and president of the credit union in June 2023, LCCU board chair David Brehmer gave her a piece of treasured advice: “You have to be you.” She took the words to heart, and emphasizes the importance of women embracing their own unique leadership styles, proving that authenticity can drive exceptional results.
Vicky’s commitment to community service is unwavering; she’s a past board member of Self-Help Credit Union, Museum of Durham History and Habitat for Humanity of Durham, and currently serves on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs where she advocates for those seeking economic opportunities in the state while also applying the knowledge she gains from seeing government impact on communities firsthand to enrich her leadership at LCCU.
Latinos in our community are forging their own paths and asserting their presence more and more, Vicky says. She believes it’s essential to ensure everyone feels welcomed and valued in Durham and advocates for inclusivity, urging others to recognize and embrace the diversity that enriches their surroundings.
