St. Petersburg, Fla. (July 30, 2024) – Velera – formerly PSCU/Co-op Solutions, the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider -- has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers for Women 2024. Velera is one of 600 companies included on the list, ranking in the top 200 of employers overall and the top 15 in the Banking and Financial Services industry.

This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. America’s Best Employers for Women were identified in an independent survey from a vast sample of over 150,000 women working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the U.S. from all industry sectors. More than four million employer evaluations are considered, based on the following three categories:

Personal Evaluations: Respondents were presented with a battery of statements about their current employer, in terms of topics related to Atmosphere & Development, Diversity, Image, Salary/Wage, Workplace, and Working Conditions, as well as topics women are often confronted with in the workplace: Representation & Career, Pay Equity, Discrimination, Flexibility, Family Support, and Parental Leave.
Public Evaluations: Women participants were given the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries, or the employers of friends, acquaintances, and family members that stand out either positively or negatively.
Diversity Among Top Executives/Board: Index based on the percentage of women among top executives and board directors.

Ultimately, these categories were evaluated and combined to create a final score, with companies with the highest scores making the list.

“While Velera has evolved significantly over the past year, our team’s longstanding commitment to providing an inclusive, people-focused and supportive culture has remained constant,” said Chuck Fagan, president and CEO of Velera. “We are extremely proud to be recognized for this continued commitment by being named one of America’s Best Employers for Women, and it is humbling to know we were given this recognition due in large part to responses and opinions from our own employees and associates.”

Velera prides itself on cultivating a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where differences are embraced and treasured. More than 30% of Velera’s workforce is actively involved in one of its Business Resource Groups (BRGs), with its Susan Adams Gender Equality (SAGE) and InspiHer resource groups focused on fearlessly leading the change to make gender equality a reality.

“Velera proudly employs thousands of the most talented women in the credit union industry, and it is extremely gratifying -- especially as a woman in a leadership role -- to be given this recognition from Forbes,” said Cheryl Middleton Jones, chief people officer, Velera. “To be listed alongside other companies that promote the advancement and success of women is truly an honor, and we look forward to continuing this focus for years to come not only at Velera, but across the credit union industry.”

In 2023, the company was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Midsized Employers and was one of just 57 companies globally to win the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award, which recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures in the world.

Forbes’ full list of America’s Best Employers for Women can be viewed at forbes.com/lists/best-employers-women/.

About Velera
Velera, formerly PSCU/Co-op Solutions, is the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider. With over four decades of industry experience and a commitment to service excellence and innovation, the company serves more than 4,000 financial institutions throughout North America, operating with velocity to help its clients keep pace with the rapid momentum of change and fuel growth in the new era of financial services. Velera leverages its expertise and resources on behalf of credit unions and their members, offering an end-to-end product portfolio that includes payment processing, fraud and risk management, data and analytics, digital banking, instant payments, strategic consulting, collections, ATM and POS networks, shared branching and 24/7/365 member support via its contact centers. For more information, visit velera.com.