BEST BUSINESS COMMUNITY LEADER
B RETT MARTINEZ “honesty, integrity, empathy and authenticity are very important to me as a leader.” —Brett Martinez
By Rosie Padilla
B rett Martinez has been at the helm of Redwood Credit Union since 2004, the same year the company reached $1 billion in assets. Over time, Martinez has learned what it means to run a successful financial institution. It starts with the people you hire, continues with reliable service and ends with contributions to the surrounding community. These goals have earned Martinez the title of Best Business Community Leader in NBb’s 2025 readers’ poll. “Honesty, integrity, empathy and authenticity are very important to me as a leader, and I expect the same from my team—so those are attributes at the heart of Redwood Credit Union.” Martinez continues: “However, I think my strongest trait is passion. I am very passionate about what I do and strive to continually inspire and model the way for our organization and how we show up for each other, our members and our communities.” The RCU team has amassed nearly 1,000 team members since its founding in 1950. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the credit union ensures team members are going above and beyond for members. “They unite around our purpose—which is to inspire hope and elevate the financial well-being of our communities one person at a time, through good times and bad,” says Martinez. For instance, RCU hosts a biannual Day of Impact (DOI) event that allows team members an opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community they serve. In 2019, RCU taught financial education to 3,100 students across three counties. Most recently, in 2023,
the DOI involved team members building 418 bikes for distribution to children through 11 nonprofits across the North Bay. Along with volunteerism, the credit union raises money through the Redwood Credit Union Community Fund. In 2024 alone, RCU’s total giving was $4.9 million. “Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit community fund was initially created to support wellness in our communities, with a primary focus on financial education,” Martinez says. “It soon became apparent that there was a greater need, and the fund was expanded to provide critical disaster relief, as well.” Personally, Martinez serves on the boards of directors for CUNA Mutual Group, North Bay Leadership Council and the Napa Chamber of Commerce. He has previously served on the boards for the United Way and the American Red Cross, among other associations. As the CEO and President of RCU, Martinez serves as a role model for the financial institution—making sure his team feels supported, and only tasking them with initiatives that he would champion himself. “I am a roll-up- my-sleeves-and-get-it-done-leader,” says Martinez. The team members at RCU clearly share his mentality as they have reliably been there for members throughout economic downturns, wildfires, floods and the pandemic. “We are deliberate in our approach to create an amazing workplace—understanding that by prioritizing the well- being of our team members, they will, in turn, provide exceptional care to our members and communities,” says Martinez. v
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70 Northbaybiz
Best of the North Bay 2025
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