Join host Mark Ritter for a refreshing twist on Credit Union Conversations as Carrie Hutton, MBFS's loan origination leader, trades business talk for outdoor adventures and friendly competition. From conquering fears on cliff-side hikes to camping in Montana's stunning Glacier National Park, Carrie reveals her family's passion for exploration before facing the ultimate challenge: an MBFS trivia showdown. Discover the impressive numbers behind MBFS's 2025 success, including $279 million in closed loans and nearly $3 billion in portfolio management, all delivered with humor, personality, and genuine insights into credit union excellence.

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

✅ How MBFS achieved remarkable credit union lending growth in 2025, closing $279 million in loans and underwriting 939 new loan origination deals while maintaining a portfolio approaching $3 billion.

✅ The personal side of financial services leadership as Carrie Hutton shares her family's outdoor activities, including RV camping adventures, dispersed camping with solar panels, and exploring Glacier National Park in Montana.

✅ Inside look at MBFS's operational excellence, including completing 621 annual reviews and serving credit unions nationwide through dedicated relationship managers and origination teams.

Subscribe to Credit Union Conversations for the latest credit union trends and insights on loan volume and business lending! Connect with MBFS to boost your credit union’s growth today.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Carrie discusses outdoor activities, featuring hiking and kayaking adventures, and conquering the fear of heights

01:33 RV camping stories, including trips to Montana, South Dakota, and dispersed camping with solar panels

04:27 MBFS trivia challenge begins, covering 2025 achievements in loan origination and portfolio management

07:16 Pittsburgh trivia round featuring Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin, Dan Marino, and Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 MBFS demonstrated exceptional growth in credit union lending during 2025, closing $279 million in loans, underwriting 939 new deals, and managing a portfolio of $2.99 billion, showcasing the strength of their relationship managers and origination team.

💎 Successful financial services leadership balances professional excellence with personal passions, as evidenced by Carrie Hutton's dedication to both loan origination and family adventures through hiking, kayaking, and RV camping across America.

💎 The credit union industry continues to thrive through strong partnerships, completing 621 annual reviews and providing essential lending services to credit unions nationwide while maintaining personal connections and team culture.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Mark Ritter - Website

Mark Ritter - LinkedIn

SEO KEYWORDS:

Credit Union Conversations, Mark Ritter, MBFS, Credit Unions, CUSO, Loan Origination, Hikes, Camping, Glacier National Park, MBFS Trivia, Loans, Portfolio, Financial Services Leadership, Credit Union Industry, Steelers Coach, Paul Skenes, Portfolio Management

[00:00:24] Carrie, thank you for joining me again.

[00:00:28] Mark Ritter: It is. Freezing cold. As we record this, we are hunkered down inside and I barely wanna step outside or take the dogs outside for a small walk. We both enjoy the outdoors. So we're gonna have a little bit of fun today. So we're gonna talk a little bit of our favorite things and then we're gonna actually get into a little bit of trivia sessions about MBFS, which I can tell you're very excited about.

[00:01:08] Carrie Hutton: Oh, we do a lot of hiking and kayaking, just sightseeing. My husband likes to take us hiking on places where looking over cliffs and things like that, and I have a big fear of heights, so I'm trying to get over that.

[00:01:23] Mark Ritter: My wife has a tremendous amount of hiking. Now, you're not still tent campers. You have an rv or what's your equipment when you hit the road?

[00:01:39] Mark Ritter: Does it feel small when you're in it?

[00:01:46] Mark Ritter: I think the mistake I made with my wife is holding onto tent camping for too long. I love tent camping. I love the feel. I love the fresh air and my wife hates it. [00:02:00] She can't stand dealing with the weather that goes along with tent camping.

[00:02:07] Mark Ritter: Now, where do you guys like to go with the, the camper?

[00:02:24] We have some solar panels and deep cell batteries. We're not losing any of our luxuries, but we do quite a bit of that.

[00:02:40] Carrie Hutton: We've only had it about three years now. We have not had a winter adventure with it.

[00:02:56] Mark Ritter: I was just talking to my wife last night and we keep saying we [00:03:00] want to go out to the Western United States and do the Montanas and the Rocky Mountains just 'cause it has to be absolutely beautiful out there.

[00:03:14] Carrie Hutton: Last Glacier National Park in Montana was the best. We did some hiking there. We actually went swimming in some of the lakes. They were so cold. But that was a really beautiful place that I would recommend.

[00:03:32] I am the worst driver with a trailer. I can't do it. I'm horrible at it. And I've established myself as being so horrible at it that I'm pretty sure my wife wouldn't even have us get a camper. So if we go out there, it would have to be either a drive or a flight, and then in a hotel. I am just horrific with it.

[00:04:09] Carrie Hutton: Yeah, he is. I have driven a few times, and that was basically in South Dakota when there was absolutely nothing around it. It was wide open spaces, so I felt comfortable at that point.

[00:04:22] Mark Ritter: If there's a flat road on a flat area of the country, you're good.

[00:04:27] Mark Ritter: Alright, Carrie, so we're gonna have a little more fun today and I have made up an MBFS trivia game for you. Now I have also included in Pittsburgh area trivia. So these are the MBFS trivia, and then we're gonna get into some local trivia for you.

[00:05:06] Carrie Hutton: I will go with B 2 59.

[00:05:21] How many annual reviews did MBFS complete in 2025? 6 21, 7 24. 5 85 or 8 0 2.

[00:05:35] Mark Ritter: Ooh, you overshot again. You overshot. There. We had 621, which is a lot. How many. New loans did MBFS underwrite in 20 25, 8 54, 1020 4, 7 0 2, or 9 39.

[00:06:01] Mark Ritter: You are incorrect at 939. All right, what was the dollar amount of loans service by MBFS at the end of 2025?

[00:06:25] Carrie Hutton: I'll say C3 0.26.

[00:06:52] What would you have said? Would, would, would, did that even seem possible?

[00:06:58] Mark Ritter: I could have picture it when [00:07:00] KBLS was a, a handful of people. When I started at MBFS, we were three people didn't seem realistic. What year was MBFS founded?

[00:07:12] Mark Ritter: You got it. There you go. I wanted to test.

[00:07:23] Carrie Hutton: Mike Tomlin.

[00:07:41] Carrie Hutton: This is a shot in the dark. I'm going to say.

[00:07:46] Mark Ritter: you are exactly correct. He went to Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and played for the Pittsburgh Panthers. And if you go to a Pittsburgh game, his name is all over. Last one is a bit more pop culture. Who is [00:08:00] the girlfriend of Pirates? Super star pitcher. Paul Skeens. Is it Sidney Sweeney?

[00:08:21] Carrie Hutton: I will go with the Kaitlin Clark.

[00:08:37] Carrie Hutton: You probably would.

[00:08:54] Carrie Hutton: Oh, good idea.

[00:09:19] Please join us every Tuesday on your favorite audio platform, on your phone or your computer, or wherever you like to listen to your favorite shows. Thank you very much, Carrie.

[00:09:33] Mark Ritter: Bye