Mike Rosmus
Synergent’s mission is to ‘help credit unions succeed and improve the financial lives of their members.’ In our monthly Employee Spotlight series, we feature one of our dedicated staff members to help you get to know the people who are working as an extension of your credit union team.
“May the Force be with you.”
It is widely known that Mike Rosmus, Creative Marketing Manager for Synergent, is a major Star Wars fan. But for over 27 years, he has been the force designing innovative marketing campaigns that promote credit unions to members and Synergent as an organization to credit unions. Uniquely within our organization, he also completes marketing projects for the Maine Credit Union League, including aspects of the Diamond Award-winning Maine Credit Unions Statewide Awareness Campaign.
“I began as a graphic designer/illustrator in Creative Services for Print & Creative Services (which later became Direct Marketing Services, then Marketing Services),” explained Rosmus. “In 2016, I joined the Corporate Marketing team as the Director of Video and Digital Media, and eventually that role evolved into my current position of Creative Marketing Manager.”
Finding his career path was clear to Rosmus from the start, as he had a love for art from a young age.
“I’ve always enjoyed the creative aspect of graphic design,” shared Rosmus. “I’ve been an artist since I was a child. I’ve often found design to be like a puzzle: You need to put the right message, in the right font, with the right pictures to create an engaging piece that your audience will be attracted to, and hopefully respond to. I also really enjoyed utilizing my illustrative talents in a way that exposed my work to the public. However, I quickly realized there was more to it than just creating great visuals. There was the people aspect that I wanted to learn more about. Hence my journey down the path of marketing. I am fascinated to learn why people do what they do and make the choices they make. Why does a person choose this ad or product over another? It’s more than just making your marketing look appealing. It must speak to your audience. You need to form a relationship. My current role gives me the best of both worlds. I’m able to use my creativity while also diving deeper into all aspects of marketing.”
There is no typical day for Rosmus, with each being a delicate balancing act of working on projects across the three brands he has responsibility for (Synergent, Maine Credit Union League, and Maine Credit Unions). Rosmus’ roots are as a graphic designer, but over the years, his role and skillset have grown to include expertise in branding, corporate marketing, analytics, event marketing, animation, video production, and digital advertising.
“When I first started working for the organization, I was two years out of college and beginning my first corporate role as a graphic designer,” said Rosmus. “I mainly worked on brochures, business cards, inserts, and newsletters. After a few years, I brought my drawing skills to my position to create custom illustrations for the League and credit unions. This mainly began for newsletters and quickly lead to children’s financial programs. I can still remember to this day the first illustration I did for a credit union’s newsletter. I also updated the design of our own Monty Moose, giving him a newer and more relatable look, as well as created several other credit union mascots.”
Marketing Expertise and a Collaborative Spirit
Rosmus loves learning and staying on top of the latest marketing tools and tactics. When he mastered animation and video production, he immediately updated the branding for the SURF (Surcharge-Free) ATM Network and created its mascot, SURF Dude. His branding expertise led to the creation of the current logo for the Maine Credit Union League. And, he has been instrumental in the evolution of Synergent’s corporate branding and marketing materials, which can be seen everywhere from product sheets to videos to social media to the Synergent website. He attended the prestigious CUNA Marketing School and earned his Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive Certification (CUCME) in 2022.
“Thanks to the experiences I’ve had, the skills I’ve learned, and the relationships I’ve built, I’ve been able to advance in my career to Creative Marketing Manager on the Corporate Marketing team,” said Rosmus. “I also love helping showcase how Synergent can help be an extension of a credit union’s team so that they can compete in the financial industry against larger institutions.”
By far, Rosmus’ favorite part of his job is interacting with credit unions directly. Through events and the Statewide Awareness work that he does, he has been able to network and interact with fellow credit union marketers who share the same passion.
“I love the overall credit union philosophy and cooperation that you just can’t find in any other industry,” stated Rosmus.
When reflecting on his career, working on the Campaign for Ending Hunger $100,000 Challenge during the pandemic alongside his team is a highlight, with the $100,000 Challenge’s first iteration meeting its goal in just 30 days. Rosmus is also particularly proud of earning his CUCME certification, his years of work on the Maine Credit Union League’s Convention and Annual Meeting, organizing Maine Credit Union Marketing Council Workshops that brought in local and national speakers, and of the many awards his impressive work has won.
“From my very first Maine Printing Excellence Awards in 1995 to the numerous CUNA (America’s Credit Unions) Diamond Awards over my 27 years, to the NEDMA Awards and MAC Awards,” reflected Rosmus. “The recognition for my work has always been something I’ve held in high regard.”
Shared Credit Union Expertise
In addition to winning awards, Rosmus also has served as a judge for the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Diamond Awards.
“This is a role that exposed me to a nationwide network of credit union marketers,” shared Rosmus. “This year will be my 11th straight year judging the Diamond Awards. I’m shooting for at least 15!”
The force is strong with Mike. Outside of work, he has many interests, but two top the list.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I have two loves in my life: my family and Star Wars,” stressed Rosmus. “I will do absolutely anything for my family. My kids have always been my top priority and that will never change. I will never forget coaching my daughter from T-ball through high school softball, or the first time my son, at nine years old, swung a golf club… he and I still play together today. All the sporting events, award banquets, vacations, and just time together, are near and dear to my heart. If you look at my phone, my desk, or anywhere around me, you’ll see pictures of my kids. As for my Star Wars obsession, I’m proud to say I’m a geek and always will be. This is the way!”
Rosmus is also a traveler, avid reader and collector of books and comics. From Star Wars novels and WWII/military history to horror and fantasy, his favorite authors include Stephen King, Margaret Weiss, Dean Koontz, and Tracy Hickman. For industry publications, his top recommendation’s include Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why,” Jonah Berger’s “Contagious,” Nancy Harhut’s “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing,” and Jocko Willink’s “Extreme Ownership.”