News

Testifying before Congress.

While that phrase would keep most people up at night, Brenda Hughes saw the opportunity to do right for community banks in Idaho and their customers. Simplifying mortgage communications for customers and reducing associated regulatory burdens, especially for smaller banks, were among her key points.

It may not surprise you to learn that Brenda wanted to be a banker from an early age. Her career started in the late 80s, filing checks in a data processing role at a local bank. Soon, her talents and curiosity led her to an initial mortgage role at another bank, where she eventually became the regional mortgage manager.

While she enjoyed the work and admired both banks, First Federal was “the best game in town.” Aside from roles in collections and commercial real estate, Brenda spent the last 27 years shaping the bank’s mortgage and retail lending divisions, applying expertise spanning from origination and processing to underwriting, servicing, and the secondary market.

Brenda has also been a prominent figure in national banking circles, actively participating in the American Bankers Association (ABA), including as Chairman of the Mortgage Markets Committee, when she appeared before the Senate Banking Committee in 2017. Her testimony then reflected what continues to inspire her today.

“I am passionate about making things work smoothly and ensuring our customer experience is the best it can be,” says Brenda. Since she stepped into her new role as COO in January, Brenda’s goals include building a cohesive team, optimizing efficiencies across the bank, and leveraging technology to enhance how the bank serves every customer.

One of Brenda’s current initiatives is upgrading the bank’s online account opening process, making it as seamless and easy as possible. She is also expanding the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), which streamlines manual tasks and automates repetitive processes. Her team is also introducing a ticketless system to make customer experiences better wherever they interact with First Fed. “All of this work aims to remove pain points for customers as well as to allow our staff to focus on higher-level engagements,” Brenda explains.

Brenda’s community involvement spans local organizations, including the Realtors Association, Builders Association, and the Kimberly school board. Recently appointed to the College of Southern Idaho Foundation Board, her community engagements ensure that homeowners’ and communities’ needs are well-represented, mirroring her national advocacy efforts.

She also climbs mountains, literally, in her spare time. Brenda is among a few people who have climbed every Idaho peak above 12,000 feet. To date, Brenda’s highest summit has been Mount Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, East Africa, with an elevation of 19,340 feet above sea level. This passion, which started as a Mt. Borah summit at the urging of co-worker Norman Wright, has taken Brenda to new heights. She recently summited her 27th high point and is always looking forward to the next challenge.

While it’s been a while since she joined First Federal, she still values the local decision-making and close-knit collaboration that defines the bank’s culture. “We can react quickly, proactively determine our customers’ needs, and avoid the corporate noise,” she shares.

As Brenda looks ahead, she is excited about the opportunities for First Federal Bank to continue innovating and improving.

In her own words, “The best is yet to come.”