In the CEO Spotlight: Kevin Vigested

​The new leader of Aspire Credit Union has been in the credit union industry for three months, and is thoroughly enjoying the people helping people philosophy! 

Kevin Vigested

by Shawn Marie Brummer, Communications Specialist

Kevin Vigested was named CEO of Aspire Credit Union approximately three months ago, when Mindee Kohlman, the previous CEO, announced her retirement effective at the end of May 2023. While Vigested is new to the credit union industry, he has years of experience in the banking industry, having previously worked for a community bank for 19 years.

Kevin had become somewhat disillusioned with privately owned banks, and was intrigued by the “people helping people” philosophy of the credit union industry. “There is definitely more of a family-like feeling working in the credit union industry,” he stated, and adds it has been an adjustment to the “different mentality” between the two.

He grew up in small town Sawyer, ND, where he attended and graduated from public school, and then graduated from Minot State University shortly after. Following college graduation, he resided in Denver, CO for three years, before returning to the Minot area. During his years in the banking industry, he graduated from the North Dakota School of Banking.

Kevin shared that he has had the good fortune to be blessed with a number of good mentors in his life and career. He lists his older brother, Scott, and his high school science teacher, Cy Kotaska, as two major influencers.
“Scott taught me to never take things for granted – he had the ability to turn a boring car ride into hours of games and laughter. Scott is the person I think of when I hear the phrase 'people helping people' – he pushed me hard to be the best at anything I attempted because he saw potential in me that even I didn’t see,” he shared.

He continued, “Cy had the ability to bring out the best in his students. Teaching without them even realizing they were learning, because they were having too much fun – his passion for teaching was contagious and had students actually looking forward to class.”

In his new role at Aspire, Kevin oversees 22 employees at the $160 MM credit union. Established in 1937, Aspire now has nearly 6,500 members and serves anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school, as well as businesses and other organizations, located in Bottineau, McHenry, McLean, Mountrail, Renville or Ward counties of North Dakota.

Besides his work in the banking and credit union world, Kevin has been involved in the community as a past Minot State University Beaver Booster Board Member, including serving as president of the board for three years. He continues his volunteer work today, and is currently the treasurer of the Minot Tournament Committee. He has also been actively involved with the Magic City Youth Baseball and the local YMCA, in addition to starting a non-profit to honor his brother who passed away from cancer in 2020. The organization is named Viggy’s Sandlot and raises money for the financial needs of youth around the Minot area.

With years of experience as a volunteer and community-minded person, Vigested says he is proud to be working with Aspire and has only begun scratching the surface of the potential for his involvement. “Aspire has many things to be proud of – 86 years in the Minot community is impressive in itself,” he concluded.

In his personal life, Kevin has been married to his lovely wife, Carla, for 19 years. They have two sons: Parker, 15 years; and Brady, 13 years. With two active boys, the Vigesteds are usually quite busy following them in whatever sport they are participating in at the time, including football, tennis, basketball, golf, and baseball. The family has a vacation home in Florida, and one of their favorite activities is spending hours on the beach, searching for shark teeth.

Finally, Kevin has a “claim to fame” with ties to Travis Hafner, a major league player from Sykeston, ND, who was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1996. It seems they were discovered at the same major league baseball tryout. However, the league soon discovered Travis could hit the ball, and he went on to a 12-year major league baseball career. At the same time, they discovered that Kevin needed to find a “real job” as baseball was not the future profession for him. That’s not to say there aren’t big things ahead for Kevin and his team at Aspire. In fact, we’re predicting many more “home runs” for them all!

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