Meet Tiffany Mutchler!

​In the Spotlight: Voyage FCU’s marketing manager is enjoying building their brand and reaching new members while taking care of current members. 

by Shawn Marie Brummer, Communications Specialist 

Tiffany Mutchler grew up in Brookings, South Dakota. During her school days, she played fastpitch softball, manning second base and filling in as catcher. She was also involved with the high school yearbook class, which she says ignited her interest in advertising and graphic design.

Despite growing up in a split family, she and her sister had the benefit of having close relationships with both her mom and dad’s sides. Family was always a priority growing up, and they had a large extended network of relatives to spend time with, which included a grandfather who was a POW in World War II, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins, who she remains close with today. As an outdoorsy crew, they would spend time snowmobiling, four-wheeling, ice fishing, gathering for “fish frys,” and pheasant hunting. One of Tiffany’s favorite memories is being pulled behind a snowmobile across the cow pasture on an old innertube. “They really made our simple childhood fun and exciting,” she shared.
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Following high school, she attended college for three years at Moorhead State University (Moorhead, MN) where she studied graphic communications with an emphasis in digital design and production. She then transferred to South Dakota State University, where she graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in advertising. (Go Jacks!)

Her first job after college was at Daktronics in Brookings as a sales intern; soon she was promoted to several different sales and account management roles. While she enjoyed working with clients, she desired to put her marketing degree to work. In 2016 she left Daktronics and entered the agency world. In 2017, Tiffany started at Epicosity as an account manager, and there became heavily involved in the financial industry, working on both bank and credit union accounts.
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“It was really interesting to learn the major differences of the two financial service providers,” she explained. “If you know anything about the advertising agency world, it’s very high-stress and demanding. I was a new mom, and I was ready for a position where I could focus more time on one brand and also embrace a better work/life balance. Voyage Federal Credit Union was a client of mine at the agency, so, when the opportunity came to be their marketing manager, it felt like a no brainer!” It was through her work with Epicosity that she met Nikki Doherty, former marketing manager at Voyage and a credit union mentor, who encouraged Tiffany to join the movement.

Tiffany began working at Voyage on March 16, 2020; that Friday, the lobby closed due to the Covid pandemic and everyone began working from home for the next several months. Fortunately, she was already familiar with the Voyage brand and their marketing plan.  

In her role as marketing manager, Tiffany is essentially a “one man” department, with responsibilities that include public relations, communications, brand management, events, sponsorships, and “other duties as assigned.” She was also quite involved in the credit union’s three recent mergers (all since 2021) as well as the opening of a new branch. “It’s been really enjoyable to be part of the merger applications, public relations, communications, and so much more. It is a unique experience for a single marketer to get to go through all of the steps, and fun to be part of incorporating our brand,” she expounded.

According to Tiffany, the credit union’s growth from $100M in assets in 2019 to over $230M in 2024 has made for a very fun and interesting time to work at Voyage. “The opportunities are endless for reaching our new members, while still ensuring our current members are taken care of,” she says.

Building the brand and bringing it back to life is something Tiffany is quite proud of. While it took several years, one goal she had was to bring home an America’s Credit Unions’ Diamond Awards. In late 2023, she submitted work for four awards and brought home three from the 2024 Diamond Awards Celebration – chosen from more than 1,400 submissions from 168 organizations.

When asked what she enjoys most about the credit union industry, Tiffany says it is the collaboration. Not only has she experienced it among her local colleagues, but she has become heavily involved in America’s Credit Unions’ Marketing and Business Development Council, where she has met peers from across the country who have been there for support and to act as a sounding board for ideas. In fact, Tiffany has become so involved with the Council that she was recently named to their Executive Committee. In addition, she is currently enrolled in America’s Credit Unions’ Marketing Certification School to obtain her CUCME designation and is in her second year of the three-year program.

Tiffany also lends her talents to other organizations, including the Southeast 605 Chapter of Credit Unions, where she serves on the board of directors; the Sioux Falls American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Event, where she serves as co-chair; the Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church Leadership and Hospitality Teams; and as a member of the Sales & Marketing Executives Association. However, she says her biggest personal achievement is successfully getting Voyage FCU’s CEO Jeff Schmidt to stop adding a double space after a period. (Anyone who took manual typing class in high school has the habit ingrained; it’s a tough one to break!)

In her personal life, Tiffany has been married for nearly eight years to her husband, Chris, who she met while they worked together at Daktronics. “I get myself involved in many things, and a lot of times it takes me away from home on nights and weekends, but he never gets discouraged and is always there to pick up the slack at home. I wouldn’t be where I am without his support and encouragement along the way,” she shared.  

The couple has two beautiful children: daughter Josie will soon turn 5; and Macklan who is turning 3. Both have June birthdays and are affectionately called “the little June bugs.” Rounding out the family are a cat, Cora, and a Golden Retriever, Gibson.
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In her free time, you will probably find Tiffany relaxing with a good book and a nice glass of red wine; riding her Peloton; golfing on a women’s league; and tending to her flower gardens. She also enjoys traveling, cooking, and baking her special pumpkin rolls and church treats with Josie. As a family, they often head to the Black Hills where they enjoy hiking and exploring with the Mutchler grandparents. Recently, the family made the trip to California to visit Disneyland – a joyful experience for the kids and worth every minute! 

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