Triangle Business Journal selected Wake County resident Liz Queen, CFO at First Flight Federal Credit Union, as a leader in finance for the 2025 TBJ Women in Business Awards for her financial acumen, commitment to the community, and inspirational leadership style.
Female leaders hold the top two positions at First Flight, with Tabitha Allen named as president and CEO in October of 2023 and Queen as CFO in 2021, with a collective 33 years at the organization. Together, these two leaders have launched a CARE Culture to nurture First Flight’s mission to “Take Better Care of its Staff, Members, the Membership and the local communities they serve” and are challenging their staff to build the future by continuing to be a relationship-first credit union.
Allen and Queen have proven to be an invaluable duo with 2025 marking a pivotal year in First Flight’s 72-year service to its members. As both the first female CEO and CFO in the credit union’s history, they have transformed the way the company approaches business activities, instilling a value-based mindset resulting in a record-breaking year from both a financial and employer standpoint.
Allen and her entire leadership team have played a key role in shaping a new chapter of growth and innovation to achieve ambitious goals now and in the future. The credit union is investing in competitive product offerings, technology, staff development and community involvement – making it not only a better place to work, but a better place to bank.
VP of Marketing Laura Satterly shared how Allen’s and Queen’s leadership styles are empowering to the entire Staff as they lead by example and inspire others. First Flight’s culture is thriving; and the organization is attracting new credit union members in a state where both leaders were raised, educated and continue to call home with their families.
Chartered in 1952, First Flight Federal Credit Union was originally founded to serve the employees and families of the military at Cherry Point base in North Carolina. As the years evolved, so did First Flight. Today, with nearly $250 million in assets, First Flight is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, and proudly serves nearly 20,000 members across a Wake County and Eastern North Carolina footprint. At an all employee meeting this year held on the waterfront in New Bern, Allen shared her vision “to be the financial institution of choice for the local communities we serve.”
Personalized, caring service sets First Flight apart
With five locations across North Carolina, First Flight offers a full menu of deposit and loan accounts with competitive rates, high-earning certificate accounts, mortgages and lot loans and student accounts via their Young Savers and Learn to Earn Programs. Chief Relationship Officer Richard McIntyre shared how personalized service is what sets First Flight apart. “Our retail and member support teams deeply care for every person who walks through the door. Our associates are dedicated to developing life-long relationships with our members to meet their financial needs.”
Giving back to the community and membership growth
Allen and Queen also share a passion to inspire their staff to give back to the community. Going forward, First Flight will continue to build upon its legacy of impact by growing its reach as it sponsored over 25 events in the community last year, including educational programs at community colleges, the Food Pantry of Eastern and Central North Carolina, Habitat for Humanity and a spotlight on Veteran’s through First Flight’s Caring for the Carolinas partnership with charitable causes. To celebrate Financial Literacy month in April, First Flight is sponsoring additional financial literacy programs across its branch footprint, where volunteers from their staff will share their knowledge with local students.
First Flight invites all local residents of Wake, Craven, Pitt and Carteret Counties to visit one of our branches to find out more about membership. “We have had an incredible journey to reach where we are today. I am very proud of what our team has accomplished,” Allen said. “We look forward to what the future holds and will meet all the challenges and opportunities with team work and optimism.”
Contact Laura Satterly, VP of marketing at First Flight Federal Credit Union, at laura.satterly@efirstflight.com.
