Pivoting With Purpose

Since July 2024, Brynn Ammon has been the President of Credit Union Solutions at Jack Henry. She manages a multimillion-dollar business unit and leads approximately 600 associates who support over 700 customers who use the company’s software— the Symitar® core platform. This means overseeing operations, implementations, customer relations, and software delivery. 

After graduating from college in Western Pennsylvania, Ammon started her career journey at a company that sold paper and printing products. Some of her clients included community banks and credit unions. She particularly enjoyed working closely with these financial institutions’ marketing teams each month, fostering partnerships and gaining valuable industry insight. Two years later, Ammon moved across the country to California, where she became a Marketing Supervisor at a local credit union.

As a Navy spouse, Ammon moved many times (and changed jobs a lot). After a merger at her third credit union, she discovered an opportunity to try something new: building a project management office. From there, she worked in project management, went on to business development, and then returned to project management. It was a lot of back-and-forth—and many more moves with the Navy.

“While I was in the middle of this journey, I felt like I was going backward every time I went to work at a new credit union,” she tells Fairygodboss. “It wasn’t until later that I realized what a real blessing all these different opportunities afforded me.”

After her relocation, Ammon found it difficult to find another project management role at a credit union. She couldn’t find a marketing or business development position either. So,  she contacted various associates she had worked with over the years, which connected her to Jack Henry, a vendor she had previously worked with and where she works today.

“This pivot to go from working at a credit union to a credit union vendor was an integral change and ultimately set me up for where I am today,” she says. 

We caught up with her to learn more about her career journey and how she successfully navigated her most recent career pivot. Here’s what she had to say.

How did you make your career switch, and how did Jack Henry support you?

Moving from not-for-profit, people-focused credit unions to a Fortune 500 technology company, I feared I would become just a number. The reality was more than I could have imagined. I never felt like a number, lost in the shuffle, or like I had made a bad decision. I quickly found my voice within this large company and established myself as an expert. 

How have you benefited from the skills and experiences you’ve gained in your career journey?

My career journey has given me the resiliency, skills, and experience I needed to be successful. Because of those early years, moving to a new role every few years, I became adept at building teams, collaborating with new teams, learning new things, and innovating. 

What do you find most rewarding and challenging about your current work?

The most rewarding for me is the people—the associates I have the pleasure of working with and the clients we serve every day. I’m always looking for ways to make their lives easier. 

The most challenging part is managing the pace of change. We live in an ever-changing world, and technology is moving faster than ever. We know we will have to innovate to survive, but we need people with the time to dedicate to innovation. When things are moving quickly, fostering a culture where you can break away to be strategic can be hard. 

Looking back on your career, what has been your most valuable career mistake?

Leaving my first credit union for “greener pastures” was my most valuable career mistake. At the time, I felt passed over for a leadership position, but as I reflected later, the leadership team at that credit union knew what I didn’t. I wasn’t ready for a higher level of leadership. It all turned out OK, but I may have learned more by staying put. 

What is your favorite thing about working at Jack Henry?

I love the people and believe in our purpose of strengthening the connection between our clients and their members through technology and services that reduce barriers to financial health. 

What is your best piece of advice for other women who are thinking about making a career pivot?

You have to ask for what you want—and then go do it. Don’t be afraid to speak it into existence. Also, always consider the worst-case scenario. Can you quit or change directions again if that worst-case scenario comes true? Absolutely! Nothing is set in stone. 

Is there anything else that you’d like to mention? 

I want to emphasize the importance of empathy and human connection in leadership. Remember: We’re all just people. Also, staying curious and continuously learning are keys to thriving in any industry. Look around every corner for an opportunity to learn something new; your career pivot may land in your lap.