Celebrating Faheem Masood, the best of greater Rochester | On Business

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Faheem Masood retired this spring after spending more than three decades at ESL Federal Credit Union – three decades that earned him the title of one of Rochester’s most consequential business leaders. Over the course of his career at ESL, Faheem grew from a senior financial analyst to president by 2016. His tenure was marked by sustained growth that solidified ESL’s role as the region’s largest credit union, but also as a pillar of our shared community.

Under Faheem’s leadership, ESL nearly doubled its assets, growing from roughly $5 billion to close to $10 billion, added more than 100,000 new members, grew employment by several hundred jobs, and opened six new branches across the Greater Rochester region, including in underserved communities. Those numbers alone place his tenure among the most successful in ESL’s history, but they only tell part of the story. What sets Faheem apart is not simply growth, but the humanity that backed that growth.

Faheem oversaw ESL’s growth with a deliberate intention to preserve a cooperative, locally governed identity. Through strategic services and acquisitions, ESL has doubled down on scaling in our community, demonstrating that large, complex organizations can remain rooted in our community without sacrificing competitiveness. And, the growth that Masood’s leadership powered was poured right back into our community to uplift so many others and help our whole region rise together.

Throughout his tenure, ESL returned hundreds of millions of dollars to members and the community through dividends and grants, reinforcing the institution’s competitive advantage while also giving back to the community that fuels its growth. Under Faheem’s leadership, ESL returned nearly half a billion dollars to our community through programs that expand opportunity for all residents, build strong neighborhoods, and strengthen local organizations.

For anyone who knows Faheem, it is not surprising that his leadership has focused on giving back. An immigrant from Pakistan, Faheem has built his career on the idea that access and progress should be awarded on merit rather than on status. I recall being at a meeting with Faheem and several other high-level, notable, powerful executives from across our region. One such leader was not as tolerant of other opinions as one should be, and the only person in the room to speak up and challenge him was Faheem. There were people far more powerful in the room than Faheem, but he had the courage and leadership to speak up. No matter who he is in a room with, Faheem always listens, provides thoughtful feedback, and encourages all voices to speak up and share their opinions.

Throughout my career, I have been privileged to work with Faheem and have seen up close at Greater Rochester Chamber the impact of his work. At ESL, he has built a culture that creates other leaders and empowers all in the organization to lead with a smart, balanced, human touch. That includes his successor, Tom Rogers. We are proud to have Faheem chair our Greater Rochester Chamber board and contribute to the strategic future of our organization and region.

While Faheem is not from this area, he embodies the best of greater Rochester. His story shows that anyone can fall in love with our community, build a life here, and help so many individuals build a better life for themselves. I am proud to both thank and recognize him publicly for his many contributions – financially, developmentally, and philanthropically with all he has championed throughout his tenure.

Robert J. Duffy is president and CEO of Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Contact him at [email protected].