Women in Technology: Fiserv’s Vanessa Stock

In the latest installment in our “Women in Technology” series, we visited with Fiserv’s Vice President of Product Management for Credit Union Core Solutions Vanessa Stock.

With approximately 40,000 employees, the Milwaukee-based fintech bills itself as delivering innovative and transformative financial services experiences for clients in more than 100 countries.

By W.B. King

Deciphering logic puzzles and how systems fit together were among Vanessa Stock’s earliest interests. “That evolved into a fascination with how technology and process engineering intersect,” she told Finopotamus.

After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and management, Stock held several positions at fintechs including vice president of finance and sales operations, senior director of global field operations and senior director of operations.

Vanessa Stock

“I began my career in technology in 2000 with a supply chain technology company. My background was originally in logistics and process optimization, and I quickly realized how powerful technology could be in transforming the way organizations operate,” she shared, noting that she later studied Lean Six Sigma programs, which helped her see how “process reengineering and technology can work hand-in-hand” to deliver meaningful impact. “The pace, creativity, and problem-solving energy pulled me in right away.”

Agile Methodologies

In 2015, Stock joined Fiserv and later held numerous positions including chief of staff of its Credit Unions Solutions department. After advancing over the years to other senior level posts, she assumed her current role as vice president of product management and strategy for Fiserv’s Credit Unions Solutions and DNA divisions.  

“When I started [my career], tech organizations were much more hierarchical and rigid; everyone operated in silos. Today, collaboration is the standard. Agile methodologies have transformed how we build, test, and deliver solutions, and user experience and design thinking are now central to everything we do,” she reflected.

“There’s also been a positive shift toward inclusion and diversity in leadership. Teams now more than ever bring together people with different perspectives and experiences, which leads to smarter decisions and more innovative solutions,” Stock continued. “We’ve moved from a ‘command and control’ model to one that’s strategic, adaptive, and human-centered.”

Think Broadly and Explore

While Stock said there have always been women working in the credit union industry, few early on served in senior technology or executive roles, especially at larger organizations, she noted.

“Over the past decade, we’ve seen more women leading transformation and innovation across the credit union and fintech industry,” she said. “More women are not only entering tech but also leading transformation at medium and large credit unions across the country.”

Another area of improvement is in succession planning, she observed. To this end, many organizations are intentionally building diverse leadership pipelines, ensuring that as experienced executives retire, the next generation of leaders reflects a wider range of voices and perspectives, she explained. “That kind of forward planning ensures the next generation of leaders reflects the people and communities they serve. It’s a shift that benefits everyone. It’s encouraging to see, and I’m proud to be part of that evolution.”

In Stock’s case, the first steps on her career journey were guided by Ron Frederick, a mentor at one of her first jobs who then served as president of finance. “He encouraged me to always zoom out and look at the big picture instead of getting lost in the small details,” she noted. “That lesson stuck with me and shaped how I lead today.”

Part of that leadership model is keeping an “open-door policy” and helping colleagues “connect the dots,” so they better understand how their respective role contributes to the company’s greater mission, she said. “I also encourage curiosity and candid questions. When people feel empowered to think broadly and explore, and they understand that their work truly matters, that’s when growth and innovation happen.”

Staying Ahead of the Curve

When it comes to achieving shared goals, Stock said that Fiserv aims to remove complexity so credit unions can focus on what matters most, membership. “We’re focused on modernizing core platforms and strengthening partnerships that bring real value to credit unions.”

As an example of its cooperative approach, Stock offered the fintech’s integration with MessagePay, a digital payments platform for community financial institutions. “It gives members an easy, real-time way to make payments on loans or credit cards while automating processes for the credit unions behind the scenes,” she continued. “It’s a simple shift that improves the member experience and boosts efficiency. That’s the kind of technology that makes a tangible difference in people’s everyday lives.”

Innovate With Purpose

Among tech trends on Stock’s radar are stablecoin and artificial intelligence (AI). “Stablecoin has the potential to disrupt how members move and store funds, so it’s critical that credit unions and their partners get it right,” she shared. “At Fiserv, we’re helping credit unions stay ahead of that curve, protecting deposits and maintaining member trust as the landscape evolves.”

AI, she said, represents “incredible opportunities.” And while not a necessarily a new trend, she noted the speed and flexibility at which the platform is changing is remarkable. “It can streamline operations, personalize member experiences, and open the door to innovation for institutions of all sizes. The key is using it responsibly, with strong data protection and transparency,” Stock said. “Credit unions already excel at earning trust, and AI used wisely can help strengthen that bond.”

Describing the credit union industry as positioned to “innovate with purpose,” Stock said the “people helping people” ethos and approach is designed to improve members’ financial well-being. And to achieve this all-important goal, she said credit unions should continue to collaborate with fintechs.

“It allows credit unions to move faster, scale efficiently, and deliver better member experiences without losing their mission-driven focus. When both sides share the same values, innovation happens naturally,” she continued. “And innovation isn’t just about technology; it’s about rethinking experiences to better serve people.”