Women in Technology: HC3’s Tori VanCura-Rutland
In what is a recurring feature, Finopotamus spotlights innovative women who are positively impacting technology applications in the credit union industry, and beyond.
In the latest installment in our “Women in Technology” series, we visited with HC3’s Chief Growth Officer Tori VanCura-Rutland. The Birmingham, Ala.-based company bills itself as a statement partner for more than 400 banks and credit unions.
By W.B. King
Roughly 20 years ago, Tori VanCura-Rutland was working as a sales manager promoting and creating unique retail and wholesale experiences for artists in New York City. From fashion shows to photo exhibits, these pop-up shops were foundational—building bridges within communities, much like the credit union movement.
“I earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with honors from Roosevelt University, and my early work centered on people and communities, including my service with City Year Chicago, an AmeriCorps program,” she told Finopotamus. “From there, I built a career in client engagement and revenue growth with roles at MediBase, Nine West Group, and Wolverine Worldwide.”
While she noted that her path into technology wasn’t traditional, VanCura-Rutland eventually was hired by HC3 as its director of project management in 2017. The following year, she was named chief growth officer.
“I was drawn to HC3 because of the vision of the owners, Tommy and Griffin McGahey, and while not the most glamorous fintech solution, statements, notices, and tax documents are the most trusted communications a financial institution sends,” she shared. “Executing these documents requires precision, security, and a deep understanding of how institutions operate. Future vision and exacting execution were a draw for me.”
Visibility Matters
Also serving on the board of the Association for Financial Technology (AFT), VanCura-Rutland said there are more women working in technology today than there were 10 years ago. “I’ve seen more women take on visible leadership roles in fintech, and that visibility matters,” she continued. “When women see other women leading growth, technology, and finance, those paths start to feel open to them. Another important aspect is supporting women with transparency. Be open about bonuses, investor funding, even salary expectations. That’s how we lift each other up.”
Over the years, she was lifted by numerous artists and business leaders who inspired her to dream bigger. Her parents, however, were her first champions.
“My mom and dad are still the largest influences on my life. They ran two businesses and built a deep foundation in me to always pay life forward. Communities are only strong when people invest in them,” she shared. “By serving on boards like Association for Financial Technology, Ballet Tennessee, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Tennessee Association of Dance, and University of Tennessee Marketing Program, I hope to more deeply invest in communities.”
An Open Tech Ecosystem
HC3’s goal is to make it easier for credit unions to find, choose, and work with the fintech, which supports 140 employees, 100 of whom are tech-facing, she explained.
“This year, HC3 became available through Q2 Innovation Studio, which lets banks and credit unions evaluate and deploy pre-integrated fintech solutions directly within the Q2 platform,” she noted. “We were also a Gold Sponsor of Q2 Connect 26. For credit unions, that means a shorter path to modernizing statements and notices across print and digital channels.”
Investment in community is another HC3 objective. At the annual Jack Henry Connect conference this year, for example, the company hosted its “Statement Maker” dinner to give clients time with their peers. “Credit unions want to learn from one another, and when we bring them together, we hear what they’re trying to solve. That informs everything from our product roadmap to how we support them,” she said.
Having an open tech ecosystem is among tech trends that excite VanCura-Rutland. This evolution, she noted, has allowed credit unions to choose the best tech stacks—not having to build it themselves entirely or accept what’s bundled in core platforms.
“Integration marketplaces and pre-integrated partners let them pick specialists for the work that matters most,” she said. “I’m also encouraged by a shift in how institutions budget. The ones gaining ground are asking where spending actually moves the needle.”
A Promise to Members
In VanCura-Rutland’s view, what separates credit unions from other FIs is their inherent interest in collaboration. “They share what works, pool resources through CUSOs, and openly compare notes on partners,” she noted. “That makes reputation and relationships especially important for any fintech that wants to serve them.”
Many credit unions, she added, run lean teams that support a sophisticated range of services. “They need partners that integrate with the systems they already use and take real work off their plates, instead of adding another platform to manage,” VanCura-Rutland told Finopotamus.
“A credit union’s partners reflect on its brand and its promise to members. When a fintech shares that mission, it acts as an extension of the credit union’s team,” she offered. “It takes ownership when something goes wrong, communicates proactively, and measures success by member outcomes, not just contract terms. That’s the standard that HC3 holds itself to as an operations partner.”
