Welcome Aman Jeloka, Craft3 Chief Financial Officer

‍This is the second in a series on the role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Craft3. You can read Part 1 here, which we published during the formal search for our next CFO.

As the first buds appear on trees and green shoots begin to peek from the soil, it is also a time for new starts at Craft3.  

We are thrilled to welcome Aman Jeloka as Craft3’s Chief Financial Officer. Aman joined our leadership team the first week of March stepping into a role that had been filled by interim CFO Mark Stevenson since last spring. Aman has a deep background in finance and as a CFO, serving at companies big and small. In joining Craft3, he reflected on why he was attracted to joining our organization.

“I’ve always had this internal desire to work with organizations that aren’t just about profits, but also about making a positive impact on customers and the community at-large. How can we do more to actually help people that are less fortunate? I have been fortunate in my own life to have access to a great education, great jobs and the opportunity to move from India to have a great life here in the United States. In joining Craft3, it gives me an immense sense of satisfaction that in my very ordinary capacity I’ll be able to help drive an organization that does things for people who are less fortunate than I have been in my life. That’s bigger than money or personal gain.”

In his career, Aman has continually built upon his expertise as a finance professional. Most recently, Aman served as Business Unit CFO for multiple divisions (Vice-President of Finance) at BECU, a major credit union serving Pacific Northwest communities since its founding in 1935. He has also served in the capacity of Global CFO, Amazon Pay (Senior Manager) at Amazon and as an Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase & Co.  

“I’ve worked in companies of all sizes – the ones that are for-profit think a lot about shareholder gains. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but that’s the primary objective. Very few companies truly care about customers’ needs, beyond how treating customers well is good for business and for shareholders. I’m looking forward to supporting a balance between the mission and purpose of Craft3 with the need to be financially sustainable so that we can continue to serve our customers and communities well into the future. The organization is doing a lot of great work in striking that balance already and I’ll be focused in supporting our teams’ ability to make safe, sound and sustainable decisions so that this important balance continues.”

When it comes to finance, Aman emphasizes that meeting short-term goals lays the foundation for achieving medium- and long-term outcomes. That includes focusing on people, not just spreadsheets.

“First, I’m new to Craft3 and want to make sure that our team is in a good place. Every organization or business is about people. I want our team to be happy and feel trusted so that people can do their best in an engaging environment where they want to bring their best self to the workplace. All of this will lead to great outcomes for those we serve – it’s a positive loop. Second, my focus will be on helping Craft3 achieve high standards in finance, data-tracking and analytics, to name a few priorities. That means helping align the culture of the finance team with the broader organization’s culture and having the right systems in place. This is another way we’ll be working to strike a balance so that we have the right tools, processes and capacity on our team, so we aren’t getting overloaded while doing our best to achieve the organization’s broader mission. Basically, we’ll be focusing on how our community, our strategy, operations and finances are all interconnected. For finance to achieve its objectives, we must be a partner in supporting the business of Craft3.”

Aman’s experience is not only as an executive in finance, but as a leader on strategy and operations. As a CFO, this allows him to think of things beyond a financial perspective to reflect on what Craft3 is doing well and how he can integrate its proven approaches into his work going forward. He offers that, “when you serve at an organization like Craft3, you are a steward of a larger mission than yourself. I’m looking forward to helping take the organization to the next level so that Craft3 continues to be in a strong position for whenever it’s time for the next CFO to take over the reins.”

He looks forward to working with his team to set and maintain high standards. As he notes, this will mean enabling the right processes and tools to help the finance team do their jobs. Aman describes his leadership style as a mix of inspirational and servant leadership. “I truly care about people, helping develop their skills and helping them grow to become leaders themselves. I’m also proud of my conviction in guiding a team toward a defined goal while also taking in feedback. The willingness and the ability to change my approach or my thinking to benefit the organization and its broader objectives are important skills for a strong leader. Leaders may have a lot of experience and skills, but that doesn’t mean they are always right – openness to learning is very important.”

Aman and his wife love travelling. They have lived in different parts of the United States, but there are still some National Parks that they look forward to visiting for the first time. When they travel internationally, Aman shares that he loves water and the beaches. “Who knows where we will travel next, but I’d love to visit Bora Bora in the near future. I love traveling because I can meet people from different cultures or backgrounds, which gives me a good appreciation for how people think differently. I am an outgoing person and so meeting all kinds of people is very joyful.”

He is already hard-at-work in his first month. “Finance must create a relationship of trust internally and externally. This is true for all teams, but especially for finance. We put together numbers, budgets and the actual results. Everyone needs to trust and feel very comfortable with our work. Craft3 already has a high standard, and I look forward to enhancing it.”

Despite the changing seasons and the ambiguity of the world beyond our organization, within our four walls, we are steadfast in pursuit of our mission. As Craft3’s new CFO, Aman’s approach to building another generation of leaders combined with his leadership experience in finance creates another solid piece of our foundation, strengthening what we can achieve together today and for years to come.