Nereida Seda Vargas
Executive President, Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito de Lajas (Lajas, PR)
Nereida Seda Vargas has a master's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. As a professional, she has dedicated more than 25 years to public service and cooperative movement. For 7 years, she worked as an examiner of cooperatives for COSSEC.
Since 2017, she has held the position of Executive President of Lajas Coop, a cooperative of $77 million in assets located in the southwest of Puerto Rico with two branches. Mrs. Seda’s primary mission is community development - in which the credit union provides activities directed toward improving the social or economic conditions of undeserved people or residents of distressed communities located in Lajas and San German. She also strives to help the cooperative develop a technological and structural transformation, and Lajas' growth in assets is a sign of the effectiveness of the measures taken. These strategies have allowed the institution to solidify itself in the target market it serves.
Last year, thanks to the leadership and vision of Mrs. Seda, Lajas Coop obtained its CDFI certification. Despite the earthquakes in Puerto Rico and the pandemic, the institution has remained operational and sought out opportunities for its members.
Mrs. Seda views volunteer service as necessary and important. Since 2012, she has been a volunteer at the American Cancer Society and, since 2019, has served as the president of Relay for Life Lajas. She is also a rescuer of animals.
Mrs. Seda is a member of the Board of Directors of Circuito Cooperativo.