With a life shaped by international experiences living abroad and a passion for all things payments, Cyndi Graniello brings a unique perspective to the world of community banking. Growing up as a "military brat" in Germany, she developed an early fascination with currencies and global economies. Now, as Assistant Vice President at Service Credit Union overseeing foreign exchange, Graniello channels that lifelong curiosity into helping military families manage their finances across borders. In this Q&A, she shares her journey and insights into the fast-evolving world of payments and how Service Credit Union is staying ahead of the curve.
Talk about your background and how it led you to a career in international payments.
I grew up as a military brat, living with two currencies — the Deutsche mark and the U.S. dollar — before the euro came into play. I remember the first time I held those shiny, new euro bills. It was so cool, but it wasn’t until college, when I started studying economics, that I really understood what went on behind the scenes. That sparked my interest in how money moves globally and how different countries cooperate economically.
After I graduated with my degree in economics, I got a job at Service Credit Union in an entry-level position. I eventually moved into foreign exchange, and in 2010, I had the amazing opportunity to move back to the U.S. and take the department to new levels. It’s been an exciting journey, and now Acceleron is helping us grow even more in that area.
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What has been the most exciting part of working in international payments?
I’m a payments nerd through and through! I find the movement of money — how it settles, the technology behind it — fascinating. It’s so important to how we live. Most people don’t think about it, they just want it to work. But those of us in the payments industry get the chance to peel back the layers and really understand the process. Payments are like the invisible hand of the economy. If money doesn’t move, nothing else does. It’s a vital piece of the puzzle, and it’s rewarding to be a part of it.
Instant payments have been a hot topic in the financial industry lately. How do you see them impacting international payments?
Instant payments are the next big thing, and they’re becoming something people expect. The idea that money can move in real-time is setting a new standard, and once that bar is raised, it’s hard to go back. Right now, we’re seeing a shift toward making instant payments the norm. In Europe, for instance, it’s been happening for a while, and now financial institutions are being pushed toward force adoption. The new ISO 20022 standards are also helping to level the playing field and making it easier for us all to connect and do business. It’s only a matter of time before it’s widespread.
How has Service Credit Union’s partnership with Acceleron impacted your international payments operations?
Working with Acceleron has been fantastic. They are extremely responsive. They helped us through a difficult transition and kept everything moving smoothly. They care about the overall quality of the service, and that has made them stand above a lot of other payment providers. Now, we’re starting to think about what comes next — how we can expand this partnership and improve even more.
What are the biggest challenges you face when processing international payments?
One of the biggest pain points is getting the right information for each country. The rules vary from one country to another, and the process can get complicated. What I really need is an interactive payment form that’s intuitive and dynamic—something that adapts based on the specific requirements of each country. Right now, we have a lot of manual steps that I’d love to streamline.
That said, technology is leveling the playing field in a big way. Services that were once only accessible to large banks are now available to smaller institutions. More credit unions and community banks are adopting foreign payments and getting access to more of those technologies as they have become more accessible.
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What are you most proud of in your work at Service Credit Union?
During the pandemic, we were deemed mission essential because our members needed us to keep money moving. Even though we had never worked from home before, my team adapted overnight. They did an amazing job making sure everything ran smoothly, and I couldn’t be prouder of how resilient they were.
Acceleron builds cutting-edge software that allows community banks and credit unions to conduct international payment transactions profitably through a foreign exchange (FX) marketplace. Serving over 200 financial institutions and facilitating more than $1 billion in international payments annually, Acceleron helps small banks generate non-interest income and compete more effectively with high-fee big banks. Our solutions integrate seamlessly with Fiserv, ensuring quick implementation and smooth operation.
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