Ben Maxim and Liam Petraska Join Spave Team

Michigan State University Federal Credit Union Acquisition Augments Growth for Spave

[Red Wing, MN, October 13, 2021] — Ben Maxim and Liam Petraska have joined Spave as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Head of Engineering, respectively, and they serve these same roles for The Reseda Group. The Reseda Group is a subsidiary of Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) which acquired Live.Give.Save to form the Spave LLC in May 2021. As part of this acquisition, the Spave team has welcomed several new team members, including Maxim and Petraska. As discerning innovators deeply experienced in the technology field for over a decade, Maxim and Petraska will be key contributors to the digital development of the Spave app, which will be updated and further enhanced for ease of use and effectiveness.

Maxim graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications, Information Studies, and Media. His roles have varied from Senior Web Developer to Assistant Vice President of Programming and Development and, ultimately, to his current position of VP of Digital Strategy & Innovation at the MSUFCU. He has since received a Professional Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Stanford University. Maxim’s diverse range of experience at the credit union in conjunction with his interest and studies in entrepreneurship align extremely well with the current technological needs of Spave and Spave’s long term values of innovation and creativity.

In addition to Maxim’s roles at Spave, Reseda Group, and MSUFCU, he is a founding member of the Innovation Forum at Forum Ventures, which supports a community of SaaS innovators that promotes connectivity among field members of startups and the sharing of strategies. “The Reseda group’s investment in Spave demonstrates MSUFCU’s commitment to making a positive impact on our members and communities. Spave’s mission is to transform spending for good. Our missions could not be more aligned and we’re thrilled to be able to invest in and support the entrepreneurial spirit in a startup.” Maxim’s knowledge of website development, iOS development, programming, software development, and user interface design will be of great use to the development of Spave’s application.

Petraska received his Bachelors in Telecommunications, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University, where he additionally pursued audio production and was the Radio Host of The Mechanical Pulse station in East Lansing, Michigan. Upon graduation, Petraska continued to hone his production and digital audio interests as DJ/Producer at tezandtraska and Co-Owner/Manager of Uptown DJs. Subsequently, Petraksa worked as a Director of Mobile Content and later Content Delivery, Audio Team Lead, and Audio Technician at WDA, a company that specializes in digital marketing and effective online advertising. Before arriving at the MSUFCU, Petraska additionally owned a local organization, Banana for Code, in Holt, Michigan which provided website designs for personal and professional use to community organizations and members. He also was the Vice President of Content at Forj Digital, a company with a combined emphasis on visual, musical, and digital creation.

Since joining the MSUFCU in 2016, Petraska has assumed various roles for the credit union including Web Developer and, most recently, Software Development Manager. He has been a leader of large teams, a project manager, and an ingenious engineer. Susan Langer, CEO and Founder of Spave, shares, “I am thrilled that Liam has joined the team to build upon the foundation Spave has created to date and look forward to his leadership spearheading Spave’s development, architecture, and infrastructure as the platform continues to grow and scale for users, nonprofits and credit unions.”

Not only does Petraksa possess a plethora of professional experiences that Spave values, but also he is a dedicated volunteer for his community, employing his digital skills for charitable ventures. Since 2015, Petraska has been involved in numerous non-profits. He initially was the Artist Service Lead for The Entertainment Helping Company and later the NextUP Team Captain, Biometrics/Account Opening Advisory Board, and NextUP Spark Mentor for MEMBERS Development Company. He currently serves as the Development Pear Group Committee Chair for the Capital Area IT Council, which supports individuals and communities in the Mid-Michigan area in their programming capabilities and additional digital topics. Petraksa’s service-orientated pursuits and application of his skills aligns wholly with the values of Spave, where value-based spending, saving, and giving is at the forefront.

Spave feels immensely grateful to have both Maxim and Petraska be part of Spave’s journey to address and support community needs by promoting healthy financial habits.

5 Effective Employee Retention Strategies to Reduce Turnover

Struggling to keep great employees on board? You’re not alone. A staggering 63% of U.S. companies say retaining talent is even harder than hiring. So, what’s going on, and how can you fix it?

While competitive pay and benefits are a great start, they’re only part of the picture. From social giving platforms to employee recognition, there are plenty of impactful, low-cost ways to keep your team motivated, connected, and loyal. Think of these strategies as another way to reward your employees for their time and effort. Let’s check out a few creative ideas your organization can use to boost retention starting today.

Provide Flexible Work Arrangements

Employees value work-life balance, and companies can meet this need by offering flexible work arrangements. If your organization hasn’t already, consider implementing remote or hybrid work options to help boost employee satisfaction and retention.

Keep in mind that while remote and hybrid opportunities can bring in new employees, retaining them usually requires new strategies to promote company culture and connection. On in-office days, consider hosting team lunches, happy hours, or holiday parties to reinforce camaraderie. The extra effort is worth it and can bring your organization improved employee satisfaction for several reasons:

Decreased commute stress. Employees can avoid traffic and spend more time focused on their work and personal well-being.

Improved location inclusivity. Team members who live farther from the office benefit from reduced commute demands. Plus, working from home helps employees save money on gas, transit, and meals.

Increased productivity. Many employees report getting more done in their home office compared to the traditional workplace.

Personalized workspaces. The ability to customize their home setup allows employees to create a space that supports their individual needs.

Environmental benefits. Fewer commutes translate into reduced carbon emissions and a smaller environmental footprint.

In addition to flexible scheduling, re-evaluate your family leave, PTO, and sick policies. Astron Solutions’ employee compensation guide explains that time off acts as a form of indirect compensation. These benefits are vital for signifying your company’s commitment to employee work-life balance and meeting local and state workplace laws.

Create Charitable Giving Opportunities.

Offering employees the chance to give back is more than a feel-good initiative—it’s a powerful tool for retention. When companies support charitable giving, they show they care about more than just the bottom line, and that matters to today’s socially conscious workforce.

To provide employees with giving opportunities, you might use a social giving platform like Spave to integrate charitable giving into your employees’ financial habits. Employees can round up purchases and direct spare change to causes that they care about and are in line with your company’s social responsibility goals. It’s a simple, impactful way to turn everyday spending into meaningful contributions, all while supporting employee well-being and engagement.

You can also match employee donations, spotlight team members’ favorite nonprofits on your company’s social media, and organize volunteer opportunities. These actions support your community and show employees you care about their values.

Start a Peer-to-Peer Recognition Program

Recognizing employee contributions is key for a strong and supportive company culture. Peer-to-peer recognition, in particular, empowers team members to celebrate each other’s achievements.

Unlike top-down praise from managers, recognition from coworkers often feels more meaningful and sincere. Peer recognition also helps hybrid and in-office employees connect with co-workers by encouraging regular, informal engagement across teams.

Here are some tips for launching and maintaining your peer recognition program:

Tie recognition to company values. eCardWidget’s peer-to-peer recognition guide suggests structuring your program around company values. For example, if innovation is a key value, encourage employees to celebrate peers who share creative solutions or take initiative on new ideas.

Encourage timely feedback. Prompt recognition has a greater impact. Encourage employees to give kudos right after they witness great work.

Show examples. Sometimes employees need inspiration before providing encouragement. Whether it’s a quick Slack post or email blast, showing examples of what good recognition looks like can make all the difference.

Digital tools like eCards offer a simple way to make peer recognition more engaging. Employees can send customized cards that include a colleague’s name and a short, meaningful message tied to company values, adding a thoughtful and personal touch to everyday appreciation.

Offer Meaningful Training and Development Opportunities

Employees want to work for organizations that advance their professional development. As an employer, you want your workers to stay sharp and reach their full potential. By offering learning opportunities, you signal that you care about your team’s future, not just their output.

Create internal industry-related development opportunities or direct employees to reputable, external courses. For instance, a tech company might provide courses in software development, artificial intelligence, or data analytics.

Make learning easy to access. Webinars, TED Talks, book clubs, and self-paced courses are great tools for building a flexible development program. You can also strengthen employee engagement by regularly asking for employee feedback, helping you tailor opportunities to align with their individual career goals.

Provide Feedback Opportunities

To improve employee engagement, you need input directly from your team. Offer feedback opportunities to improve and adapt your employee retention strategies. Regular feedback opens up two-way communication between employees and leadership. When employees feel heard, they’re more likely to be invested in their work.

Here are a few simple ways to gather feedback:

Use quarterly surveys. Keep your surveys short and focused, so employees can easily express concerns or questions to management. You might ask what the company should continue, start, and stop doing to uncover actionable insights.

Schedule one-on-ones. Keep your directs engaged by scheduling regular one-on-ones with them once per week or every other week. Keep these sessions open-ended to give employees space to share ideas and concerns.

Provide feedback training. Instruct all managers on how to deliver actionable, clear feedback to directs. This might include call training for sales roles or presentation feedback for jobs requiring pitching to stakeholders.

With regular feedback systems in place, you can respond to issues early, prevent disengagement, and build a responsive workplace culture.

Retaining top talent isn’t about flashy perks; it’s about creating a workplace where people feel respected, empowered, and connected to a larger purpose. When employees believe their work matters and their voices are heard, loyalty naturally follows.

Sit down with leadership and brainstorm what would work best for motivating your team members. Whether it’s launching a social giving program or encouraging individual recognition, remember that the path to retention starts with listening, acting with intention, and building a culture that puts people first.