Brett Martinez

Advisor

Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures

Brett joined MSIV as an Advisor in 2024.

Brett Martinez is President & Chief Executive Officer of Redwood Credit Union (RCU), the North Bay’s largest credit union. RCU serves over 525,000 Members with $9.7 billion in assets and has been voted Best Place to Work by employees for 20 consecutive years. Brett oversees all aspects of the Credit Union, including its CUSO, which includes an auto dealership and an insurance agency. 

Brett has more than 38 years of credit union experience. He has served as a senior executive for both the California Credit Union League and a large Southern California credit union prior to joining RCU in 2002.

As an active participant in the community, Brett serves on a variety of nonprofit, community, and industry boards and committees. He currently serves on the Boards of TruStage and the North Bay Leadership Council. As a founding member of CU Direct’s Credit Union for Kids Wine Auction, Brett has served on the Executive Committee for 20 years and helped raise over $18 million in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. He is also an Advisor for Union Credit fintech and Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures. He’s the former Board Chair of America’s Credit Unions, California Credit Union League (CCUL), and the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber. Brett is a former Board Member of CU Direct, Western CUNA Management School (WCMS), and several local nonprofit and community boards including United Way, and the American Red Cross.

In 2010, Brett was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the California Credit Union League. He was recognized in 2025 for the third time, as the North Bay’s Best Business Community Leader by readers of NorthBay biz magazine and in 2016, was awarded the North Bay Latino Leadership Award by the North Bay Business Journal. In 2019, he was honored to receive the Anchor Award from the National Credit Union Foundation, for his exemplary leadership during the 2017 California Wildfires and in 2023, for the second time, he received the Advocate of the Year award from the California Credit Union League.

Deeply involved with credit union industry advocacy efforts, he actively meets with local, state, and national lawmakers to speak about credit union issues and promote legislation that benefits credit unions.

Brett holds a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University San Bernardino. He is also a graduate of Western CUNA Management School class of 1994.