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ARLINGTON, Va. – Today, Lisa Ginter, Chair of the Board of Credit Union National Association (CUNA), along with Gary Grinnell, Chair of the Board of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU), announced 15 members who will serve on America’s Credit Unions’ transition board of directors, should members vote in favor of the merger. This 16-person board will include current board members from both CUNA and NAFCU, including members of each board’s executive committee, and Jim Nussle, who will serve as the new association’s CEO. Brian Schools, President/CEO of Chartway Federal Credit Union and current Vice Chair for NAFCU, will lead the charge as the association’s first chair.  

“I am honored to be at the forefront of a vote for a historic merger where CUNA’s and NAFCU’s collective influence will prove to be a powerful force when advocating with regulators and lawmakers from all levels of government,” said Schools. “I am confident that we will continue to provide innovative, collaborative, and aggressive advocacy to bring victories for our credit union members and ensure the industry’s best days are ahead of us.” 

Serving side by side with Schools as executive committee members of the proposed board are Vice Chair Lisa Ginter, CEO of Community America Credit Union, Treasurer Patrick Pierce, CEO of City and County Credit Union, and Secretary Karen Harbin, President/CEO of Commonwealth Credit Union. 

In addition to the executive committee, the remaining proposed board roster includes: 

·         Lonnie Nicholson, President/CEO of Educational Employees Credit Union;  

·         Nader Moghaddam, President/CEO of Financial Partners Credit Union; 

·         Jeff Olson, President/CEO of Dakota Credit Union Association; 

·         Gary Grinnell, President/CEO of Corning Federal Credit Union; 

·         Lori Herrick, President/CEO of Manchester Municipal Federal Credit Union; 

·         Scott Simpson, President/CEO of Utah Credit Union Association; 

·         Melanie Kennedy, President of Southwest Financial Federal Credit Union; 

·         Keith Sultemeier, President/CEO of Kinecta Federal Credit Union; 

·         Brian Best, CEO of GTE Financial Credit Union; 

·         Jim Morrell, President/CEO of Peninsula Community Federal Credit Union, and; 

·         Amy Sink, CEO of Interra Credit Union. 

CUNA and NAFCU announced the intent to merge earlier this month. The 60-day member vote period will begin later this month. For more information about the merger, please visit cuna.org/merger or nafcu.org/merger.  

 

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Background on the America’s Credit Unions Proposed Board structure: 

There will be a proposed Transition Board slate voted on by members. After its three-year transition term, board members will be elected annually by the members.  

Transition Board:  

·         The Transition Board will consist of 15 voting members and 1 nonvoting member, the CEO of America’s Credit Unions. 

·         The voting members will include 9 from CUNA’s current board (including 2 from Leagues), and 6 from NAFCU’s current board. 

·         The Transition Board executive committee officers will be a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and the America’s Credit Unions CEO. 

·         The officers will include two members from CUNA and two members from NAFCU. 

·         Only directors from natural person credit unions and the CEO will be allowed to hold officer positions. 

 

Continuing Board: 

·         The Continuing Board will consist of 15 voting members and 2 nonvoting members, the CEO of America’s Credit Unions, and the past Chair. 

·         There will be four classes of members, Geographic (9 directors), At-large (4 directors), League (2 directors) and Nonvoting (2 directors). 

·         Each Geographic class will be represented on the Continuing Board; there will be 3 small, 3 medium, and 3 large credit unions seats. 

·         At-large members of the Continuing Board will be elected from all credit unions. 

·         Nonvoting Continuing Board seats will be held by the America’s Credit Unions CEO and past Chair. 

·         Continuing Board executive committee officers will be Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and America’s Credit Unions CEO. 

·         Only directors from natural person credit unions and the CEO will be allowed to hold officer positions.