Credit union CEOs in Maryland, California and Texas announced their retirements or plans to retire later this year.
After leading Tower Federal Credit Union into becoming the largest federal credit union in Maryland, President/CEO Martin Breland said he will retire on June 30.
He joined the Laurel, Md.-based credit union in 1989 and was named CEO in 1993, growing the credit union to its current $2.8 billion in assets and nearly 155,000 in members.
Breland credited Tower’s board, management team and employees for the successes during his tenure.
“Accomplishing all Tower has over the years has been a great team effort, with so many contributors,” he said. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with such a tremendous group of people.”
Breland developed a strategy of blending the use of technology, including ATMs, online and mobile services with brick-and-mortar branches to meet the convenience needs of Tower members locally and around the globe.
His successor will be Rick Stafford, who currently serves as EVP of member services at Tower.
Robert “Bob” Boland said after almost 39 years with AltaOne Federal Credit Union, he plans to retire at the end of 2017.
He was appointed president/CEO of the Ridgecrest, Calif.-based credit union in 1992. Under his leadership, AltaOne grew from $180 million in assets to $640 million in assets and 23,000 members to more than 53,000 members.
“Bob’s dedication to the credit union, our membership and the community has been vital to AltaOne’s continued success,” David Ostash, AltaOne’s board chair, said. “While we will miss Bob greatly, we wish him the very best, and we are grateful for the substantial contribution he has made over the years.”
A CEO search is under way for Boland’s successor.
Following more than four decades of service in the financial industry, Sun Community Federal Credit Union Dale Johnson announced his retirement.
Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran, served as the founder and CEO of a community bank in the mid-2000s before joining the El Centro, Calif.-based SCFCU at its president/CEO. He is credited with returning the cooperative to profitability, growing its assets to $407 million. Some of his most notable contributions included redefining the organization’s key disciplines and practices, and expanding its field of membership.
Johnson retired on Jan. 31.
“We are forever grateful for Dale’s leadership and contributions to our organization and community,” Juan Cruz, board chair of SCFCU, said. “We wish him well as he moves into retirement.”
Johnson’s successor is Gary Ahlgren, who previously served as EVP of the $883 million USE Credit Union in San Diego.
After a career in the credit union movement that started in Japan, ended in Texas and spanned more than four decades, Virginia “Jenny” Smith retired last month from the $649 million Smart Financial Credit Union in Houston.
She served as president/CEO of the credit union’s subsidiary Smart Financial Resources and the Smart Financial Foundation.
Smith retired on Jan. 7.
She launched her credit union career as a manager of a Navy Federal Credit Union branch in Iwakuni, Japan. From there, Smith relocated to Houston to work with the Houston Area Teachers Credit Union, which later changed its name to Smart Financial Credit Union in 2004.
For 29 years, Smith served as president/CEO of Key Federal Credit Union, which merged into Smart Financial in 2008. Since then, Smith held various positions with the cooperative’s executive team, including SVP of medical operations and SVP of business development and facilities, before becoming president/CEO of Smart Financial Resources and Smart Financial Foundation.
“Leading both the Smart Financial Resources and the Smart Financial Foundation has been one of the top highlights of my career,” Smith said. “I am grateful to Smart Financial Credit Union for the opportunity to take on both of these roles and for its continued support of the Smart Financial Foundation’s ongoing work. I believe we have truly made a positive impact on the lives of the communities.”
