Terry West, president/CEO of Vystar CU, at left, received the distinguished service award from Patrick LaPine, president /CEO of the League of Southeastern Credit Union.Terry R. West, who plans to retire a president/CEO of the VyStar Credit Union in August, received the distinguished service award from the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates.
West was presented with the award at the league’s Southeastern Credit Union Conference and Expo last week in Orlando for his outstanding contributions to the development and growth of the credit union movement.
When West joined VyStar, then Jax Navy CU, in 1988 as vice president of member services, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based credit union managed $350 million in assets and five branches. West became the president/CEO in December 1991 and grew the credit union to its current $6.7 billion in assets and 41 branches. Vystar serves 553,884 members.
Throughout his career, West has been be involved with various local, state and national committees and boards that support the credit union movement as well as other non-profit organizations. He currently serves on the Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and in Washington, D.C.; NASCUS’ Advisory Council; the board of directors of the Florida Economic Education Foundation and PSCU’s board of directors.
In addition, West also has received numerous business and industry awards for his professional achievements and community contributions.
As part of his distinguished service award, West’s photo will be displayed in the Credit Union House Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C.
The Southeast league also honored its credit union professional of the year, Jeanette Keller, president/CEO of the $8.4 million Blue Fame Credit Union in Mobile, Ala., and Megan Jackson, director of electronic services and high school student run branches, at the $1.7 billion CFE Credit Union in Lake Mary, Fla., who was named the league’s young professional of the year.
The league’s volunteer of the year award was presented to Wes Atkins of the $84.5 million Bay Credit Union in Panama City, Fla., and the $51.8 million Tallahassee-Leon Federal Credit Union in Tallahassee.
