The board of directors for the $95 million Southwest Louisiana Credit Union said Tuesday that Ronaldo Hardy has been appointed president/CEO of the Lake Charles-based cooperative that serves more than 17,000 members.
Hardy will start his new job on Oct. 3. He succeeds Jim Giffin who resigned in March 2016 for a financial advisor position with Edward Jones.
Hardy currently serves as president/CEO of the $28.1 million Shell Geismar Federal Credit Union in Gonzales, La. He held that position since November 2011. Hardy also worked as a sales manager for the $476 million Le Capitol Federal Credit Union in Baton Rouge, La. for seven years.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Ronaldo as our new president/CEO,” Mike Dronet, Southwest Louisiana board chair said. “His work in the movement locally, statewide and even nationally speaks to his strong leadership and progressive, innovative approach.”
Hardy recently received his designation as a credit union enterprise risk management expert from CUNA’s Enterprise Risk Management School and serves as an advisory board member for Young Leaders for Kids/Credit Unions for Kids and is a research council member for the Filene Research Institute. He also competed in the CUES national search for the Next Top Credit Union Executive competition in 2010 and finished as a runner up.
“Southwest Louisiana Credit Union is doing great work in the community, and I am eager to join its mission to offer financial services in a dignified way to the unbanked and the under-banked in the community,” Hardy said. “Through our work to encourage financial independence, we hope the Lake Charles area will recognize that we are a mission-focused organization with radical and strategic ways to be proactive and engaged with the community.”
