WASHINGTON–CUNA has a new chairman and executive committee following elections results announced during its Governmental Affairs Conference here.
Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union in California, was elected as the CUNA board chair. He succeeds Maurice Smith.
“Brett has been on the CUNA board for the last decade,” said Jim Nussle, CUNA president and CEO. “I want to welcome Brett to his new role. I know CUNA will be well-served by the experience and energy he will bring to the position. I also want to thank our outgoing former chair, Maurice Smith, for his excellent leadership and commitment to moving the credit union industry forward.”
Martinez told GAC that he has “CU in his blood. My mom was a CEO of a small credit union, and growing up I spent a lot of time there. I heard a lot of amazing stories, about how the credit union changed people’s lives, and I also heard some tough ones, where a life event had placed a member in financial difficulty. I learned all about people helping people—that philosophy is what has driven me over the years, that’s what drives me today, and that is what will drive me as chairman of CUNA.”
On the evening prior to being named chairman, Martinez was also named winner of the Anchor Award from the National Credit Union Foundation for his work in leading disaster recovery efforts following wildfires, as CUToday.info reported here.
In addition to the new chair, new members of the CUNA executive committee include:
- Vice Chair, Troy Stang, president & CEO of Northwest Credit Union Association
- Secretary, Brad Green, president and CEO, Listerhill Credit Union
- Treasurer, Tony Budget, CEO of University Federal Credit Union
- At-Large Member Lisa Ginter, CEO CommunityAmerica Credit Union