OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.–Marvin Cottom, the well-known, former CEO of WEOKIE Credit Union, has died.
Cottom, 75, retired as CEO of WEOKIE in 2007 after 37 years in credit unions.
“Cottom’s commitment to the credit union movement and its members touched the lives of countless people from across the state and the nation, and he will be deeply missed by his many friends, staff, and volunteers of WEOKIE Credit Union who were privileged to receive his care and guidance during the span of four decades,” said the Cornerstone CU League in a statement.
In 1969, Western Electric of Oklahoma asked Cottom to help form a credit union to serve their employees’ financial needs. In 1970, WEOKIE opened its doors, and over that period it grew from zero assets to serving more than 53,000 members with total assets of more than $1 billion.
In addition to serving as WEOKIE’s chief executive officer, Cottom was also a director for the Oklahoma Credit Union League, director for CUNA, and secretary and first vice chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions. He was honored many times, including receiving the Distinguished Service Award for Credit Union Professionals and being inducted into the CUES’ Hall of Fame.