OLYMPIA, Wash.–Two credit unions have named new CEOs, including one change related to a CU leader well known to many.
In Washington, Washington State Employees CU said it has named Gary Swindler as its next president and CEO of effective Oct. 1. Swindler will succeed Kevin Foster-Keddie, who has led the credit union for 20 years and who will officially retire in early 2020 following a transition period, SWECU said.
Swindler has been with WSECU for 30 years, beginning as a loan officer in1989, and then holding various positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as SVP/COO.
“Gary is the right person to lead the credit union in our next chapter,” said Board Chair Doug Mah. “His experience of coming up through the organization gives him a perspective and background that’s unmatchable. The board was impressed by his dedication to member service, his empathy and compassion for our employees, and his leadership around innovation and change, which is critical in today’s landscape.”
In a statement, Swindler said he is ready to lead the 700-employee team at WSECU.
“I’m humbled and honored by the board’s confidence in me,” said Swindler. “They set the vision for our commitment to supporting members. I get to work with our amazing staff to bring that vision to life and keep evolving to deliver what members need from us.”
Two Years of Planning
WSECU said it has been planning for the leadership transition for the last two years, after Foster-Keddie announced his intention to retire. During Foster-Keddie’s tenure, WSECU grew from $668 million in assets to now more than $3 billion, and from 105,000 members in 1999 to 270,000 today.
WSECU added Foster-Keddie helped to guide it through major initiatives over the last two decades, including opening up membership eligibility to include anyone who lives in Washington State; the construction of two large office buildings in Olympia and Seattle; and a major expansion of investments in branches, staff training, technology and digital services to better meet the needs of today’s members.
“The board appreciates Kevin’s incredible contributions to WSECU these past 20 years,” Mah added. “His leadership has set us up well for continued success. At the same time, we are ready for Gary to lead the credit union into the future.”
New CEO at Generations CU
Separately, in San Antonio, Generations FCU has named Ken Raymie to lead the organization. Raymie joined Generations FCU in 2014 and has previously served as executive vice president, commercial banking manager and chief revenue officer, and was most recently chief operating officer.
“The board of directors wishes to maintain the positive momentum that Generations has attained. We look forward to working in partnership with Ken, the executive team and associates toward long-term credit union success,” said Generations FCU's Chairwoman Rosalie Manzano in a statement.
The $515-million Generations FCU has approximately 49,422.