TORRANCE, Calif.– The $2.2-billion Western FCU has named a new CEO. Gordon M. Howe has been named to succeed John Bommarito, who after 22 years “has agreed to step down and will remain with Western in an advisory capacity until his official retirement,” according to Western Federal.
Howe has served as executive vice president and chief operating officer until his appointment in 2013 as president. The addition of the CEO title is “aligned with Western’s longstanding tradition of promoting from within, and the result of a long-term succession plan to develop Howe as Bommarito’s successor,” the credit union said.
“With advancements in technology and rising member expectations, we recognize the importance of having strong continuity of leadership to support an exceptional member experience across all channels,” said Board Chair Lloyd Mistele in a statement. “We are confident in Gordon’s vision and strategy for sustainable growth, as well as his ability to develop and inspire an exceptional team. His passion for innovation, proven leadership skills, and commitment to providing superior member service make him the perfect candidate to take Western to the next level.”
Howe joined Western in 2005 after serving as CEO of Santa Ana Federal Credit Union for two years and SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union for 16 years in several high level positions, including leading SchoolsFirst’s Information Technology division.
“I look forward to this amazing opportunity and expanding upon the foundation which John Bommarito has built,” said CEO Gordon Howe. “Whether we are utilizing our resources to create more value-added products and services or building our organizational capabilities to better serve members nationwide, every decision made will be in the hopes of exceeding our members’ service expectations, saving them money and improving their lives.”
Bommarito began his credit union career with the legacy TRW Systems Credit Union in 1980 as Accounting Supervisor. Rising through the ranks, in 1994 he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. In 2003, Bommarito spearheaded the largest merger-of-equals in credit union history when TRWSFCU and Western FCU joined forces, amassing over $1 billion in assets. More mergers and acquisitions followed, taking Western into multiple states to serve its employer sponsors locally. In 2007, he navigated a merger with Toyota FCU. Today the credit union has 185,000 members and 50 branches across 14 states.