SANTA ANA, Calif.–A credit union that has been the subject of criticism from a local chapter of the NAACP over its lack of board diversity has made several changes.
SchoolsFirst FCU said it has named Douglas Sato to fill a board vacancy created by the resignation of Adam O’Connor, who had served on the board for more than 25 years and who departed to focus on his new position as interim vice chancellor at Rancho Santiago Community College District. In addition, the board of directors has appointed two associate directors, Nina Boyd and Richard De Nava, both are long-term members and volunteers who have served on several board committees, SchoolsFirst said.
As CUToday.info has reported on several occasions, most recently here, the credit union was initially challenged in a blog posting by Dr. Barry Resnick, a long-time member, who said the board lacked any diversity, especially for a $21-billion CU. Resnick called the CU’s board an “exclusive private club” that he further alleged had made it “nearly impossible for anyone to serve.”
Resnick’s statements eventually caught the attention of the NAACP in Southern California, representatives of which met with the credit union.
The New Board Members
Now, SchoolsFirst has announced a few board changes.
The newest board member, Douglas Sato, has been an auditor for Coopers & Lybrand, an operations control manager at Los Rios Community College District, the owner of a CPA firm and a SchoolsFirst FCU associate director, a position he held for five years.
New Associate Director Nina Boyd is currently the associate superintendent, governance, leadership and community partnerships and the liaison to the Orange County Board of Education. Boyd had more than 39 years’ experience serving the education community, has been a SchoolsFirst FCU member for 37 years and has volunteered on several committees since 2014.
New Associate Board Member Richard De Nava currently serves the assistant superintendent of business services at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and previously served as the assistant superintendent of business services at San Jacinto Unified School District. De Nava, who has worked in education since 2003, previously served as an officer in the U.S. Army and has been a SchoolsFirst FCU member for six years and has volunteered on several committees since 2014.
‘Excited’ About Changes
“We are excited to add Doug, Nina and Rich’s talent, expertise and credit union knowledge to help further the credit union’s mission,” said Andy Plumley, chairman of the SchoolsFirst FCU board, in a statement. “The addition of these directors complements our board’s skills and experiences, and I am confident they will provide valuable diverse perspectives to help us represent the membership.”
Resnick expressed dissatisfaction with the changes announced by the credit union.
“Adding associate board members who are minorities will not resolve the fact that the SchoolsFirst board does not represent the communities it serves,” said Resnick.
SchoolsFirst has more than 1.1 million members and 65 branches.