BEAVERCREEK, Ohio—Doug Fecher, president and CEO of Wright-Patt Credit Union, has announced he plans to retire effective Dec. 30, 2021.
The credit union said it has launched a search for a successor.
Fecher joined WPCU in 1995 as VP-lending, and in 1997 was named VP/COO. He was elevated to president and CEO in December 2000.
According to Wright-Patt CU, while Fecher has been CEO:
- Membership has grown to 432,000 from 156,000
- Assets have increased to $6.7 billion from $596 million
- The CU’s Member Centers have more than doubled to 34 from 16
- WPCU created myCUmortgage, a wholly-owned mortgage lending and processing company
- Since 2008, WPCU has returned more than $83 million to members annually in the form of an end of year special patronage dividend
- Employment has grown to 1,172 employees from 363
- With the creation of the Sunshine Community Fund, WPCU’s charitable giving arm, the credit union has raised more than $2 million for area nonprofits
‘Transformative Contributions’
“We thank Doug for the transformative contributions he has made for Wright-Patt Credit Union. His leadership and collaboration will be missed,” said WPCU Chairman Joseph Linsenmeyer. “The credit union weathered several global challenges under Doug’s leadership, and we relied heavily on his expertise throughout the Great Recession and again during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with his many contributions, Doug has built a strong, respected, and valued management team. His extensive knowledge of the industry along with his unwavering commitment to helping people has positioned the credit union for future success. As a board, we are committed to conducting a comprehensive search to identify the next CEO to execute our strategy and lead the credit union’s 1,200 employees, for the benefit of all of our stakeholders.”
WPCU noted that during 2020 alone Fecher and the credit union received the following acknowledgments:
- Doug Fecher – Executive of the Year - Dayton Business Journal
- Financial Health Leader - Financial Health Network
- Fast 50 – named one of Dayton’s 50 fastest growing companies - Dayton Business Journal
- Best Bank/Credit Union in Ohio by Dayton Magazine
- Best Places to Work – Dayton Business Journal
- Healthiest Employer – Dayton Business Journal
- Top 5 Best Banking Apps - MagnifyMoney
- Best Bank/Credit Union – Best of Dayton Awards - Dayton.com
- Honorable mention for network security - Digital Defense
- A top 200 of the nation’s healthiest financial institutions - Lending Tree
‘Honor and Privilege’
“It has been an honor and privilege leading WPCU. Credit Unions are national treasures. I believe nothing else matters except the welfare of our members,” said Fecher. “All I ever wanted to do is to make sure I did what was right for all of our stakeholders – even in this fast-changing and highly regulated world. I am enormously proud of the credit union and what we have accomplished by always staying true to the legacy of cooperative principles and self-help. WPCU’s future is extremely encouraging, and I look forward to a smooth transition.”
Other Career Highlights
Fecher is a past chairman of the National Credit Union Roundtable, past chairman of the Ohio Credit Union League, and past member of the Filene Research Institute Research Council.
In addition, previously, Fecher has served on a variety of committees for state and national credit union trade associations and served on the board of the Consumer Federation of America; has testified on behalf of credit unions many times at both the state and federal levels before House and Senate committees, including the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Financial Committee, and is considered an expert in consumer financial health and is frequently called upon by legislators and other interested parties for insight into public policy for helping America’s consumers achieve financial freedom.