D. Hilton Associates Seeking CEO for Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union

May 16, 2024 – These are critical days for credit unions. The U.S. has about 5,300 federally insured credit unions, with more than $1.5 trillion in assets and 118.3 million members, according to the National Credit Union Administration. But with the steady retirement of Baby Boomers, among other factors, the cooperatives are facing the loss of more than 4,000 chief executive officers and senior managers over the next five years. This means that leadership development, succession planning and employee retention are more important than ever. Recently, Fairfax, VA-based executive search firm D. Hilton Associates was retained by Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union in Palmer, AK, to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. Sarah Hilton, senior vice president, is leading the assignment.
Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union seeks a dynamic financial services professional to lead the Credit Union upon the retirement of the current president and CEO Ed Gravley. Collaborating with the board of directors, this executive will be responsible for developing and setting the direction for the growth of the organization and achieving the overall goals and objectives included in the strategic plan while maintaining the credit union’s financial health and stability.
The successful candidate will exhibit strong people and motivational skills, be a team builder, and guide organizational change while building consensus. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; an advanced degree is preferred. At least 15 years in the financial services industry and seven to 10 years of executive experience within the credit union or retail banking industry are required. Credit union experience is highly preferred.
Established in 1948, Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union is one of the leading financial institutions in Alaska, with over 58,000 members and almost $935 million in assets. It serves members in Alaska and the Waipahu Neighborhood board of the city and county of Honolulu, HI. In addition, MVFCU has expanded its charter to include all of Alaska, continuing the focus on serving the underserved.
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Founded in 1985, D. Hilton Associates specializes in the credit union industry. Over the past several months, the firm has recruited new CEOs for Greylock Federal Credit Union, First Financial Federal Credit Union of Maryland, Cascade Community Credit Union in Roseburg, OR, and the ORNL Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, TN. The firm also recently filled marketing positions for Cascade Community Credit Union, Langley Federal Credit Union and Sharon Credit Union.
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Ms. Hilton specializes in executive recruiting with an emphasis on placing lending, finance and marketing executives within the credit union industry. She has experience in utilizing online research and social media platforms to identify candidates. Prior to joining D. Hilton, Ms. Hilton was a social media account manager and a marketing coordinator for a marketing and advertising firm.
Recent CFO Search
D. Hilton Associates recently placed Kurt Johnson as the new CFO of Gesa Credit Union in Richland, WA. “We look forward to Kurt joining us at Gesa Credit Union,” said Don Miller, president and CEO. “With his extensive experience in both finance and risk, Kurt will be an asset to our executive leadership team and our organization.” Gesa Credit Union was established in 1953 and is one of Washington’s largest credit unions, with over $5.5 billion in assets and nearly 290,000 members.
Mr. Johnson has worked in the financial services industry for 28 years, most recently serving on the executive team of the $3.2 billion Wisconsin-based Educators Credit Union. His nine years at Educators Credit Union included time spent in the CFO and the chief risk officer roles. Prior experience includes serving as the CFO of Heartland Credit Union and 15 years as a public accountant at Wipfli, where he worked extensively with credit unions in the Midwest.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media