FRANKFORT, Ky. – Ella Robinson, commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions and NASCUS President from 1990-1991, retired Dec. 1 after a more than 20-year career with the state's DFI and service to NASCUS. Robinson was a member of the NASCUS Board from 1985-1995. During that time, she served as chairwomen of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute for State Credit Union Examination, the Government Relations Committee, and the NASCUS Regulatory Committee. While she was chairman of the NASCUS Regulatory Committee, the association's Accreditation Program was founded. Robinson also was the chairwoman of the NASCUS Performance Standards Committee and remained in that position until 1990 when she became NASCUS President and appointed a new committee chairperson. Robinson began her career with the Kentucky DFI in March 1977 when she became the first female bank examiner in the state. In 1984, when the Department was reorganized into three separate divisions for the purpose of examination and supervision, Robinson was appointed Director of Thrift Institutions responsible for the regulation of credit unions, savings & loan associations, consumer loan companies, industrial loan companies, mortgage loan companies, sale of checks licensees, and check cashers. In July 1993, the DFI was reorganized again, and Robinson was appointed Director of the newly formed Division of Supervision, where she also assumed the regulation of banks and securities. In November 1996, Robinson was appointed Deputy Commissioner and served as acting commissioner of the department from Oct. 1997-Jan. 1998, and again from October-November 1999 when she was appointed commissioner. As Commissioner, Robinson was responsible for the regulation, supervision, licensing and chartering of banks, holding companies, trust companies, loan production offices, credit unions, savings and loan associations, consumer loan companies, investment and industrial loan companies, check cashers, mortgage loan companies and brokers, sale of check licensees, and in relation to the regulation of securities. Ken Penningpon, deputy commissioner under Robinson, has assumed her responsibilities until a permanent commissioner is named by Gov. Paul Patton. -

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