MIAMI – Hubert Sibley, one of the industry's long-time icons, has retired as president/CEO of the South Florida Educational Federal Credit Union after serving more than 50 years at the helm. A credit union employee confirmed that Sibley, 84, retired on Jan. 7. Former SFEFCU Vice President Bill Page has been named the new president/CEO. At press time, neither Sibley nor Page was available for comment. Sibley came to what was then the Dade County Teachers Federal Credit Union here in the 1950s. Under his tenure, the credit union grew from 2,857 members and $1 million in assets to 47,000 members and $599 million in assets. In the 1940s, the Atlanta native also examined credit unions throughout the South and East during his stint as an examiner with the Bureau of Federal Credit Unions. Sibley also served as vice-president of the Florida Credit Union League in the 1950s and board director for NAFCU in the 1960s, helping to make Florida the second largest state in terms of members behind California. A staunch critic of select employee groups, Sibley had a large say-so in keeping SFEFCU's member base closed to full and some part-time employees of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami-Dade Community College and the United Teachers of Dade. He also started unconventional programs for SFEFCU's employees including a walking club and a perfect attendance club that came with cash and prize awards including cruise vacations. Since 1995, dozens of students have attended college thanks to prepaid four-year scholarships purchased by SFEFCU. Sibley is also considered a legend within the Miami-Dade County Schools system. In 1996, the Dade County School Board voted to name a new school in his honor. The Hubert Sibley Jr. Elementary School opened in Oct. 2001. [email protected]