SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Haraf, Ph.D, named commissioner of the California Department of Financial Institutions last month by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, takes office today. Haraf has a banking background, but Keri Bailey, California Credit Union League director of state government affairs, said she's anticipating a good relationship with the new commissioner.

“About a month ago, several credit union CEOs and (league CEO) Bill Cheney met with Haraf, and he said he is committed to ensuring the banking side of the DFI doesn't have any undue influence on CU side,” Bailey said, adding, “we take him at his word, and we think he'll be a great administrator.”

Finding a new deputy commissioner of credit unions tops Haraf's to-do list. Bailey said she expects an announcement soon, as the pool of candidates for the governor's appointment has already been narrowed down to a few.