Tom Griffiths is returning to the New Jersey Credit Union League to serve as its interim CEO while a permanent replacement is sought.

Griffiths, a retired president/CEO of the Iowa Credit Union League, managed the NJCUL for nine months in 2007 until Paul Gentile was hired away from Credit Union Times to take the top job at the Hightstown, N.J.-based league.

Gentile is leaving the league at the end of the month to take a new role as executive vice president of CUNA.

O'Rourke & Associates has been hired to conduct a national search for the NJCUL board.

“Tom did an outstanding job serving as interim five years ago. We have no doubt that he will do the same again and are pleased Tom will return to New Jersey,” said NJCUL Chairman Lou Vetere.

“Tom's long history of success and innovation as the Iowa CU League CEO gives us extreme confidence that he can keep us on the right path while the search is conducted,” said Vetere, president/CEO of the $213 million Garden Savings FCU in Parsippany, N.J.

The board, in its statement Friday, said the “NJCUL is on much firmer footing than it was five years ago during its last CEO search. Members have benefited from a number of aggressive advocacy efforts.”