The $950 million Georgia United Credit Union in Duluth, Ga., said it has promoted chief operating officer Debbie Smith to president/CEO.

The move is effective immediately and she succeeds Doug Foote, who had been with Georgia United since April 2003 and has resigned to focus on his family, the Atlanta-area credit union said Wednesday.

“The board is excited that Debbie's transition from COO to CEO will be seamless and will allow for the continued focus of moving the organization toward the billion-dollar mark,” the 127,900-member Georgia United said in a statement.

Foote had joined Georgia United in 2003 and had been president since Warren Butler retired last December, the credit union said.

Smith joined Georgia United in 2002 and has more than 30 years of experience in human resources, operations and organizational development, including more than 20 years with Maxell Inc., Georgia United said. She also had been on the advisory board for Georgia Federal Credit Union before it became Georgia United.