Retired Iowa Credit Union League President/CEO Tom Griffiths has been named interim CEO/president of the $379 million Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union in Kailua-Kona, the 41,600-member HCFCU announced this week.

Griffiths will serve while a permanent successor is found for James Takamine, who is stepping down effective Jan. 1, the HCFCU board said in its announcement.

Griffiths moved to Kailua-Kona after he retired in 2006 after 21 years at the helm of the Iowa league and its affiliates, and he has been affiliated with Hawaii credit unions for many years, including serving on the HCFCU Supervisory Committee since January 2012, his new employer said.

 “We are very fortunate to have Mr. Griffiths' vast experience and knowledge in the industry, assisting our credit union as we begin our search for a permanent replacement,” Board Chairman Dwight Manago said in the HCFCU announcement.   “We would like to thank James Takamine for leading us through a very challenging economic cycle, and we wish him and his family the best in the future.”

Griffiths also had been hired to serve as a temporary CEO at the New Jersey Credit Union League in 2012. Greg Michlig was hired to fill that job earlier this year.