The board of directors of the $1.5 billion Westerra Credit Union Wednesday named Jay Champion as the next president/CEO of the Denver-based cooperative.
On Dec. 1, he will succeed current president/CEO John McCloy who will retire.
McCloy joined the credit union in 2003 as its chief lending officer. He was promoted as chief credit and administrative officer in 2009 and was appointed CEO in 2014.
McCoy has served the financial services industry in various leadership roles for more than 40 years, working in various executive positions with HSBC, Citigroup, Rollins Inc., and Nations Credit Inc.
Fluent in Spanish, he has donated his time to serve in medical missions in South America as well as other humanitarian outreach initiatives, including volunteering with the World Council of Credit Unions.
“I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with John McCloy over the years,” Westerra’s Board Chair Andy Raicevich said. “His contributions to Westerra and the industry are immense and pave the way for us to continue to build for the future. We are extremely grateful for his visionary leadership and wish him well in his retirement, as we pass the baton to Jay.”
Champion joins Westerra from the $2 billion Elevations Credit Union in Boulder where he served as COO overseeing lending operations—including commercial, consumer and mortgage lending programs—and directing retail delivery channels, including all branches and the contact center for nearly eight years.
He also holds more than three decades of lending and financial services expertise. He previously held executive positions with the $1.6 billion Texans Credit Union in Richardson, Heritage Bank and the First State Bank of Texas.
“After conducting an extensive national search and evaluating many excellent candidates, the board of directors is excited to have Jay Champion take the lead in carrying on Westerra’s rich tradition of serving members,” Raicevich said.