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After 15 years leading USE Credit Union, Jim Harris announced his retirement as president and CEO on Thursday.
According to the announcement from the San Diego-based USECU ($1.3 billion in assets, nearly 60,000 members), Harris will continue to be involved with the credit union "to ensure a smooth transition during the final stages of the succession plan."
USECU's Board of Directors also announced it appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Todd Tharp to serve as the interim president/CEO during the search for a permanent replacement for Harris.
Jim Harris "The Board would like to thank Jim for his leadership over the past 15 years," said USECU Board Chair Josh Lawrence. "With his guidance, Jim has helped the credit union's asset size grow to $1.3 billion, and he's helped foster a people-focused culture that continues to align with the credit union's purpose and mission. We thank Jim for his commitment to USE Credit Union, and we wish him all the best in his much-deserved retirement."
Harris has worked inside the credit union system for more than 45 years. He joined USECU in 2004, and by 2006 Harris was promoted from his position as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer to President/CEO.
"I'm proud to have been part of this diverse and inclusive company," said Harris. "It's been an honor and privilege to connect with the USE Credit Union team, our members and the local community. I look forward to the continued success of this credit union and the growth of this amazing team."
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
