BECU Selects Beverly Anderson as New CEO
Anderson, who previously held leadership roles at Equifax, Wells Fargo and American Express, takes the helm on Dec. 5.
The nation’s fourth-largest credit union has chosen Beverly Anderson, a 30-year veteran of the financial services, payments and technology industries, as its next leader. BECU revealed the news Thursday, about five months after current President/CEO Benson Porter announced his plans to retire.
Anderson will take the helm of the $30.2 billion institution, which is based in Tukwila, Wash., and is Washington State’s largest credit union, on Dec. 5.
“From our first introduction, Bev understood what makes BECU special and embraced our purpose around financial well-being,” BECU Board of Directors Chairperson Debra Somberg stated. “I’m confident she will ensure the credit union delivers on our promise and value to our members and employees, as well as our commitment to the communities we serve. With decades of proven financial services experience, she has a track record of successfully executing innovative strategies in support of short- and long-term business goals and leading with a powerful mixture of fortitude and clarity of purpose.”
Anderson currently serves on the board of directors of Expedia Group, Accion and Sword Health, and previously held leadership roles at Equifax, Wells Fargo and American Express. She has been recognized as one of Black Enterprise’s “Most Powerful Women in Corporate America” and CardLinx’s “Top 20 Women in Digital Commerce,” and was a recipient of the Kenneth A. Powell Award for Professional Achievement from the Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in business from Florida A&M University and received her MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, according to BECU.
“I am honored and humbled to lead the BECU team. BECU is unapologetic in its devotion to its members and the communities it serves. Its purpose aligns with my core passion of financial well-being,” Anderson stated. “Credit unions have been and will continue to be trusted institutions, and they are critical in providing education, products and services that enhance the lives of the members and communities they serve. I look forward to remaining true to BECU’s core and innovating to expand its reach and impact.”
Porter, who led the 1.3-million-member credit union for 10 years, will transition to a CEO emeritus role on Dec. 5 and support Anderson’s onboarding through the end of the year, BECU said.