A New Year Brings a New CEO for Empower FCU

The board of directors of Empower Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., announced it has hired a new CEO to replace interim CEO Brenda Carhart. According to the announcement Thursday, Ryan McIntyre, chief strategy officer for the Jacksonville, Fla.-based VyStar Credit Union, will begin his tenure as Empower’s leader on Jan. 3, 2023.

According to a statement from Empower ($3 billion in assets, 247,131 members) Board Chairman Patrick Piscitelli, McIntyre brings a wealth of knowledge from his time as CSO at the $13 billion Vystar Credit Union.

“Following an extensive national search, Empower Federal Credit Union has selected a new leader to guide the credit union into our next chapter. Ryan brings a unique portfolio of experience with over 20 years in the financial services industry,” Piscitelli said. “With Ryan’s vast experience and strategic expertise, combined with our talented employee teams, Empower is in an excellent position to enhance growth and services to our members. We look forward to the vision and direction he will bring as our new CEO.”

McIntyre said, “I’m honored and excited about this opportunity. I want to thank the board for entrusting me with building on this organization’s rich history. I hope to further invest in our member and employee experiences, while creating shared value in the communities we serve.”

McIntyre will take over for interim CEO Carhart, who was temporarily put in the leadership position in March after John Wakefield announced his retirement as CEO following 23 years of service.

According to the announcement, McIntyre has served in various roles in the financial industry for the past 20 years. Before his time at VyStar, he served in leadership positions at Regions Bank, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.