CEOs in Tennessee & Florida Announce Retirement Plans

The board of directors for ORNL Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, Tenn., said its President/CEO Colin Anderson intends to retire on Sept. 30, while the board of directors for Florida West Coast Credit Union in Brandon said its President/CEO Mary Ott Wood plans to retire on Oct. 27.

Anderson joined ORNL in January 2013 as CFO and was appointed CEO in July 2015 when the credit union was managing $1.6 billion in assets, $1.3 billion in loans and serving 167,000 members. During his CEO tenure, the credit union increased assets to $3.1 billion, grew loans to $2.5 billion and expanded membership to nearly 190,000, according to NCUA Call Reports.

ORNL is Tennessee’s fourth largest financial cooperative.

“We would like to thank Colin for his leadership as president and CEO and for all of the accomplishments that ORNL FCU has achieved under his guidance,” ORNL Board Chair Randy Gorman said in a prepared statement. “As a market leader, we want to continue to add value to our members and enhance our financial position as well as offer services and technologies that meet our evolving membership needs. In retaining D. Hilton Associates, a national search for a new president and CEO will begin immediately.”

In addition to his successes at the credit union, Anderson has been a fervent supporter of the arts, according to ORNL.

“He continually worked to make art accessible to Oak Ridge and surrounding communities through various mediums,” ORNL said. “He was responsible for the creation of the credit union’s annual Summer Sessions concert series established in 2018, the installation of various outdoor sculptures throughout Oak Ridge and Knoxville, and the commissioning of large-scale mural projects painted across Oak Ridge, including at the credit union’s headquarters.”

At the age of 19, Wood launched her credit union career at Navy Orlando Federal Credit Union, now the $4.4 billion FAIRWINDS Credit Union. She started working as a part-time credit card clerk and advanced through the ranks, later becoming an accounting department manager, branch manager and assistant vice president over five years of service at FAIRWINDS.

In 1999, Wood was appointed president/CEO of Florida West Coast Credit Union.

During her CEO tenure, the credit union’s assets increased from $23 million to its current assets of $126 million, while loans grew from $19.6 million to $59 million, and membership expanded from 6,816 to 10,301, according to NCUA Call Reports.

Wood was nationally honored by CUNA with the prestigious Buck Levins award, alongside her husband Art Wood, a retired 40-year credit union industry veteran, for their dedication to political advocacy on behalf of credit union members.

“Mary’s success as a leader is built on the credit union philosophy of People Helping People. She exemplifies this value every day by serving county employees and building collaborative relations with everyone she meets,” FWCCU Board Chair Chris Boles said in a prepared statement. “We will miss her inspirational leadership as she embarks on this new chapter in retirement.”

The credit union said it has launched a search for a new CEO.