John Demmler (Credit/7 17 CU)
Northeast Ohio's largest credit union has a new leader: John Demmler, the current chief lending officer and SVP of corporate strategy at A+ Federal Credit Union ($2.7 billion, Austin, Texas). Demmler will take the helm at the $1.6 billion, Warren, Ohio-based 7 17 Credit Union on Nov. 1.
Demmler succeeds Gary Soukenik, who will retire after serving as president/CEO of 7 17 for the past 46 years. Soukenik will stay on in an advisory capacity for several weeks to assist with the transition and provide Demmler with any support he may need as he gets up and running in his new position, according to the credit union's announcement.
"I have been honored to serve the members of 7 17 for 46 years," Soukenik stated. "I would not want to leave without knowing that our members and staff were in good hands. John will work well with the rest of our leadership team to ensure that our service to our members and our commitment to the communities we serve is second to none."
Demmler, an Ohio native, began his career in the financial services industry nearly 25 years ago and will be returning to Ohio from Austin to begin his new role. While at A+ FCU, Demmler was responsible for not only leading all lending initiatives, but developing and executing the credit union's strategic plan, with all initiatives directed toward a mission of building stronger communities, according to the announcement.
"Our primary goal was to continue building on the incredible success that has been Gary Soukenik's legacy," Paul Marshall, chairman of the 7 17 board of directors, stated. "That meant conducting a nationwide search to ensure that we found someone that would support a mission and culture built on mutual respect and that would be committed to our members, our staff and the communities we serve. We found that in John Demmler."
Demmler commented, "I look forward to my return to Ohio. 7 17 is such a strong credit union with a long, proud history. I am excited to work with the staff and board of 7 17 to continue building on a legacy of people helping people with a focus on financial inclusion and economic development."
During Soukenik's tenure, the credit union grew from $39 million in assets to $1.6 billion.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
