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The California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues' board of directors have shifted into the next phase of their leadership transition plan, officially handing over CEO duties to Scott Simpson, who is replacing longtime leader Diana Dykstra.
In a statement Wednesday from the Leagues' board of directors, Simpson became CEO of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, while retaining his CEO position with Utah's Credit Unions. Dykstra will retain the position of president of the Leagues until she retires on July 1.
According to Wednesday's statement, "This approach provides Simpson with the needed authority to manage and lead teams, operations and advocacy efforts of the California and Nevada leagues."
Additionally, as president, "Dykstra will continue providing Simpson and the boards of directors for California and Nevada valuable support and insight while also winding down her responsibilities at the Leagues, as well as her industry leadership roles," the statement read.
"As the Leagues embark on these changes to facilitate this transition, it would like to extend a heartfelt 'thank you' to Diana for her exceptional leadership," Larry Palochik, EVP of the Leagues, said. "Her guidance has been invaluable, and the Leagues and its credit union leaders are grateful for her dedication to the organization."
Dykstra announced her upcoming retirement in February. During her four decades in the credit union system, she has led the Leagues for the past 14 years.
"The past 40-plus years have been an incredible journey," Dykstra said in February. "I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to guide and collaborate with remarkable individuals, united by what I consider to be one of the most meaningful motivations. This industry changes lives, and while I will soon mark the end of my tenure as CEO, it is only the beginning of a new journey filled with gratitude, pride and the excitement for what lies ahead for me personally and for credit unions."
Once Dysktra retires, Simpson will become president/CEO of the Leagues.
CU Times recently spoke with Dykstra and Simpson for an upcoming episode of the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, where we discussed the leadership transition process, Dykstra's impact on the credit union world, and Simpson's thoughts on the political and advocacy plans ahead for the combined leagues. That episode will come out on Monday, May 20.
The California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues and the Utah Credit Union Association serve more than 330 credit unions and their 17 million members.
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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.
