Officials with the National Credit Union Foundation announced Lauren Culp as its new executive director. Culp will transition into the new role beginning in December, as current Executive Director Gigi Hyland plans to retire at the end of 2024.
In a statement Tuesday, Culp said, "I'm thrilled to lead the talented and caring team of credit union advocates at the Foundation, and to continue the trailblazing efforts for financial well-being for all. Our industry is at a critical juncture, and leaning into our mission as credit unions has never been more important. I look forward to working with the excellent Foundation Board and team to advance the work of the Foundation and the collective impact of our credit union system."
Currently, Culp serves as president/CEO of CUInsight and has held that position since 2019. Previously, Culp worked at the Madison, Wis.-based Filene Research Institute where she led The Cooperative Trust program. According to Culp's LinkedIn profile, she began her credit union career with the Juneau, Alaska-based True North Federal Credit Union ($228 million in assets, 13,091 members).
Lauren Culp Member of the Foundation's Board of Directors and President/CEO of America's Credit Unions Jim Nussle offered his praise for the Culp announcement. "America's Credit Unions fully embraces Lauren Culp as the new leader for the credit union movement of charity and service. Her experience will bring a dynamic perspective on how the credit union movement can continue to thrive and provide much needed education and advocacy on financial literacy for the 140 million Americans – and counting – who rely on their credit union for financial success."
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) President/CEO Anthony Hernandez said, "DCUC is thrilled to see Lauren Culp appointed as the new Executive Director of the National Credit Union Foundation. Lauren is a strong credit union advocate and an important voice throughout this industry. We look forward to continuing our long-term relationship with Lauren and the Foundation. DCUC also congratulates Gigi Hyland on her retirement and thanks her for all her support to DCUC and our member credit unions over the years."
Hyland, who is retiring after 33 years in the credit union industry, said, "As a Credit Union Development Educator, Lauren deeply understands the Foundation's vision to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions. The cooperative spirit and generosity of the credit union system will thrive under Lauren's leadership, and I am confident she will expand the Foundation's impact."
According to Tuesday's announcement, the Foundation Board worked with Hudson RPO and the America's Credit Unions human resources team with the national search for the position.
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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.
