Craig Booth
The Board of Directors for the Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Island Federal Credit Union announced Craig Booth was officially appointed CEO of the $1.5 billion organization on Nov. 1 after serving as interim CEO.
He succeeded Island Federal’s previous president/CEO Bret Sears, who took the helm in 2012 and retired on Dec. 31, 2023. Booth began serving as interim CEO on Jan. 1, 2024.
Booth has been with Island Federal for the past decade, previously serving as SVP of technology, and more recently, EVP and COO. Over his 25-plus years in the credit union industry, he has also served at the West Virginia Credit Union League, the NCUA and Fiserv.
According to Island Federal Chairman of the Board John Adragna, Booth “brings a wealth of experience, leadership and dedication to his new role.”
“The Board has full confidence in Craig’s ability to lead Island Federal into the next chapter of growth and prosperity,” Adragna said. “His visionary leadership combined with his deep understanding of the credit union industry and commitment to the community, make him the ideal person to guide us forward. We are excited about what the future holds under Craig’s leadership.”
Booth is a graduate of the CUES CEO Institute and serves as a director on the Board of the New York Credit Union Foundation. In addition, he is a veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Army National Guard.
“I am deeply honored to step into the role of president and CEO of Island Federal, a trusted institution that has served our members and their families for 70 years,” Booth said. “At Island Federal, our mission is to enrich the lives of our members by offering convenient financial and insurance services that go above and beyond expectations. Every member deserves the highest level of service, and we are dedicated to delivering unmatched financial support and innovative solutions to meet our members’ needs now and into the future.”
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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.
