JOPLIN, Mo.-Officials at Joplin Metro Credit Union here are trying to recover from the recent suicide of Tim S. Vaughn, the CU's president. "We miss him terribly. He was loved by everyone here," said Geri Anderson, chairwoman of the credit union's supervisory committee. "He wasn't just our boss; he was our friend. This is a terrible tragedy," said Anderson. A tragedy made all the worse, she said, because of the flagrantly untrue rumors that have been circulating of the cause of Vaughn's suicide, which Anderson hoped could be laid to rest so that he might rest in peace and his family not be shadowed by suspicion. Joplin Metro Credit Union had undergone a recent regulatory audit, said Anderson, and yes, there had been some auditing irregularities discovered. But they were nothing of a kind to justify taking one's life, she said. "Let me assure you very clearly that there was no financial wrongdoing here. There was no loss to the credit union. There was no embezzlement. There was nothing so out of the ordinary that it wasn't fixable," said Anderson. Anderson said that auditors, when they comb a credit union's books, can always find something to question. That's typical, she said. "Any CEO or treasurer who has gone through an audit can verify that," she said. But drawing a straight line from there to anywhere else is unfair, she said. Vaughn met with the credit union's board of directors on Tuesday, January 25th and resigned, citing personal reasons. "He asked the board not to reveal his reasons for leaving, and we're going to honor that request," Anderson said. "But we are getting so many calls, and there are so many rumors going around that it's just terrible." Without revealing any confidences, Anderson would only say that Vaughn had been "very, very depressed over the loss of a loved one during the holidays. He never recovered, not fully. I think he just felt this was his only way out of that sadness." John R. Smith, director of the Missouri Division of Credit Unions confirmed for Credit Union Times that Joplin Metro Credit Union had recently been examined. "By law, we are required to examine every credit union annually. I cannot make any other statement on the matter." Smith did, however, confirm as a matter of fact, that the state regulator's office had not referred any financial matters related to Joplin Metro to the state attorney's office for further investigation. "No, this office has not referred anything to any other investigative agency," said Smith. Vaughn will be remembered as a kind man and a good friend, said Anderson. -
caburger@cutimes.com
