CUNA CEO Dan Mica's exit by year-end 2010 opens the national dialogue on merging CUNA and NAFCU, the new head of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions said today.
"Considering how the Florida and Alabama leagues are now being consolidated, the same holds true for CUNA and NAFCU in opening up opportunities for a merger," observed Patrick LaPine, the president/CEO of the LSCU who took over the helm of the fledging trade group earlier this month.
Praising Mica for his CUNA stewardship, La Pine said he is eager to see the makeup of the search committee to find Mica's replacement now that national attention has focused so heavily in recent months on pursuing a unified industry message because of the corporate crisis, the difficult Card Act compliance and other issues.
The challenge for the search panel, he said, will be on what choice to make, "whether it be a leading lawmaker, a Washington insider, or someone from a trade group."
