In a surprise move, John Dill, president/CEO of the Credit Union Association of Colorado since 2004, has resigned, the league said, while its board maintained the trade group needed new direction and leadership.
In a brief e-mailed statement to member CEOs in Colorado and Wyoming, the CUAC board gave few clues as to the reasons for Dill's May 24 departure other than "it was time for a change."
The statement, however, did heap praise on Dill for his record of industry service and legislative accomplishments but said the "pressing demands of a challenging economy" dictated a management shakeup.
The announcement of Dill's resignation was made by Michael Williams, the newly elected chairman of CUAC who also is president/CEO of Colorado Credit Union of Littleton.
In the statement, Williams thanked Dill for his leadership over the past six years in serving Colorado and Wyoming CUs and said the board has rehired CUAC's former lobbyist, Peter Kirchhof, to serve as interim CEO. Kirchhof was previously senior vice president of government affairs who left three years ago to pursue private consulting.
Williams also encouraged his members to remain united and speak with one voice as it moves ahead with the recruitment process. A search committee was to be named soon, and it was undetermined, said a spokeswoman, whether a national recruiting firm would be hired.
Dill was not immediately available for comment on his future plans.
In the member message, Williams lauded Dill for his role in seeking to "revitalize and reinvigorate the credit union movement in Colorado and Wyoming" and on that "he had a strategic vision and put in place a legislative and political plan that has given CUAC's membership a solid foundation."
Since 1998, Wyoming CUs have been served by the league under a management contract, similar to existing state-to-state league deals in New England, California-Nevada and Texas-Oklahoma.
Last March, Wyoming CUs turned down a plan under Dill to formally merge the organizations with Wyoming CUs stating they feared losing their identity in a consolidated organization.
Several CU CEOs contacted last week were surprised by Dill's departure."I was in the audience at the April annual meeting in Colorado Springs, and I thought things were just fine with John," said one Denver CEO.
--jrubenstein@cutimes.com
