After nearly 20 years of service, Sylvia Lyon, president/CEO ofthe Credit Union Association of New Mexico, will retire March 7,2014.

“Sylvia has transformed the Association and has been astaunch advocate for New Mexico credit unions,” said ChrisFitzgerald, CUANM board chair and president/CEO of the $236 millionRio Grande Credit Union in Albuquerque.

“Her leadership has put New Mexico on the map as an industryleader in financial literacy for our youth as well as uniqueeducational assistance for students pursuing higher education,”Fitzgerald said in the league statement. “We appreciate herdedication to the movement and the impact she has made in ourcommunities.”

The league said Lyon was instrumental in leading majorinitiatives such as overhauling the organization's bylaws andgovernance structure, developing a governmental affairs department,establishing financial literacy programs for children and leading afive-year campaign to raise $1 million for a pediatric emergencyunit at the University of Mexico Children's Hospital.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to have served the creditunions of New Mexico and be involved in the evolution of creditunions on the national level,” Lyon said in the leaguestatement.

“I am grateful to everyone in the industry who has so selflesslygiven of their time and expertise whenever I needed it. Creditunions will always hold a special place in my heart, and I amconfident they will remain a vibrant force in the financialservices marketplace,” she said.

Lyon began her career at the then New Mexico Credit Union Leaguein 1994 and served as field representative, director of educationand vice president of Credit Union Services. She began her tenureas CUANM president/CEO in 2003.

Lyon is the latest among a series of league chief executives to announce theirdepartures.