The National Cooperative Business Association put President/CEO Mike Beall (pictured), a former credit unionindustry executive, on administrative leave last week.

Judy Ziewacz, a cooperative industry pioneer, took over hisposition on an interim basis.

NCBA Director of Communications and Public Relations JohnTorres shared the news about Ziewacz's appointment but declined toprovide additional details about the decision to put Beall onleave.

Beall has not yet returned calls from CU Times seekingcomment. He began the president/CEO position on Nov. 15, 2012.

Prior to taking the NCBA position, Beall served as president/CEOfor the Missouri Credit Union Association and president/CEO for theMaryland and District of Columbia Credit Union Association.

The National Cooperative Hall of Fame said it inducted Ziewaczin October 2014 for her years of efforts spent organizing anddeveloping the cooperative industry.

“Ziewacz was instrumental in launching the nation's firststatewide cooperative development center – now known as CooperativeDevelopment Services,” the Hall of Fame wrote in Ziewacz'sinduction announcement.

“She also played a key role in establishing CooperationWorks!, anational cooperative development network, which is responsible forthe creation of hundreds of co-ops, thousands of jobs and servinghundreds of thousands of members. As the executive director of theCooperative Development Foundation, she led the charge for thecreation of dotCoop, an important branding tool for cooperatives inthe Internet age,” the Hall of Fame added.