This column marks the end of my career at CU Times.

Approximately 11.5 years ago, I was hired as a freelancereporter and assigned to cover mortgages and breaking news inCalifornia. Mortgages were booming. My timing couldn't have beenbetter, or so I thought.

Then, one year later, I took on the corporate credit union beat,right before all hell broke loose. Within a relatively short periodof time, I transitioned from a credit union business developmentmanager to an industry household name.

Former WesCorp CEO Bob Siravo's death earlier this week causedme to somberly reflect on that time. As much as was made ofWesCorp's financials and the controversy over whether the corporateshould have classified its assets as available for sale sooner, WesCorp waspretty open to the press.

Siravo was also one of the most optimistic and positive people I have ever met, and he sure didlove credit unions. Yes, that optimism was partly responsible forWesCorp's failure, but few were bearish on the housing market atthat time.

My most memorable story at CU Times was covering anOperational Best Wishes webcast, in which military families wereinvited to a credit union branch to visit with deployed servicemenand women during the holidays. Keep in mind this was before Skypeand FaceTime technology existed. Ten years later, I still can'tdescribe the experience without tearing up. Not only did theWesCorp-sponsored service help military families, it produced kudosfor credit unions on Capitol Hill and from the White House.

While it's tempting to remember what went wrong at WesCorp, Ihope credit unions will consider the many positive contributionsSiravo and the corporate made to the community.

Covering corporate credit unions introduced me to topics likeinvestment tranches, monoline insurers and 5310 reports. Thisknowledge boosted my career and will continue to be a resumeasset.

There were so many people who donated their time to improve myunderstanding of financials during those years and even today. Theyinclude, but certainly are not limited to, former NCUA ChairmanMichael Fryzel and staffers John McKechnie, Sarah Vega, Owen Coleand Larry Fazio. Others included Sandler O'Neill Managing DirectorPeter Duffy, Xceed Financial CU CFO Mike Sacher, The Rochdale GroupSenior Consultant Brian Hague, Andrews FCU CEO Jim Hayes, VirtualCorps Founder Amy Rapp, Bonds Capital Group Owner Thomas Bonds,California Credit Union League Chief Economist Dwight Johnston,blogger Will Magnus and many others.

The corporate credit union beat also toughened me up. Some of myharshest critics became career allies and friends after I reachedout to them asking for help.

When I was hired as CU Times' Washington reporter in2012, I received another opportunity to expand my knowledge andexperience by covering events on Capitol Hill. Even after severaltrips to the Capitol, I'm still in awe of the building, history andour nation's democratic process, albeit flawed.

Working the Washington beat was also humbling. I've forgotten(more likely repressed) whether I was covering the nominationhearing of NCUA Chairman Rick Metsger or Board Member MarkMcWatters before the Senate Banking Committee, but when I tried todiscretely maneuver in front of the nominee table to snap a photo,I tripped over a tangle of camera and electric cables and fell,mooning the nominee and the entire Republican side of the bankingcommittee. Who wears a pencil skirt and five-inch platformstilettos to cover a congressional hearing? The reporter fromSouthern California, of course.

Journalism can also be a weighty job, especially when reportingtragic or controversial news. In a close-knit community like ours,people shoot the messenger.

There were many leaders in the industry who helped me find myvoice as a columnist and navigate Washington. They include formerNCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar, PenFed Special Adviser Steve Bosack,SchoolsFirst FCU CEO Bill Cheney, Consultant Marvin Umholtz, NAFCUCEO Dan Berger and Vice President of Legislative Affairs BradThaler, CUNA Chief Economist Bill Hampel, Retired Orange County'sCredit Union CEO Judy McCartney, Mitchell, Stankovic and AssociatesCEO Sue Mitchell, Kaufman & Canoles Attorney Andy Keeney, SECUCEO Jim Blaine, Cooperative Credit Union Association CEO PaulGentile and former NCUA Board Member Geoff Bacino.

As much as I still enjoy journalism, I'm forming a marketingfirm in Southern California with John San Filippo, who is bestknown for his years handling marketing at Symitar. Our firm,Omnichannel Communications, will be working with some dynamicfintech organizations in the credit union and community bankingspace, and we have big plans to shake up financial servicesmarketing strategy. I'll also be working with Samaha Associates andNAFCU.

Finally, I'd like to thank CU TimesPublisher/Editor-in-Chief Sarah Snell Cooke for her unwaveringsupport throughout several years and the CU Times team forexecuting so many fabulous stories and projects.

I'm leaving behind an excellent group who will continue toprovide a dynamic forum in which credit union executives can gainuseful knowledge that will help them succeed.

Editor's Note from Sarah Snell Cooke: Asshe rides out into her next adventure, I wanted to thank Heatherfor her dedication to credit unions and specifically CU Times.Being an editor is as thankless as it is rewarding. She brought agreat work ethic and personality to a B2B publication of allthings. You will be missed.

Heather Anderson can be reached [email protected].