Just Two Seats Available for Five Candidates on NAFCU Board

ARLINGTON, Va.-Five candidates are seeking the two available at-large seats on the NAFCU Board. Nationwide FCU President and CEO Ohio Paula Edwards, (incumbent), Campus FCU President and CEO John Milazzo (incumbent), Pentagon FCU Vice Chair Robert Scott, Webster First FCU President and CEO Michael Lussier, and State Department FCU Chair Marlene Schwartz are all vying for two at-large seats on the association’s board. The first four were slated by NAFCU’s Nominating Committee as candidates for the seats, while Schwartz made it on the ballot by petition, NAFCU Director of Planning, Programming, and Special Projects Joe Boyle explained. NAFCU’s Nominating Committee must select between two and four candidates for the ballot, he added. NAFCU Region III Director Larry Wilson, CEO of Coastal FCU, and Region IV Director Don Mahan, CEO of Centris FCU, have already secured their seats on the board as no other candidates received the nominations to run in those regions. NAFCU’s Board will be reduced by one seat to 11 this year (as Edwards’ term comes to an end) for consistency with NCUA’s regions. NCUA previously dropped from six to five regions; NAFCU’s board will consist of one director from each region and six at-large directors. Edwards won special election to the former Region IV seat when Three Rivers Federal Credit Union CEO Jim Mills retired with two years left on the term. At-large Director Bill Brooks, CEO of First Combined Community FCU has already served his maximum of three three-year terms on the board and will not be returning. Ballots will be mailed out to NAFCU members April 21 and are due back to the election teller by May 26. Boyle said voter turnout has averaged around 50% in the last few years, but he expects this year’s could be higher than that because so many candidates are running. Winners will take their seats at the close of NAFCU’s annual business meeting in July. At NAFCU’s June board meeting, the Board of Directors will select its table officers, which is done on an annual basis.