2005 Sees Changing of the Guard at Several Leagues

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – There was no shortage of the changing of the guard at various leagues around the country in 2005. Just as in 2004, this year saw many league leaders’ names disappear from the door of the corner office to be replaced by other names . Some retired, some moved on to other leagues, and others left not so quietly. In January, Bob Bianchini ended his more than 30-year career with the credit union industry – the last 11 of which were as president/CEO of the Oklahoma Credit Union League – when he retired. In addition to leading the Oklahoma League, Bianchini also headed the Rhode Island Credit Union League for 20 years before that. The Oklahoma League board turned over the keys to then-39 year old Executive Vice President Lisa Finley, a six-year veteran of the League. In July, Delaware Credit Union League President/CEO Bob Walls left that league to head up the New Jersey Credit Union League which had been without a permanent leader since October 2004 when Tom Shaughnessy was terminated by the League board. Shaughnessy has since been indicted on charges he embezzled more than $290,000 from the NJCUL. That left the Delaware League without a president/CEO for six months until early December when Patrick Mahaney was named to the position. Delaware League Executive Vice President Jane Bailey also served as interim president during that six month time. Mahaney has served as a credit union volunteer for 25 years including serving as chairman of DEXSTRA FCU for four years and secretary of the board for nine years. He also served on the credit committee of DEXSTRA for eight years and has been involved with credit union political action and volunteer training.