SAN FRANCISCO - In a move credit unions have sought for years,Visa USA, the world's largest card brand, has named an executivefrom the credit union industry to its board of directors.

Robert Hackney, president of Card Services for Credit Unions,the association of credit unions which process their credit cardtransactions with Fidelity National Information Services, said hewill take his seat after an orientation period over the next fewweeks. "Boosting board representation of smaller institutions hasbeen a priority as Visa underscores its commitment to balance theneeds of all our stakeholders," said John Philip Coghlan, presidentand CEO of Visa USA. "With his relevant expertise, Bob Hackney willcontribute valuable insights that reflect the perspectives ofinstitutions at the community-based end of our membership spectrum,joining Chuck Doyle, Visa USA's long-standing director,representing smaller financial institutions."

Doyle is CEO of Texas First Bank and has long been seen as thedirector who would represent small issuers in Visa's decisionmaking, although as a banker, CUs have complained that he could notrepresent them effectively. Commenting on his appointment, Hackneysaid, "I'm delighted to join Visa's board at such an exciting timefor Visa and for the payments industry. I look forward to playing arole in Visa's decision making and helping to chart the course forits continued success."

Hackney will also serve on the board's Audit and Risk committeeand will take a seat during a time of transition at Visa and itsboard. The board will grow to 17 seats, comprising eightindependent directors, seven financial institution directors andtwo nonvoting Visa management directors. By comparison, the currentboard has 14 financial institution directors and two Visamanagement directors.

For Hackney, an executive usually recognized for his work behindthe scenes, the announcement has brought a sudden burst ofattention and phone calls from around the credit union industry,including David Serlo, CEO of PSCU Financial Services, an historiccompetitor with CSCU.

"David called me to offer congratulations and to talk with meabout being on the board," Hackney said. "Dan Mica called me aswell."

Serlo called Hackney's appointment "a great day for creditunions" and said that he looks forward to helping Hackney bring theviews of credit unions to the board

"It's one thing to have a voice on the board, which we havenever had before," Serlo said, "but it's another to havewell-researched, credible and clear positions to bring to thatboard. That's something we really haven't had before as anindustry, even though people at Visa have certainly heard from usthrough letters and other communications."

Card fraud and CU concerns about card fraud will be high on thelist of CU concerns, Serlo estimated, but he stressed that CUs willnot be pushing Visa to do things that CUs should do on their own totighten up their fraud prevention. "Where we hope to have influenceis in the area of policies and bylaws and other things that Visacontrols," he said.

Hackney said the calls from both men drove home the moreexpanded perspective that he will have to bring to the position. AsCSCU's CEO, Hackney will represent the interests of CSCU's 3,400 CUmembers, but will also have to represent the interests of creditunions that belong to other organizations and use otherprocessors.

"I recognize that I am going to have to represent more thanCSCU," Hackney said, "and I appreciate David Serlo calling me andopening the door. Our offices are really only a few miles from oneanother and I look forward to sitting down with him over lunch tohear what issues and strategies PSCU thinks are important."

Hackney's first Visa USA board meeting will be in the secondweek of July and he will serve in the position for at least a year,CSCU said. [email protected]