Simone Lagomarsino, Robert Stuart and Dave Mooney. These are three examples, but there are many more.

Lagomarsino, Stuart and Mooney are former bankers who have become CEOs of billion dollar credit unions. Billion dollar CEO jobs are the cream of the crop positions in credit union land, and these three were gobbled up by former bankers? Lagomarsino was recently named CEO of $3 billion Kinecta FCU. Stuart became CEO of $2 billion OnPoint Community CU in January. Mooney moved into the corner office of $4 billion Alliant back in 2003.

So what's the big deal? Former bankers are leading some of the nation's largest and most sophisticated credit unions. Mooney has done a terrific job at Alliant. Stuart appears to be on the right track at OnPoint, a CU that is going through a metamorphosis of sorts, and Lagomarsino certainly has the credentials.

Former bankers aren't bad people, but when they nab CEO jobs at large credit unions it really bothers died-in-the-wool credit union leaders. Trust me I know. When the Kinecta job was announced my e-mail box was lit up by credit union leaders asking if all the good jobs are now going to bankers.

Why does this bother people? Because they are former bankers, credit unions' arch enemy. No, that's not it. Because they can't do the job? No, that's not it. Because they will bring a banker mentality and raise fees and cut service? That's also proven not to be true.

From what I can gather, those opposed to bankers getting large CU CEO jobs are concerned that credit unions aren't doing enough to develop their own talent. They think credit union boards are rushing to look to the banking sector because there's a dearth of talent in the credit union space.

Let's put some reality behind this perception. Sure, a number of high-profile CEO vacancies have gone to bankers, but many more high-profile jobs have stayed within credit unions. There are great examples of large CUs promoting from within. Let's look at a few, and I will even keep it at a billion dollars or more.

The $2 billion Eastern Financial Florida CU named Steve McGill its new CEO back in 2004. Eastern is a savvy credit union that has survived its original core sponsor going bankrupt. It has embraced business lending, and has quickly become a leader in that traditionally banker dominated arena. The board didn't look for a banker with commercial experience to lead it. McGill was a 20-year veteran of the CU when he was named CEO.

Moving West to California, the board of Patelco CU had huge shoes to fill when legendary leader Ed Callahan retired after 15 years at the helm in 2002. The then $3 billion credit union didn't look outside, it named Andy Hunter, its president and COO, as CEO. Hunter has been with Patelco since 1990, and has never worked at a bank.

Now some may say these only happened because those CUs had succession plans in place, but there are also a litany of credit union CEOs who have moved up the asset ladder to billion dollar credit unions. How about Patsy Van Ouwerkerk. When Bob Siravo departed the then $1.1 billion Travis CU in 2002 to take over for Dick Johnson at WesCorp, the board at Travis stayed in the industry by hiring Patsy, a career credit union person who has a special place in my heart because she has a degree in journalism! (See journalism grads can make the jump to business. Incidentally, Van Ouwerkerk says her journalism background has helped her CEO career immensely because communications is so important.)

That's not to say there aren't credit union boards that favor bankers for open CEO spots. The last three CEOs at OnPoint Community CU (John Beckwith, Cliff Dias and Bob Stuart) all were former bankers-coincidence? Doubtful.

Billion dollar CEOs even jump to other billion dollar CEO jobs. Back in 2002 Teresa Halleck went from running the then $1.2 billion State Employees CU of Maryland to the then $4 billion The Golden 1 CU. Halleck had banking experience many, many years ago, but she made the jump to the State Employees job from a university position, not a bank.

And let's not forget that some of the industry's most admired credit union CEOs may have had a smidgen of banking experience very early in their careers. We shouldn't disown them for that should we? Take Darren Williams, CEO of $3 billion Wescom CU and Credit Union Times' 2004 CEO of the Year. Not only does Darren run one of the most high-tech CUs in the nation, it is also tops in philanthropic efforts and community involvement. Darren's career started in banks before moving into credit unions when he landed a job at Hughes Aircraft Employees CU (now Kinecta).

I think the furor over bankers getting CU CEO jobs is a little misplaced. But I also believe credit unions have to continue to develop their own talent because these are people who have been brought up professionally with the credit union philosophy.

I can think of a lot of talented executive vice presidents at credit unions who would make great CEOs. These so-called No. 2s are the ones who need their shot. Sadly, I am reminded of the recent tragic passing of Mike Osborne. Osborne, who lived the credit union philosophy and was a sophisticated operations leader, was EVP and CFO of First Tech CU. Osborne was a perfect candidate for a billion dollar CEO job. His leadership will be missed, but there are many others ready to lead.

This is where I stand now, but if I see cases of former bankers-turned-credit union CEOs come into the industry and help convert credit unions to banks, all bets are off-bankers are banned!!!

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