WASHINGTON – Geoff Bacino, a former NCUA Board member and career credit union person, has been named as the president's intended nominee to the Federal Housing Finance Board. The spot would give Bacino the remainder of a seven-year term expiring Feb. 27, 2013. He currently serves as senior vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs at Centrix Financial. Having previously served as a presidential appointee to the NCUA Board under the Clinton Administration, Bacino will potentially cross now into a Republican administration. "It's always a huge honor to be asked to do something like this," Bacino commented. "To be asked to do something like this is a dream come true. To be asked to do something like this twice is a dream come true squared." He added that he was unaware of a confirmation date at this point. Prior to his one-year recess appointment to the NCUA Board, he was the president of Bacino & Associates and had founded the National Association of State Chartered Credit Unions, which later merged with NASCUS. NASCUS President and CEO Mary Martha Fortney called Bacino's pending nomination "great news." She added, "As state-chartered credit unions continue to expand their mortgage services, an individual as knowledgeable as Bacino on the board responsible for regulating the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks will certainly make important contributions in the coming months.We look forward to working with him as he embarks upon another chapter in an illustrious career."

Several years ago he also worked in CUNA's lobbying department. CUNA Vice President of Communications and Media Outreach Pat Keefe commented, "Geoff has a lot of experience in credit union issues that's for sure. That's encouraging.Geoff's got some good experience under his belt and if anybody can represent credit unions, he can." NAFCU President and CEO Fred Becker said his group was "pleased that an individual with such strong ties to the credit union movement will add his voice to the Federal Housing Finance Board. We look forward to working with Geoff Bacino as many of our credit union members are part of a strong Federal Home Loan Bank system. NAFCU admires Mr. Bacino's commitment to his career and has worked with him on a number of issues through the years."

CUNA and NAFCU had recently written the board encouraging credit union representation on the boards of the Federal Home Loan Banks, which the FHFB oversees. [email protected]