PHOENIX — Gary L. Plank, the president/CEO of the Arizona CreditUnion System and a veteran in managing state leagues having servedthe industry 41 years, is retiring next June.

“There's always mixed feelings about leaving this job since it'sbeen a good run for me and for credit unions in my state,” saidPlank who also is chairman of the World Council of CreditUnions.

“Arizona CUs,” he said, “have matured from small cigar boxes tosophisticated financial institutions and now have 1.5 millionmembers.” Besides that, ACUS, one of the smaller leagues, retainssome of the largest CU assets in the country at $8 billion. Interms of seniority, Plank, who turned 65, Oct. 21, ranks onlybehind Gary B. Wolter of the Alabama League in having the mostyears in managing state leagues. Plank has long held top leadershipjobs in CUNA serving as chairman of World Affairs Committeerepresenting World Council and he was a member of CUNA's ExecutiveCommittee and CUNA's Board from 1993-1997. He also is a member ofthe CUNA Audit and Finance Committees.