WASHINGTON — Ryan Donovan has made the change from California & Nevada Credit Union League director of federal government affairs to CUNA vice president of legislative affairs as of Sept. 4.

“I opened the Washington office for them in April of 2005 and in early fall 2006…I became director of federal government affairs,” Donovan hesitantly explained of his two-and-a-half years with the California and Nevada leagues. “Obviously we had a tremendous loss at the league when Kelly Purcell passed away. After we got through that time, we did a little reorganization and my title changed. As director of federal government affairs, I've been the leagues' eyes and ears on Capitol Hill.”

Donovan spent a few days a month on the West Coast on average. “I felt and I think the leagues felt that it was important for me to maintain an identity with our members and so for me to get to know them was important to me and important to the league. It helped me do my job better, I think,” he said. He said he is not exactly sure what his travel schedule will be like in his new post at CUNA, but his wife, Kristi, is happier already.

While at the leagues, Donovan represented the organizations in the halls of Congress and at NCUA and other government agencies. He also worked closely with CUNA's political and government affairs team. His responsibilities were extensive considering California has 53 members of the House, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and three from Nevada. Between the two leagues, six representatives serve on the House Financial Services Committee and seven on Ways & Means.

Each state also has two senators including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Prior to joining the leagues, Donovan served as chief of staff and legislative director for House Financial Services Committee Member Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), a strong credit union supporter who previously introduced legislation to permit credit unions to accept secondary capital. Throughout his time in Sherman's office, Donovan staffed the congressman on the House Financial Services Committee and worked on related legislation of interest to credit unions including Check 21, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act. He also had responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Washington congressional office.

Once he officially joins CUNA's staff Sept. 4, Donovan said, “I'm going to sit down with the legislative lobbyists next week and take an inventory of where our strengths are–both concerns and issues–and where our contacts are on the Hill, so I think a lot of that remains to be seen. Obviously, our primary focus is going to be advancing CURIA.”

He explained that the California and Nevada credit unions have been meeting with their representatives and senators at the district level to discuss CURIA and other credit union matters and that he expects other leagues are doing the same. “We still get some positive signs from the Hill. There's been a lot of talk about a possible hearing,” Donovan said. “Chairman Frank has said some things publicly to credit union folks that have given us some reason for hope that our issues are being seriously considered by him. I'm looking forward to this fall.”

Credit union issues and the inner workings of the Hill are engrained in the congressional staffer turned credit union lobbyist. “One of the things I think is interesting, a lot of times when you think about putting together a lobbying team, you look for someone to come right off the Hill perhaps. Certainly I spent a lot of time on the Hill but one thing that I think I bring that will be valuable to CUNA is a perspective from a league staff person.” He admitted that two-and-a-half years at the league was not a tremendous amount of experience “but I spent that time at a trade association that happens to be very concerned with credit union issues. I know how policy is made at a trade association and I think that's one of the things I can bring to this is how do we work with our members to make sure that the policy is right for the industry and then advocate that in a way that is easy for members of Congress and their staff to understand.”

Donovan cannot remember a time when he wasn't interested in politics and the legislative process. “I think that like a lot of people in my profession, I think we all had dreams of being president. I promise that I don't want to be president anymore,” he quipped. As a political science major at Truman State University, he interned with House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) early on. He also earned a master's degree in government from the Johns Hopkins University.

Donovan said he planned on being in Washington for about six years then returning to his home state of Missouri to run for Congress. Now, here it is 12 years later “and I'm still here” and married to “a local girl.”

Gaining a lot of on-the-job training working for Congressman Sherman, Donovan discovered interests he never knew he had. “Working on the financial services issues, I got interested in things that I never intended to get interested in out here, whether its credit unions, banks or securities or things of that nature,” he said.

One obsession that has not escaped him is baseball. In particular, Donovan said, “One thing that everyone who knows me knows is that I am an avid, die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, world-champion St. Louis Cardinals fan.” He lamented that it is difficult to see them play because they are only in D.C. once and only in Baltimore during intrerleague play.

The Donovans live in Burke, Va., including nearly one-year-old daughter, Paige. “I don't want to talk about [Burke] too much because it's probably the best kept secret. It's a lovely place to live.” He also sings tenor at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Old Town Alexandria.

Donovan is replacing Dean Sagar who left CUNA at the end of August after just 16 months. “I'm really looking forward to this. I think it's a great opportunity and I'm real appreciative of the faith and trust that CUNA's placed in me and I am looking forward to getting to work,” he said.

Sagar took the job after Gary Kohn ended his tenure of more than a dozen years to become NCUA Board Member Gigi Hyland's senior policy advisor.

The California and Nevada leagues are advertising the federal government affairs director position internally and externally and expect to have it filled this fall.

–scooke@cutimes.com

Instant Insights /

California/Nevada CU Lobbyist Ryan Donovan Steps Up to the Plate as CUNA's Vice President of Legislative Affairs

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