For Polish-born Oskar Mielczarek, the new CEO of the 72,000 member, $1.4 billion Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, taking the helm at the CU means helping Polish & Slavic balance its traditional leadership and service role in the Polish-American community with the need to evolve into a 21st century financial institution.

It s a role for which he is uniquely suited, having been born in Warsaw but growing up in other European countries and receiving his education at leading European and North American universities. This, combined with experience at some of the largest banks both in the U.S. and overseas, meant that he comes to the institution both aware of its role in the Polish community and with a set of skills he believes the credit union can use.

“I have known the organization for a long time,” Mielczarek said in a phone interview, “but I hadn't been following it that closely and was amazed to see how greatly it had grown,  $1.4 billion in assets, 72,000 members, a footprint in three states. In fact, I circumstantially came across the position through an ad in The New York Times.”