Veteran credit union technologist and operations chief Rudy Pereira has been named the new CEO of the $1.2 billion Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, Wis.

Pereira, senior vice president of operations and technology at the $7.9 billion Alliant Credit Union in Chicago, is succeeding Charlie Grossklaus, who announced earlier this year that he would be retiring on Jan. 2, 2012, after 40 years with Royal CU.

“The board looks forward to working with Rudy to ensure that Royal Credit Union continues its position as a leader in the industry” said Doug Olson, the 135,000-member Royal CU's board chairman. “We feel his expertise will be well utilized and will take RCU to the next level of member service as well as contribute to continually providing superior accessibility through alternative delivery methods.”

Pereira has more than 25 years of credit union experience. Prior to joining Alliant in 2005, he was a senior manager in California at Kinecta FCU, Schools Financial CU and Wescom CU, where he also was a programming manager.

At Alliant, he led a reorganization that positioned the Operations and Technology division as a vendor to all front-office operations and worked to improve overall functions using Six Sigma, Royal said in a statement.

Pereira also is well known in the industry, currently serving as chairman of the CUNA Council Forum and the CUNA/BITS Advisory Task Force. He also is immediate past chair of the CUNA Technology Council.

Royal CU serves 18 counties in Wisconsin and 11 in Minnesota and has been active in launching new services and acquiring new business.

Most recently the CU bought the servicing rights for $600 million in mortgages from a failed Minnesota bank. In June 2010, the credit union bought 11 branches and $177 million in loans, deposits and equipment from the ailing AnchorBank of Madison, Wis.