Credit unions in Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois and Texas will kick off 2016 with new CEOs.

Derrick Ragland, pictured at left, was named president/CEO of the $2.5 billion APCO Employees Credit Union by the board of directors of the Birmingham, Ala.-based cooperative.

He will succeed the current President/CEO Merrill Mann who will retire Dec. 31.

Ragland joined APCO Employees more than 33 years ago, starting out in the loan department. In January 2011, he was appointed vice president and chief operating officer.

APCO Employees is Alabama's second largest credit union. It operates 15 branches and serves 71,162 members.

Jeff Carpenter, shown at left, departed his position as CUNA's vice president of member relations and strategic development to become president/CEO of the $254 million CME Federal Credit Union in Columbus, Ohio, effective Jan. 1.

He will succeed CEO/President Jim Riederer who will retire Dec. 31.

Carpenter worked at CUNA for more than four years and previously held executive positions at the $3.1 billon Wright-Patt Credit Union in Beavercreek, Ohio, and the Credit Union Association of Oklahoma. He also served as director of the Ronald McDonald House in Ohio's Miami Valley.

CME Federal Credit Union serves 30,127 members and manages six branches. The board of directors for the $163 million First Capital Federal Credit Union named Sue DeStephano, shown at left, president/CEO effective Jan. 1.

She will succeed Dennis Flickinger who will retire on Dec. 31 after serving as president/CEO at the York, Pa.-based credit union for 26 years.

DeStephano was hired as a loan officer in 1989 by the York Tracktown Employees Credit Union, which merged into First Capital in 1999 when she was promoted to lending manager.

In 2005, she was appointed as vice president of lending. Last year, DeStephano was promoted to vice president of operations.

First Capital serves 17,359 members and operates three branches.

Jay Lewis, shown at left, was appointed president/CEO by the board of directors for the $167 million Gateway Metro Federal Credit Union in St. Louis, Mo.

He will replace current Gateway Metro President/CEO Larry Pixley who will retire Dec. 31. During his 16-year tenure, Pixley expanded the credit union's student-run branches at area schools and introduced online and mobile services for members.

Lewis joined Gateway Metro FCU in 2000. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.

The credit union, which serves 14,702 members, operates nine branches throughout St. Louis and one branch in Swansea, Ill.

Michael Abraham was appointed president/CEO of the $69.4 million First Financial Credit Union in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 24.

He replaced Patrick Basler who was named chief strategy officer for the League Service Corporation, the for-profit subsidiary of the Illinois Credit Union League in Naperville, Ill.

Abraham joined First Financial in 2013 as a lending manager and promoted to vice president of operations in January 2015. He previously served in a variety of financial industry managerial roles at TMX Finance and Citigroup.

The credit union serves 8,338 members and manages four branches.

Melissa Hagenbuch was named president/CEO of the $54.7 million Heart O' Texas Federal Credit Union in Waco on Dec. 7.

She replaced former President/CEO James A. Chaney.

Hagenbuch previously served as vice president of member services at the $221 million Energy Capital Credit Union in Houston.

Heart O' Texas serves 6,865 members and operates four branches.

Instant Insights /

6 New CEOs Lead Their Credit Unions Into 2016

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