WASHINGTON — John Crews has been nominated by the Trump Administration to serve as chairman of the NCUA, marking a major leadership transition as the agency continues to operate with only one sitting board member amid ongoing vacancies.
The nomination follows the recent appointment of current NCUA Chairman Kyle Hauptman to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a move announced by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hauptman has said he intends to remain at NCUA until a successor is appointed and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, according to statements reported earlier by CUToday.info.
Crews currently serves as deputy assistant secretary for financial institutions policy at Treasury. Prior to joining Treasury, Crews advised House Majority Leader Steve Scalise on economic and financial-services policy, served as policy director for the Senate Banking Committee, and held a role on the National Economic Council during the first Trump Administration. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
The anticipated transition comes at a pivotal moment for NCUA, which has been operating under an unusual governance structure since the removal of former board members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka, leaving Hauptman as the sole sitting board member. CUToday.info previously reported that the agency has continued functioning under precedent allowing a single member to act as a quorum until new appointments are confirmed.
Two of the three NCUA board seats remain open, creating uncertainty about how quickly the agency’s full leadership structure will be restored.
Hauptman’s pending departure also comes as NCUA faces a dense policy agenda that includes capital and liquidity oversight, rising credit union merger and acquisition activity, cybersecurity risks and ongoing regulatory modernization initiatives. CUToday.info reporting noted that the leadership transition raises questions about how quickly the agency can move forward on major initiatives while board seats remain unfilled.
In earlier comments following his PCAOB appointment, Hauptman said he was grateful for the opportunity and reiterated plans to remain at NCUA until a successor is in place, giving the Administration time to establish new leadership. Credit union trade groups, including America’s Credit Unions and the Defense Credit Union Council, publicly praised his tenure, citing his focus on right-sized regulation and modernization efforts.
If confirmed, Crews would assume the chairmanship as the agency moves into a new phase, with the potential for additional board nominations reshaping regulatory direction for the remainder of the Administration.
The Defense Credit Union Council congratulated Crews on his nomination.
“On behalf of the defense credit union community, we congratulate John Crews on his nomination to lead the NCUA,” said Jason Stverak, DCUC chief advocacy officer. “The NCUA plays a critical role in preserving the safety and soundness of the credit union system while ensuring access to affordable financial services for millions of Americans, including servicemembers, veterans, and their families. We are eager to sit down with Mr. Crews to learn more about his views and his vision for the future of the credit union industry.
“At a time of rapid technological change, evolving regulatory expectations, and growing demands on financial institutions serving military communities, strong and thoughtful leadership at the agency is essential,” added Stverak.
“Credit unions operate in unique environments when serving all communities across the nation and overseas,” noted Anthony Hernandez, DCUC president/CEO. “These institutions require a regulatory framework that recognizes both operational complexity and the cooperative, member-owned mission that defines our industry. We look forward to engaging with Chairman-designate Crews to ensure the agency continues to promote innovation, strengthen mission readiness, and uphold the credit union model.”
ACU Looks Forward To Working With Crews
“America’s Credit Unions congratulates Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Policy John Crews on his nomination to the National Credit Union Administration," said America’s Credit Unions President/CEO Scott Simpson. "Crews understands the important role mission-driven lenders like credit unions play in helping families and small businesses get ahead. His experience at the Treasury Department reflects a thoughtful approach to innovation, safety, and expanding access to affordable financial services. We look forward to working with him in this capacity to ensure credit unions have a modern regulatory framework that supports their ability to serve more than 146 million Americans who rely on them as trusted financial partners in uncertain times.”
In April, ACU's Simpson and Greg Mesack met with Crews in his current capacity as Treasury deputy assistant secretary for financial institutions policy. His role advises Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on policies related to financial institutions, regulation, and legislation. During the meeting, ACU said Simpson and Mesack shared the importance of modernizing key regulations to free up credit union time and resources for additional member service and detailed the movement’s opposition to the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act.
Former NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar predicts Crews will be a strong chairman.
“John Crews has been mentioned to me for almost a year as one of the up-and-comers of the Trump Treasury Department – a very solid, philosophically sound conservative with great respect from his colleagues at Treasury and a great reputation on Capitol Hill from his years there with Senator Toomey and Leader Scalise," stated the principal of Dollar Associates, based in Birmingham, Ala. "From everything I have learned about him, I think he is a great choice for NCUA chairman and will be a strong leader at NCUA. I would expect, with his Capitol Hill background, that Senate confirmation should go quite smoothly for him.”