VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.—Ron Burniske, CEO of Chartway FCU, has announced he will retire Aug. 1.
Burniske has been with the credit union since 1984, joining as CFO. With the retirement of Gene Siebels, Burniske was named CEO in 1987. During his career, Burniske:
- Has expanded business partnerships and made several strategic acquisitions, enabling the organization to grow its brick-and-mortar footprint from one brand with nine branches in 1987 to three brands with more than 50 today.
- Transformed operations and the cost structure for long-term growth, increasing its assets from $139 million in 1987 to more than $2 billion today.
- Elevated its philanthropic contributions from $0 in 1987 to more than $7 million through the founding of the credit union’s national award winning charitable arm, We Promise Foundation, whose dedication centers around making dreams come true for children struggling with life threatening illnesses or severe hardship.
- Advanced its investment in student members through the Directors’ Memorial Scholarship Program, elevating contributions from $0 in 1987 to nearly $200,000.
“Although the decision was indescribably difficult, I know in my heart that the time is right,” said Burniske. “Our organization is financially strong, operationally prepared, and strategically well positioned to continue serving members for generations to come. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside a team of people so driven to make a difference – financially for our members and philanthropically for our neighbors in need. Although I will miss the daily camaraderie and the relationships I have built, I find great comfort in knowing that the strength of our business and the talents of our people will carry this credit union successfully into the future.”
The credit union said it has launched a search for a successor.