BISMARCK, N.D.–Robbie Thompson, president and CEO of the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas, is leaving the organization to become executive director of the Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS) in Minneapolis. His last day with CUAD will be July 23.
“Under his leadership, CUAD has become a more relevant, efficient, and effective organization” said CUAD Board Chair Travis Kasten, CEO of Service First FCU. “The CUAD Board has a formal succession plan, and we are fully prepared to address this departure and ensure that CUAD continues its fine work on behalf of our members…Despite this departure, CUAD is well positioned for the future. It is financially strong, has a committed board, a knowledgeable staff, and is and will continue to be a strong advocate for credit unions.”
Jeff Olson, CUAD’s EVP-government affairs, will assume the interim CEO role effective July 24, 2015, while the Board moves to permanently fill the position.
"It has been an honor to represent the wonderful credit unions in the Dakotas,” said Thompson. “While I am excited about my future with PLUS in Minnesota, I do make this decision with a bit of sadness, as I will be leaving many credit union friends in the Dakotas that I have made over the last five years."
Thompson, a Minnesota native, has been the CEO of CUAD since July of 2010.
Meanwhile, Thompson and Marketing VP Trish Shomion attended the Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE) Annual Meeting & Expo where they accepted the prestigious 2015 Award of Excellence for CUAD’s CU Social Good project.
MSAE is a professional association with over 1,000 members, which represents the interests of approximately 300 associations. The MSAE Awards of Excellence program recognizes association activities and programs that make a difference within associations, the community or both.
CU Social Good received the top honor in the category of associations with $1 million or more in assets, competing against associations that serve Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. One MSAE award judge commented about CU Social Good: “Very powerful campaign – made me want to belong to a credit union!”
Launched by the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas in 2013 and recognized by CUNA in 2014 as the “Best Community Relations Program,” CU Social Good is the only online platform dedicated solely to the sharing of the good things that credit unions do for people and their communities every day. To date, over 3,100 stories have been posted from credit unions in 44 states and Canada.