ALEXANDRIA, Va.—After leading NCUA’s Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives since June of 2011, Director William Myers is leaving NCUA.
Myers, the only person to guide the office since Chairman Debbie Matz created the OSCUI five years ago, said he is “preparing to move on to my next challenge,” not stating what that will be or when he is leaving.
Myers made the statement in the latest edition of OSCUI’s FOCUS eNewsletter, also sharing “the new OSCUI small credit union message.”
"‘Small’ is not a marginal group within credit unions,” stated Myers. “Eighty-five percent of federally insured credit unions are OSCUI clients, including the ‘new’ small (under $100 million), Minority Depository Institutions, low-income designated and newly charted credit unions.
“Small credit unions have greater net worth ratios, are a source of innovation, a source of new players through chartering, a source of new large credit unions through growth and a source of merger partners,” continued Myers. “What is sometimes termed the ‘rate of decline’ of small credit unions might more fittingly be called the natural progression of small credit unions.”
Looking back, Myers said that during his 2011 interview for his current role, the NCUA board expressed concern about the state of small credit unions.
“Two hundred were disappearing each year. Was it possible to understand the causes well and use the existing resources of OSCUI to intervene?” said Myers. “All board members—Matz, (Gigi) Hyland and (Michael) Fryzel, and later (Rick) Metsger and (Mark) McWatters—joined in enthusiastic support for small credit unions.”
Myers concluded, saying, “It has been a pleasure to continue my work with credit unions through NCUA and I look forward to assisting with the transition to a new OSCUI director.”
Myers joined NCUA after leading Santa Cruz Community Credit Union. He led the credit union through transition by reorganizing the staff, redesigning the product portfolio, and refocusing the credit union’s mission. Myers has also worked as a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute consulting on credit union economic development, community opportunity, and strategic planning. Additionally, he has served on the boards of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, CheckSpring Bank Corporation, the State of New York Mortgage Authority, and the Opportunity Finance Network.
Well-grounded in cooperative service, Myers founded Alternatives Federal Credit Union in1979 and led the institution until 2007. During his tenure, the credit union grew to a $50-million institution serving 8,700 mostly low-income members.