America First CEO to retire following 46-year career

John Lund, president and CEO of America First Credit Union in Riverdale, Utah, will retire this spring, having spent 46 years at the firm, including nine as chief executive.

John Lund, president and CEO of America First Credit Union
John Lund, president and CEO of America First Credit Union

Thayne Shaffer, the $14.2 billion-asset credit union's chief information officer, has been selected as Lund’s successor, the institution announced in a press release Tuesday.

Since Lund took the helm in 2012, America First has expanded its branch network from 104 to 128 locations, and membership increased from roughly 592,000 to more than 1.1 million.

“John, a tremendous person and a profoundly esteemed leader, has shown acuity and keenness of thought in every decision he has made,” Linda Carver, the credit union's chairperson, said in the release. “He has had a remarkable ability to understand and position the credit union for new opportunities to assure our long-term and continued growth."

Lund, whose retirement is effective April 1, began his career with the credit union as a courier in 1975.

“It’s been an honor to work with so many talented people and serve so many kind members,” Lund said in the release. “I am certain America First members and colleagues will continue to thrive under Thayne’s leadership, using teamwork to strengthen relationships and our communities.”

Shaffer has worked at the credit union for more than 33 years and was appointed CIO in May 2019. His recent responsibilities included cybersecurity, enterprise systems, programming, database administration, quality assurance and network operations.

America First earned roughly $72.3 million in the first three quarters of 2020, compared with $122.6 million for the same period in the prior year, according to National Credit Union Administration call report data.

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