COLUMBUS, Ohio — The first day of 2016 will be the first day Jeff Carpenter is president and CEO of $260 million CME Federal Credit Union, as current chief executive Jim Riederer will retire on Dec. 31.
On Thursday CME FCU's board of directors said it had chosen Carpenter — who currently is CUNA's vice president of member relations and strategic development — to replace the departing Riederer. Carpenter has more than 27 years of experience at the national, state and credit union level.
Dave Whiting, CME's board chairman, said in a statement, "Jeff is excited for this opportunity and will continue our long-standing tradition of improving the financial future of our member-owners. Founded in 1935 by Columbus City fire and police, CME has a history of successfully serving those that serve our local communities."
"I am both humbled and honored for the opportunity to lead CME Federal Credit Union and its tradition of serving the unique financial needs of our member-owners, especially the heart of CME — the police, fire and other civil servants of Central Ohio," Carpenter said. "CME is in excellent shape, both financially and operationally, thanks to the leadership of Jim Riederer and the management team."
Carpenter said he and the team at CME will "continue to build" on the credit union's "past success" and they plan to have a "greater impact" on the financial future of all of its members and communities.
"Our goal is to continue growing and meeting the needs of Franklin County, as well as those members in Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Pickaway and Union counties," Carpenter added. "I am excited to wake up every day with one mission, to focus on the needs of our member-owners and their communities, not a group of stockholders somewhere else."
Carpenter has held executive level positions with Wright-Patt Credit Union, the Oklahoma Credit Union League, the Ohio Credit Union League and US Central Credit Union. He was the founding chairman of the First Miami University Student and Alumni FCU, one of only two student-run credit unions in the nation.
A resident of Dublin, Ohio, Carpenter received a finance degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking.
