MADISON, Wis. — After 37 years with CUNA Mutual Group, Chief Economist Dave Colby is retiring.
Colby steps down July 11, and will be succeeded by CUNA Senior Economist Steve Rick.
Colby started CUNA Mutual Groups successful Credit Union Trends Report, a monthly assessment on the economic state of the credit union community. The Trends Report will continue under Rick.
"Dave will be missed, not just as a long-term and dedicated employee but as a valued industry resource on credit union economics and consumer finance," said John Lass, SVP, CUNA Mutual Group Business Development and Strategy. "The expertise he brought to the position through his many industry speaking engagements and relationships is difficult to replace. But we are thrilled to have Steve Rick step in and maintain the tradition Dave has established. Steve is uniquely qualified to step into this position without us missing a beat."
Colby joined CUNA Mutual Group in 1977 as a corporate research specialist and has held various corporate, operational and strategic planning positions.
His knowledge of the national economy, the consumer financial marketplace and the credit union system has led him to many corporate and industry-level task force assignments, and he is widely recognized as a leading speaker at industry conferences.
Colby is a founding member of the Credit Union Economics Group, which provides a broad perspective on macroeconomic and credit union trends.
"It's been a great 37 years working with credit unions and CUNA Mutual Group," Colby said. "A big thank-you to CUNA Mutual for challenging me to make a difference for credit unions and their members. The most rewarding part of my job was exchanging insights with our customers who are responsible for delivering financial services to members on Main Street. I always felt re-energized after league events or credit union planning sessions. Steve Rick will do an excellent job letting everyone know the latest trends and what lies over the horizon. Thank you to everyone with whom I've worked. I hope I made a difference."
