WASHINGTON—Bill Hampel will take over as interim president and CEO of CUNA on June 11, succeeding chief executive Bill Cheney, the trade association announced Wednesday.
Cheney is scheduled start as president and CEO of $10.2 billion SchoolsFirst FCU in Santa Ana, Calif., on June 11, taking over for Rudy Hanley who is retiring.
Hampel currently is CUNA's SVP of research and policy analysis and chief economist. He is a senior member of CUNA's credit union advocacy team in Washington, and one of the longest-tenured executives at the trade group. Hampel joined CUNA as an economist in 1978, was promoted to vice president in 1985, and then to senior vice president/chief economist in 1992.
"Bill has deep and broad knowledge and understanding of CUNA's top advocacy issues and operations of the organization," said CUNA Chairman Dennis Pierce in a statement. "He has demonstrated an ability to bring that background to bear in making decisions in the best interests of our members. During this interim period between CEOs, I expect CUNA and its members will have a steady hand at the helm."
Cheney noted Hampel's nearly four decades of experience in credit union policy issues as well as with Congress, regulators, state associations, credit unions and the press.
"I've worked with Bill on a host of issues affecting the credit union system at large and policy issues specifically," said Cheney. "Bill understands intuitively what credit unions need and want; I fully endorse his selection to oversee CUNA's efforts during the interim period."
Prior to joining CUNA, Hampel was an assistant professor of economics at the University of Montana at Missoula. Before that he was an instructor of economics at Iowa State University at Ames.
CUNA Senior Economist/Vice President Mike Schenk will become acting chief economist for the association when Hampel becomes interim chief executive.
