HOUSTON — Houston Metropolitan Federal Credit Union said Barbara Stephens will retire after 23 years as its president and CEO, with Malcolm René scheduled to take the helm on June 1.
Eric Dargan, chairman of the board for the $48 million CU, thanked Stephens for her dedication to Houston Metropolitan FCU.
"Barbara has provided a tremendous service to our credit union by delivering outstanding leadership for more than two decades," Dargan said in a statement. "She will be missed, but we are excited for her as she opens a new chapter in her life."
The CU said René was found by a "thorough executive search" conducted by Credit Union Resources. He comes from $84 million United Community Credit Union, Galena Park, Texas, an eastern suburb of Houston. There he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer, managing all of the strategic activities of the credit union, including lending, investments, accounting, marketing, business development and human resources.
René serves in many credit union associations, including the Cornerstone Credit Union Association International Relations and Communications Committees, the Corporate American Corporate Credit Union National Users Committee, and the Fiserv Galaxy Data Processing System National Users Committee. Additionally, René serves as the Chairman of Public Relations, Media, and Advertising Coop. of the Houston Chapter of Credit Unions.
René holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major emphasis in Finance from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. He is a graduate of the Southwest CUNA Management School at Texas Christian University.
