After more than 30 years at the Kentucky Credit Union League, President and CEO Wendell Lyons will retire on Jan. 1, 2019, and will be succeeded by EVP Debbie Painter.
Lyons has spent 42 years in the credit union movement and been at the helm of the league for 18 years. Prior to taking over as CEO, he was director of governmental affairs for the league. He has also served as the chair of the American Association of Credit Union Leagues and was inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in February.
During his time at the league, Lyons has seen Kentucky credit union membership grow from 700,000 to 850,000.
Painter joined the league in 2000 and currently serves as its executive vice president. During her time at the league she has defended Kentucky’s credit unions’ tax status before the state’s general assembly, brought political action committee fundraising to record highs and worked closely with Lyons to win a field-of-membership battle against bankers in Kentucky’s Supreme Court.
Painter has spent nearly four decades in the credit union movement, having begun her career in 1979 at Fort Knox Federal Credit Union. She received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Sullivan University in Business Management and is a graduate of the Credit Union Management Institute and CUNA Management School.
“I am so humbled and honored to be named the next president/CEO of the Kentucky Credit Union League,” Painter said in a press release. “We have tremendous opportunities ahead and I am excited to help lead our credit unions forward and to assist in their growth and success.”
