WASHINGTON – Several candidates are testing the waters for the pending opening on the NCUA Board, who will probably become chairman of the agency–with two former Board members among the group.
They are David Chatfield, the former president of the California CU League, who served on the NCUA Board from 1988 to 1989 and Geoff Bacino, who served in 2000 to 2 001. Chatfield, who retired to live in Hawaii two years ago, is being boosted by the California league and has strong political connections himself built up over three decades of influence in the credit union movement. Bacino has proven himself a canny politician having been appointed to the NCUA Board by Democratic President Bill Clinton and to the Federal Housing Finance Board, the former regulator for the Federal Home Loan Banks, by Republican President George Bush. Both are Democrats.
Also expressing interest in the job are: Robert Hall, former executive assistant to NCUA Chairman Norm D’Amours, then a lobbyist for Navy FCU and operative for Fannie Mae; and Caroline Jordan, executive director for NCUA under D’Amours, according to several sources.
Another candidate who has expressed interest is Michael Reyna, former chairman of the Farm Credit Administration Board.
The next opening on the three-member NCUA Board is scheduled to occur in April when Rodney Hood’s six-year term expires.
But new Democratic President Barack Obama could designate Gigi Hyland, the only Democrat currently on the board, as chairman and move aside current chairman, Republican Michael Fryzel.
