Former NCUA Board Member Bob Swan Dies
SALT LAKE CITY–Former NCUA board member Robert Swan has died.
Mr. Swan, who served on the NCUA board from 1990-96, had served as a credit union executive in Utah prior to joining the agency and was active in credit unions and at CU conferences after he left.
It was his exit from NCUA for which he may best be remembered. A Democrat appointed by President George Bush, Swan defied several requests from the Clinton White House that he step down at the end of his term. Swan was dismissed by president Clinton and replaced by Yolanda Wheat as a recess appointment.
He then sued the President to regain his job, going as far as to form “Trust to Preserve an Independent N.C.U.A.” to help offset his legal expenses.
Swan argued that without a Senate approval Wheat could not join the board. Swan, who often disagreed with fellow Democrat and chairman Norm D‚Amours, lost the case and Wheat joined the board.
CUNA Backs Candidates In Early Illinois Primary
WASHINGTON–CUNA stepped into three races–winning two–in the Feb. 4 congressional primaries in Illinois, the earliest congressional primaries ever held in any state.
The three CUNA-backed candidates were vying to fill the seats of senior Republican House members who retired late last year, including former Speaker Dennis Hastert.
The race to succeed Hastert was problematic, with CUNA contributing the maximum allowable $5,000 to state senator Chris Lauzen, who lost the Republican primary.
But CUNA fared better in the other two races, contributing $5,000 each to Democratic state senator Debbie Halvorson, who is favored to win the seat held by Jerry Weller for 14 years, and to Republican state representative Aaron Shock, who is favored to win the seat held by Ray LaHood, who retired after seven terms.
CUNA also made its annual tithe to various entities of the Democratic and Republican parties last month, including $15,000 each to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the Republican Governors Association (See related story, page 10).
U of I CU Hires CEO From Nearby CU
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.–University of Illinois Employees CU announced it has hired E.J. Donaghey, president of Hawthorne CU the last five years, to be its new CEO.
Donaghey, 41, had been vice president of strategic planning and business development at Baxter CU before heading Hawthorne CU, a $142-million credit union in nearby Naperville, Ill.
The opening at the $160-million U of Illinois Employees CU was created by last summer’s retirement of president Charles Rutan. Since then, Greg Anderson has served as interim president.
Visit www.cujournal.com
