State Supreme Court Rebuffs CU Whistleblower

PIERRE, S.D. – The state Supreme Court last week rejected a suit by a former First Century FCU executive who claimed he was forced to resign after reporting allegations the CEO was stealing funds to finance a gambling habit. Chad Anderson, who was executive vice president of the credit union, resigned July 1, 2002. He had informed other credit union officials of unusual activity involving the personal accounts of Jill Handel, who was the president and CEO, and her boyfriend, Jarrod Haacke. Had Anderson waited one more day before resigning, he would have learned that the board of directors decided at a special meeting to request a special audit into Handel's account activities, which led to her dismissal. But the state High Court ruled that Anderson could not prove that he was being singled out at work for his purported whistleblowing. "Anderson was unable to show that Handel singled him out for ill treatment," wrote Chief Justice David Gilbertson. Handel was eventually fired in December 2002, after more than 20 years at the credit union. But she never was charged with any wrongdoing. Handel and Haacke died six months later in a propane explosion at their home in Crooks.