Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union Chooses Richard Romero as New CEO
SEATTLE, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union (SMCU) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Richard Romero as the Credit Union's new Chief Executive Officer.
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"I knew (SMCU) was the right place for me," Romero stated when asked what attracted him to Seattle Metropolitan. "I saw a close relationship between the 7 Principles and my management style and beliefs. I'm a strong believer in the cooperative model and I wanted to make sure I would land somewhere that shared the same philosophies.
"I believe that now is the time for cooperatives, such as credit unions, to really stand out and become part of the solution. Serving the underserved and looking for opportunities to provide services that are affordable, fair and competitive is what the public needs and SMCU is primed to deliver."
Romero has over 24 years of financial services experience, most recently as the Chief Operations Officer at $820MM Los Angeles Firemen's Credit Union (LAFCU) from 2004 to 2012. As LAFCU's COO he led teams responsible for consumer lending, member services, operations, call center, facilities, real estate and business services, commercial lending and information technology.
Mr. Romero started in the financial services industry in 1988 as a part-time teller at Great Western Bank and worked his way through most branch positions.
In 1995, he was promoted to oversee the operations of 45 branches in Southern and Central California. After a merger, he spent more than two years as a project manager on projects ranging from Y2K for a small bank to customer service projects for Washington Mutual.
In 2000, Romero transitioned to the credit union world as a Director of Branches at Telesis Community Credit Union.
In 2002 he was promoted to Vice President. As a VP, he oversaw consumer lending, call center operations, branch network, and small business lending.
In 2004, he moved to Los Angeles Firemen's Credit Union.
Mr. Romero holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from the University of La Verne.
He is expected to assume his duties as CEO for SMCU in mid-February.
About SMCU
Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union, "Home of the Seven Cooperative Principles," has provided sound solutions to its members' financial needs since 1933. Originally founded by City of Seattle municipal employees who wanted a fairer and more accessible financial institution, Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union now serves the entire State of Washington with a full range of financial services.
SOURCE Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union
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