CEO of the Year More Than $500M Richard Hein Oregon State Credit Union Corvallis, Oregon “The 2023 award winners are dedicated stewards of the credit union mission and NAFCU is honored to recognize them for their exceptional representation of the industry,” says NAFCU Awards Committee Chair Eli Vazquez, CEO of Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union. “Over the past year, they went above and beyond for their members and have had a remarkable impact on their communities. The NAFCU Awards Committee is proud of their contributions to the success and strength of the industry.” There are two asset-size categories with four awards each: Credit unions with assets of more than $500 million and credit unions with assets of $500 million or less. A panel of credit union peers narrows the entries down from dozens of well-deserving candidates to just eight winners that have made an exceptional mark on the industry. For information on entering next year’s competition, visit www.nafcu.org/annualawards. Interested credit unions are encouraged to begin nominations in January 2024. Oregon State Credit Union has achieved significant growth and performance under Richard Hein’s leadership over the last twenty-three years. Hein aligns his team to the vision of creating financial solutions to make lives better and he believes in the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People.” As a leader, he ensures team members are engaged with both head and heart, motivating them to work together toward one purpose: to deliver an unsurpassed service experience to Oregon State Credit Union’s member-owners. In addition to member service, Hein has been an unwavering and dedicated champion for the credit union industry for 43 years and is passionate about industry advocacy. His passion ignites excitement in his teammates who respond to calls to action, attend “Hike the Hill” events and give generously to the credit union movement. In 2021, Hein moved Oregon State Credit Union’s federal advocacy partnership to NAFCU after seeing how closely his credit union and the association’s core values aligned. Since joining NAFCU, Hein’s passion for advocacy has been evidenced through his guidance of his team’s support for NAFCU/PAC campaigns. As a result, Oregon State Credit Union was honored with the prestigious White Hat Award the first year of the credit union’s participation in 2021 and has turned in another record-breaking campaign in 2022. Under Hein’s direction, the credit union has grown assets from $234 million to over $2.1 billion since 2000. Membership at Oregon State Credit Union has also grown to over 150,000, making it the state’s fifth largest financial cooperative. Hein has overseen several big changes and opportunities for growth, including expanding the credit union’s branch network from six to 15. He also spearheaded a strategic field of membership expansion in 2015 by initiating a charter change from federal to state, which increased the credit union’s counties of service from six to 24. Hein recognizes the important role he plays as a steward of Oregon State Credit Union’s culture and leads by example with integrity. His focus on doing the right thing has ensured that, financially, the credit union is in an excellent position for continued growth. 25 THE NAFCU JOURNAL September–October 2023
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