Mountain West Credit Union Association (MWCUA) President/CEO Scott Earl is announcing his plan to retire at the end of June 2022. As President/CEO of MWCUA, Earl advocates on behalf of member credit unions, 4.2 million credit union members and $65 billion in assets throughout Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Earl has served in his current role since the formation of MWCUA in 2011 with the merger of the Arizona Credit Union League, the Credit Union Association of Colorado, and the Credit Union Association of Wyoming. At the time of the merger, Earl was serving as president/CEO of the Arizona Credit Union League, a position he held since 2007.

Spanning nearly 40 years, Earl began his credit union career in 1982 as the marketing director at the Utah Credit Union League. He spent 22 years with that organization, the last 12 years as CEO. He also had the opportunity to run the Credit Unions for Kids Program at Children’s Miracle Network and serve as vice president of league relations and disaster preparedness at CUNA.

During his tenure, Earl has led efforts:

• Championing the use of blockchain technology leading to the creation of CULedger, now Bonifii, which enables trusted digital transactions.
• Looking for new and innovative ways to serve credit unions in compliance led to a partnership with AffirmX, a top-tier compliance solution. This later led to the purchase of the AffirmX technology with 7 other leagues and service organizations to create CU Risk Intelligence (CURI).
• Credit Union Vendor Management (CUVM), a CUSO originally owned by 8 Colorado credit unions and MWCUA, was purchased by MWCUA, CU Solutions Group and Leverage and has grown into another effective solution for credit unions.
• As a member of the first Development Educator (DE) class in 1982, Scott was instrumental in the early years of this program serving as a mentor and member of the core staff. The DE Program is administered through the National Credit Union Foundation.
• In 1997, Scott spent several weeks in Moldova working with a small international group to draft the country’s first Credit Union Act.
• During his tenure in Utah, the state became the epicenter of banker attacks. Scott worked closely with outstanding Utah credit union leaders to beat back each attack.
• Assisting and supporting MWCUA members during the COVID-19 pandemic including spearheading efforts to recognize credit unions on the state level with designations as “essential services,” and actively participating with each state’s leadership’s emergency response. Further supporting members through the creation of a pandemic-specific resource bank on the MWCUA website, and organizing regular town hall meetings with legislators, regulators, economists, and other subject-matter experts to assist credit unions as financial first responders.
• Redefining and building out a grassroots political advocacy engagement system that continues to grow and be a model for other Leagues.

“The Board of Directors expresses its heartfelt gratitude for Scott’s tireless dedication and service, not only to the credit unions in the Mountain West region, but to the entire credit union movement itself,” said Todd Marksberry, board chair and president/CEO of Canvas Credit Union, Lone Tree, Colo.. “Scott’s leadership, integrity and heart for our credit unions, our members and our communities has been an inspiration for so many credit union leaders over the years. And his legacy of servant leadership will have a lasting impact on our credit union family for many years to come. We thank Scott and wish him, his wife, Bonny, and their family all the best in his retirement.”

In addition to his work at MWCUA, Scott serves on the Credit Union National Association Board of Directors, treasurer of Credit Union House, the Plexcity Board of Directors, the Bonifii Board of Directors, the League InfoSight Board of Directors, the CU Risk Intelligence Board of Directors, and is a past member of the CUNA Strategic Services (CSS) Board of Directors. He was chairman of the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL), chaired the Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC), was on the Filene Research Institute’s Board of Directors and served twice as a trustee for Western CUNA Management School.

“I have been tremendously blessed to work in such a meaningful and fulfilling movement throughout my entire career,” Earl said. “I have had many opportunities to work alongside colleagues whose passion and heart have developed credit unions into what they are today, the consumer’s best financial partner. I’m proud of our efforts at the Association, having created a regional system of support and collaboration for our members. I’m certain the work we began with the formation of the Association in 2011 and over the past decade is a solid foundation for an exciting and bright future.”

The Mountain West Credit Union Association Board has named a search committee to determine the path forward for the Association.