CU Direct Announces the Appointment of Thayne Shaffer and Bill Cheney to Board of Directors
CUSO Expands its Board Leadership, Adding America First Credit Union’s Thayne Shaffer and SchoolsFirst Credit Union’s Bill Cheney.
Irvine, California, September 8, 2021 – CU Direct, the nation’s leading developer of lending software technology for the credit union industry, today announced the appointment of Thayne Shaffer and Bill Cheney to the company’s board of directors.
Thayne Shaffer, president & CEO of Riverdale, Utah-based America First Credit Union ($15.8 billion in assets and 1,207,701 members), has joined the company’s board as its newest director. Bill Cheney, president & CEO of Santa Ana, California-based SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($25.8 billion in assets and 1,162,291 members), has joined the board as associate director.
Shaffer has 36 years of experience in the credit union industry, serving as the president and CEO of America First since April 2021. Cheney has more than 35 years of experience in the credit union and financial services industry, including president and CEO of CUNA, president and CEO of California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, and serving as SchoolsFirst’s president and CEO since 2014.
“It’s a privilege to be serving on CU Direct’s board,” noted Shaffer. “CU Direct provides critical industry-owned loan origination technology, playing a key role in credit unions’ ability to remain competitive in a rapidly-changing lending landscape.”
“I’m honored to be serving on CU Direct’s board of directors,” said Cheney. “I look forward to working with the board and management of CU Direct to continue to develop and deliver innovative lending technology solutions that provide a true marketplace edge for credit unions.”
“Thayne and Bill bring great industry experience and expertise to the board, leading two of the most successful credit union lending programs in the country and very important partners to CU Direct,” noted Tony Boutelle, president & CEO of CU Direct. “We’re very pleased and fortunate to have them serving on CU Direct’s board, and I’m excited to be working with them.”
Also serving on CU Direct’s Board of Directors are: chairperson, Jim Laffoon, president and CEO, Security Service FCU; vice chairperson, Erin Mendez, president & CEO, Patelco Credit Union; secretary and treasurer, Bob McKay, president & CEO, Together Credit Union; Keith Sultemeier, CEO, Kinecta Federal Credit Union; Benson Porter, president & CEO, BECU; Nader Moghaddam, president & CEO, Financial Partners Credit Union; Todd Marksberry, president & CEO, Canvas Credit Union; Kim Sponem, president & CEO, Summit Credit Union; and Sterling Nielsen, president & CEO, Mountain America Credit Union, ex-officio member of the board.
About CU Direct
CU Direct delivers enterprise lending solutions and technology to over 1,100 financial institutions under the Origence brand and to 15,000 auto dealers under the CUDL brand.
We are committed to delivering technology and solutions that meet the demands of an evolving financial landscape by bringing innovation and expertise to indirect lending, consumer loan origination, digital lending, marketing automation and CRM, online auto shopping, and outsourced origination services and loan processing.
CU Direct maintains an unwavering commitment to transformative thinking and has been at the forefront of change and innovation in our industry.
