Submitted by WECU®
After 41 years as President/CEO at Whatcom Educational Credit Union, Wayne Langei will retire at the end of the month. Langei will be succeeded by current WECU® EVP/Chief Lending Officer Jennifer Kutcher, who joined the Credit Union 16 years ago. Kutcher is a graduate of Western Washington University and has earned the CUES Certified Chief Executive designation.
Langei plans to stay on with WECU® as a consultant to the new President/CEO through January 2015. Since his hiring in 1973, Langei has led the credit union through incredible growth. During his 41-year career as President/CEO, WECU® has grown from three employees and one million dollars in assets to over a billion dollars in assets and 330 employees.
“We thank Wayne for his 41 outstanding years of dedicated service as President/CEO. He is leaving WECU® well-positioned for even greater success in the future,” stated Phil Isle, Board Chair.
“I am very happy with the board’s decision to select Jennifer Kutcher as my successor. Jennifer’s knowledge, experience, values, and commitment to WECU® and our members will help shape a new and exciting future, remaining safe and secure for generations to come,” said Wayne Langei, retiring President/CEO.
The Board’s Succession Committee has been active in planning for the leadership transition. The Board retained an outside consultant, Gene O’Rourke, the Managing Director and Founder of O’Rourke and Associates, to help design a rigorous training process that Kutcher completed prior to selection.
