Kim Withers, Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union’s longtime President and CEO, has announced her retirement effective January 12th, 2024. Kim has been with Meridian Trust for 32 years, and under her leadership, Meridian Trust has grown from $95 million in assets to over $667 million in assets today, along with 12 strategically located branches serving 41,000 members across three states.
During her tenure, Meridian Trust was named “Credit Union of the Year” by the Mountain West Credit Union Association and “Best Credit Union in the state of Wyoming” by Forbes magazine. Kim has received numerous accolades during her career that include the First Place Winner of the Wyoming Business Report’s “Wyoming Women of Influence Award” in 2013; “Executive/CEO of the Year” in 2007 by CUES (Credit Union Executives Society); and in 2008 Kim became the first person from Wyoming to be inducted into the “CUES Hall of Fame.” Kim has led the credit union with vision, passion, and unrelenting determination; and she has made a significant impact on the credit union movement at the local, state, and national level.
As her successor, the Board of Directors has announced that they have selected Bryan Thomas. Bryan has been with Meridian Trust for over five years, serving in the role of Executive Vice President since July 2018, overseeing various strategic initiatives, including mergers, branch expansion, and robust digital solutions for its members.
Bryan is a 23-year veteran of the credit union industry, with 16 years in executive leadership. He received his Bachelor of Science and MBA from Colorado State University. He is a graduate of CUNA (Credit Union National Association) Finance School and the CUES CEO Institute.
Dean Fausset, Chairman of the Meridian Trust Board of Directors, said, ““Kim has always been an incredible visionary, whether it’s building new branches to serve members in more areas, or expanding the digital offerings to allow members to conduct their financial transactions from anywhere. She has a history of always doing the right thing, whether it’s for credit union members, the community, or the 100 plus employees. She does it all with intelligence, foresight, and a contagious and optimistic can-do spirit,” Dean continued. “She’s created an environment of engagement, where good ideas grow and thrive. While we will miss her greatly, we also have the utmost confidence in Bryan Thomas to take Meridian Trust to the next level. We’re excited about our future.”
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Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative providing consumer and business financial services to more than 41,000 members. Meridian Trust has been recognized as a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union, and Credit Union of the Year by the Mountain West Credit Union Association. For more information, visit MyMeridianTrust.com.
