John Hirabayashi, CEO of Community First Credit Union since 1996, will retire as chief executive and president in 2024, the Jacksonville-based institution announced Sept. 6.
Community First said it will conduct a national search for a successor, which it expects to take nine months. Hirabayashi, 65, will stay on until the successor is in place.
“The Board is fully prepared for this transition and will provide continuity of service throughout,” Board Chair Lindy Prudencio said in a news release.
The institution was known as Educational Community Credit Union when Hirabayashi joined it in 1996. It had $200 million in assets, 44,000 members and seven branches.
Under, Hirabayashi’s leadership, it has grown to $2.7 billion in assets with 19 branches, more than 171,000 members and 400 employees. It has three more branches under development.
“This evolution and growth reflects the credit union’s mission to improve quality of life and banking services to residents and businesses of the Jacksonville region,” Hirabayashi said in the release.