The Community First Credit Union board of directors elected Sam Inman as its new chief executive officer and president, effective Aug. 31.
He will succeed John Hirabayashi, who is retiring this summer.
Inman, 61, currently is chief financial officer and chief risk officer at the Jacksonville-based financial institution.
He has been with Community First for more than 34 years and has played a key role in growing its assets from $156 million to $2.7 billion, according to a June 7 news release from the credit union.
Inman was selected after a comprehensive national search.
Board Chair Malinda Prudencio led the CEO search committee in partnership with a national search firm.
“Sam was the top candidate among some of the finest credit union leaders in the country,” Prudencio said in the release. “We believe he is the best leader to secure and expand Community First’s future.”
Hirabayashi announced his plans to retire Sept. 6, 2023. He said then that he would stay on until a successor was in place.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Sam during my entire 28-year career with Community First,” Hirabayashi said in the release. “He has been instrumental to our growth and financial stability. I am confident Sam will build upon our successes and take the credit union to the next level.”
The institution was known as Educational Community Credit Union when Hirabayashi joined it in 1996 when it had $200 million in assets, 44,000 members and seven branches.
Community First Credit Union now has more than $2.7 billion in assets, 175,000 members and 24 locations.
“The credit union is an incredible local asset for our membership and our region. I look forward to continuing the culture of engagement with our employees, members and community,” Inman said.