Blaze President Dave Boden to retire on July 1
FALCON HEIGHTS, MN (May 10, 2024) — Blaze Credit Union has announced that President/Chief Transformation Officer Dave Boden will be retiring on Monday, July 1.
The announcement caps off Boden’s 20+ years serving Hiway Credit Union, first as its Senior Vice President/Chief Information Officer, then taking the helm as President/CEO in 2013. In January 2024, Hiway’s merger-of-equals with SPIRE Credit Union became official, creating Blaze Credit Union. Boden then assumed the role of President/Chief Transformation Officer to help develop and launch Blaze’s technology integration projects.
“It’s been a privilege to be part of Hiway Credit Union, and now Blaze, and the whole Minnesota credit union community,” said Boden. “I have so much and so many people to be grateful for, and it’s been an honor to be part of serving our members, and accomplishing some fantastic things working alongside our outstanding teams. My aim before retirement was to stay part of Blaze to assist with our transition, and just a few months in, there is still much work to do, but we’re in great shape! Going forward Blaze is in exceptional hands with our CEO, Dan Stoltz, our talented senior management team, and all of our amazing associates.”
Blaze CEO Dan Stoltz expressed his gratitude for Boden’s leadership.
“They don’t make leaders better than Dave,” he said. “As we brought our organizations together, his commitment to making it a success and taking care of our members, our associates, and our communities was so clear. I’m thankful for our time working together. He’s made me better, too, and I wish him all the best in retirement.”
Under Boden, Hiway Credit Union experienced significant growth in both assets and members. In addition to overseeing one of the nation’s largest mergers, Boden guided Hiway through many significant projects, including the launch of the Hiway Foundation, a branch network expansion, an organizational rebranding, and many critical technology initiatives. He also played a leading role in developing and supporting award-winning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; HYPE (Hiway’s Young Professionals); and Hiway GPS (Hiway’s service standards).
In addition, Boden is passionate about giving back to our communities, and to the credit union industry. He has been actively involved in the Minnesota Credit Union Network, and recently held the position of Chair for the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) Board of Directors. Boden has also served on the boards of Spare Key and Servion. He was one of ten Most Admired CEOs honored by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal in 2023, and he is recognized in the national Credit Union Hall of Leaders in Washington, DC.
Boden has also long championed efforts to support Gillette Children’s through associate giving, fundraising and outreach events, and especially the creation of the award-winning Hockey Kids4Kids program. Boden is also active in supporting service members, veterans and their families, and serves as chair of St. Paul’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network.
About Blaze Credit Union
Born in 2024 out of a merger-of-equals between Hiway Credit Union and SPIRE Credit Union, Blaze is a full-service financial institution, proudly serving Minnesota and Wisconsin residents with Depression-era roots dating back to 1931. Blaze serves nearly 250,000 members in Minnesota and beyond, registers $4.0B in assets, and serves 26 branch communities. Blaze is here to help members Go for it, whatever their “it” may be, providing guidance along life’s twists and turns. Driven by Midwestern values like community, integrity, and plain old hard work, Blaze Credit Union is committed to providing smart financial products, great rates, and top-tier service as it lives its mission of improving lives. For more information, please visit blazecu.com.
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