Red Rocks Credit Union is officially placing the organization in the trusted and capable hands of Darius Wise as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to the announcement, Wise was leading as President and Interim CEO. The announcement comes on the heels of an exhaustive eight-month search to fill the role with the $346,576,542 Denver-based organization, at which time the Board of Directors saw Wise rise to the top of an incredibly talented pool of candidates.
Red Rocks’ Board Chair Joeri Carty noted, “Darius is a leader of leaders. He was thoughtful and diligent in stewarding our credit union not only out of the financial and emotional turmoil of a pandemic but led the way through a year-long core conversion to ensure a better experience for our more than 17,000 members. He successfully navigated the hurdles that come with significant leadership changes, and delivered a return to profitability in less than a year at the helm. To say we are excited to have him in the role, well that is an understatement.”
Wise began his career with the credit union in 2019 as Chief Impact Officer. Before working in the financial services sector, he spent more than 17 years in pastoral ministry and leadership including key executive positions with Denver United Church and CrossPurpose, a nonprofit that seeks to help families in the Denver area escape poverty and pursue their dreams. In addition, he has served on several notfor-profit boards, including Denver Institute for Faith & Work and Young Life.
“My experience is unique. Until three years ago, I was an outsider to the credit union industry. I think it’s just this unique experience combined with leadership roles in service-based industries that positioned me well to come in and look at things differently. I’m thrilled the Board has placed the trust in me to continue to propel Red Rocks Credit Union on this upward trajectory, and look forward to continuing to do the great work our team has been so focused on in recent years.
A visionary leader, serial change agent, and national speaker, Wise is in constant pursuit of lifelong learning opportunities. He received a Certificate for Leadership in an Exponentially Changing World from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, pursued a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Leadership from Denver Seminary, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta.