Golden 1 Credit Union President and CEO appointed to California Credit Union League Board of Directors
Donna Bland brings decades of financial industry knowledge and experience to nation’s largest state trade association for credit unions
SACRAMENTO, CA (March 23, 2022) — Golden 1 Credit Union today announced President and CEO Donna Bland (Bland) has been appointed to the board of directors for the California Credit Union League, representing the interests of 279 locally headquartered credit unions in California and their nearly 13.3 million members.
“I’m excited to expand my involvement in the California Credit Union League and join its dynamic board of accomplished members to further foster the organization’s commitment of changing people’s lives through advocacy and education,” said Bland. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to advance its mission and further grow awareness about the credit union difference.”
Golden 1’s President and CEO since 2010, Bland has been an integral part of Golden 1’s industry leadership in exceptional service, employee engagement, community support, and responsible financial management. Under Bland’s leadership, Golden 1 has grown to over $18 billion in assets and over 1 million members, making it the largest credit union in California by membership size. She is one of only two women at the helm of a top-10 credit union in the United States.
“With more than 25 years of industry experience, Donna is an incredibly valuable addition to our board,” said Diana Dykstra, President and CEO of the League. “As one of California’s top credit union leaders, Donna’s expertise will play an important role in ensuring the sustained health of our member credit unions.”
Bland also serves on the Visa Senior Client Council, California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation’s Credit Union Advisory Committee, and the CUNA Credit Union Powers Subcommittee and is a member of the board of directors for the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council and Sacramento Host Committee. She previously served on the Credit Union Direct Lending (CUDL) board from 2011 to 2020.
In 2021, Donna received the Leadership California “Trailblazer Award” and was recognized as a “Top 100 Women Leaders in Finance” by Women We Admire. In 2020, Bland was named a “Most Admired CEO” by the Sacramento Business Journal and in 2016, she was included among the Sacramento Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” and was named one of Bizwomen’s “100 Women to Watch.” She was also named “Businesswoman of the Year” by the Sacramento Metro Chamber in 2015.
Under Bland’s leadership, Golden 1 has received numerous prestigious awards for excellence, including Forbes Best-In-State Employer (2021, 2020, 2019), American Banker’s Top 3 Most Admired Financial Institutions (2021), Credit Union Journal’s Best Credit Union to Work For (2021), Nerd Wallet’s Best Credit Union in California (2022, 2020), Business Insider’s Best Credit Union in California (2022, 2021, 2020), and the Sacramento Business Journal’s Corporate Citizenship Award (2021, 2020).
Prior to joining Golden 1, Bland was a manager at KPMG, an international accounting firm. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from San Francisco State University.
About Golden 1 Credit Union
With more than $20 billion in assets, Golden 1 Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the United States, providing easy access to the financial solutions, resources, and support their members and communities need to improve their well-being. Golden 1 is committed to creating a more equitable and financially inclusive California and proudly serves all those who live or work there. Golden 1 is more than 1.1 million members strong and has over 2,100 employees. Visit golden1.com for more information.
