GRAND RAPIDS, MI (June 14, 2022) — Barbara Page, who has served as President/CEO of Intandem Credit Union since 2015, has announced her intention to retire effective March 3, 2023.
The Board of Directors has unanimously voted that Executive Vice President since 2017, Kristen Plichta, will assume the duties of President/CEO effective July 1, 2022. Page will stay on with the credit union to manage certain projects and assist with a smooth transition for Plichta.
“The Board of Directors has been fortunate to work with Barbara, who has not only demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, but has also been a strong advocate and visionary for the credit union movement,“ said Jon Denhof, board chair of Intandem Credit Union. “This leadership has translated into excellent services for our members.”
Page came to what was then known as Kent County Credit Union in 2008 as the VP of Operations and was elevated to President/CEO in 2015. Under her watch, assets grew by 66% and more net income was generated in her six years at the helm than in the previous 20 years combined. It is this financial success that continues to fund more and better services for Intandem’s members. It has also allowed the credit union to reinvent itself to better align its image with its vision of improving the lives of its members and strengthening the communities it serves.
“Serving as the President/CEO of Intandem Credit Union has been a great honor. Words cannot express how I feel about our credit union family. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity, support and confidence shown by the Board of directors over the course of my tenure,” said Page. “I truly have had a gratifying and fulfilling career over the past 42 years.”
Page is proud of the credit union’s growth but said that it was all possible because of a dedicated and loyal board of directors and a team of talented people that are invested in the credit union’s success. “It has been a privilege to work with such a talented and inspiring team and would like to express my immense gratitude to the employees of Intandem CU for all the success they helped our Credit Union achieve, and for their dedicated service to our members”, said Page. “This is a bittersweet moment for me, but feel the time is right. The Credit Union has been my family for so many years; however, I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life, whatever that may be. In the meantime, I’m excited to spend more time with my husband and grandchildren. I am forever grateful for the support, respect, and encouragement from everyone over the years.”
During the selection process to find Page’s successor, the Board of Directors worked with a consultant to complete their due diligence. “It became very apparent to the Board that Kristen Plichta, the current Executive VP, not only possesses the background we are looking for, but during her past five years with the credit union, she has been an integral and effective part of Intandem’s management team,” said Denhof. “The Board is unanimous in the appointment of Kristen as our new President/CEO. We are confident in her ability to continue the outstanding performance of the credit union for our membership.”
Plichta joined the team in late 2017 and brings 28 years of experience in the credit union industry. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Western Michigan University and the credit union designations of Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist (BSACS) and Credit Union Human Resources Compliance Professional (CUHRCP).
“It’s an honor to be asked to lead Intandem into the future,” Plichta said. “We have an extraordinary team of people that care about the work they do and making a positive impact on our members’ lives. Barbara has created a strong infrastructure. It’s been an absolute pleasure working for and with her over the past five years to help create that. With an outstanding team and a supportive and engaged board, I am looking forward to the ways we will build on that infrastructure moving forward.”
“I am pleased with the Board’s decision to appoint Kristen,” Page said. “She has been part of our team since 2017 and has years of experience in the credit union industry. I am looking forward to continued growth and success of the credit union under Kristen’s leadership. Kristen is experienced, intelligent, hard-working, a good decision maker, and has a genuine desire to carry Intandem Credit Union’s legacy of outstanding member service into the future. I am confident that this transition will be seamless thanks to the amazing team we have in place.”
For more information, visit: Intandemcu.com
Barbara Page
Kristen Plichta
Intandem Credit Union has been serving families and their community since 1956. The credit union provides financial services to members, and financial support to their community of West Michigan. Today the credit union serves more than 6,000 members with 2 branch locations.
Courtney Mertel
Marketing Specialist
Intandem Credit Union
888.336.3490 Ext. 106
courtneym@intandemcu.com
