Press
Patrick Keefe named SVP, Communications
(March 11, 2014) — Patrick M. Keefe, with nearly 30 years’ experience of dealing with communications at the national level, is now senior vice president of communications for the Credit Union Natl. Assn. (CUNA), the nation’s largest credit union trade and advocacy group. He was formerly vice president of communications.
“Pat was promoted to this position based on his long service to credit unions, his experience here at CUNA and his interaction with our executive team,” said CUNA President and CEO Bill Cheney. “As senior vice president of communications, his role will be to ensure that CUNA continues to enhance its strong reputation as the leader of the credit union movement by all of our audiences, especially our member credit unions, the financial services industry, the Washington community and the public at large.”
Cheney noted that Keefe was named to the position after CUNA conducted a broad search to fill the chief communications officer position, considering nearly 90 applicants from across the nation. That list was winnowed down to about a half dozen finalists, who themselves held impressive credentials and experience, Cheney said.
Keefe has worked in CUNA Communications since 2000; before that, he was a communications executive with the National Assn. of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) in Arlington, Va., for 16 years. He is a former newspaper reporter and editor.
During his credit union career, he has been engaged in communications strategies and tactics affecting nearly every key issue for credit unions, including: Protecting the tax-exempt status of credit unions, bankruptcy reform, debit interchange, and – most recently – dealing with data security breaches.
In the late 1990s, he played a substantial role in planning and executing the Credit Union Campaign for Consumer Choice, which passed legislation to overturn a Supreme Court decision limiting credit union membership.
“I’m greatly honored to represent the credit union movement and will use my experience and background to help protect and advance the movement’s interests,” Keefe said.
About CUNA
With its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, Credit Union National Association (CUNA) serves America’s 6,900 state and federally chartered credit unions, which are owned by nearly 100 million consumer members. Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives providing affordable financial services to people from all walks of life. For more information about CUNA, visit www.cuna.org or follow @CUNA on Twitter. For more information about credit unions, visit www.aSmarterChoice.org and follow @asmarterchoice on Twitter. Visit the CUNA Press Room for a full listing of media mentions, press releases and resources to stay informed on current events within the credit union industry.