Longtime NYCUA CEO William Mellin To Step Down At Year-End
By CU Today Staff —
ALBANY, N.Y.—William J. Mellin will step down as president and CEO of the New York Credit Union Association at the end of 2026, concluding a 32-year career with the organization, including 26 years as its top executive, the league announced Thursday.
Mellin will remain in his role as president and CEO through Dec. 31, 2026, during which he will focus on succession planning and a smooth handoff of responsibilities, ensuring that institutional knowledge, key relationships, and ongoing initiatives carry forward without interruption, the league said.
NYCUA Chief Operating Officer Chris Pajak will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations of the organization and its affiliated entities throughout the remainder of 2026 and until the formal appointment of the organization’s next president and CEO. The board said it is confident in Pajak’s ability to lead NYCUA’s operations during this period, pointing to the extensive experience and institutional knowledge Pajak brings after many years on NYCUA’s senior leadership team.
Since being named president and CEO in 2000, Mellin has guided NYCUA and its affiliated entities, including OwnersChoice Funding, UsNet Shared Branching, and the New York Credit Union Foundation, helping credit unions statewide grow, innovate, and deepen their impact on the members and communities they serve.
Under his leadership, total credit union assets in New York have grown from $36 billion to over $133 billion, and total credit union membership has grown from 4 million to almost 7.5 million. The Association's 2025 membership survey also reported a 97% overall member satisfaction score, with the share of New York credit unions that are NYCUA members growing from about 70% early in Mellin's tenure to 86% today, the league noted.
"On behalf of the entire board, and the broader credit union community, I want to thank Bill for more than three decades of dedicated service to New York's credit unions," said Ryan Roberts, NYCUA board chair and president and CEO of Great Meadow Federal Credit Union. "Since 2000, Bill has led NYCUA with vision, integrity, and an unwavering belief in the power of the 'people helping people' philosophy. His impact reaches far beyond our organization, and the credit union movement across New York, as well as the nation, is stronger because of his leadership. As we begin this transition, the Board is committed to honoring what Bill built by carrying the organization forward with the same care he brought to it every day."
The league stated it anticipates launching a board-led search committee in Q4 2026 to identify NYCUA’s next president and CEO, with additional details expected in Q1 2027.
Originally reported by CU Today.