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President & CEO of Discovery FCU Announces Plans to Retire

by Discovery Federal Credit Union

Jun 13, 2022

After 26 years of service to Discovery Federal Credit Union, its members, and the national credit union movement at large, Edwin L. Williams, CPA, CUDE, has announced plans to retire from his position as Discovery Federal Credit Union’s President & CEO by the end of the year.

Operating with the benefit of advanced notice of William’s retirement plans, Discovery Federal Credit Union’s Board of Directors has formed a committee to conduct a comprehensive search for his successor. Williams will continue to serve as President/CEO while the search is ongoing, and will work with his successor and the Board on a transition plan when a decision is made. The Board expects to name a successor in the coming months. The search for a successor candidate will be conducted by Hubric Resources of Wyomissing, PA.

Williams began his career at Discovery FCU, then known as Reading Works Federal Credit Union in 1997 as the President/CEO. At that time, the credit union had approximately $46 million in total assets and served 4,500 members. Today, Discovery FCU has over $180 million in total assets and serves nearly 9,000 members.

As the second CEO in Discovery Federal Credit Union’s 63-year history, Williams has orchestrated the transition of Discovery FCU from being a small, occupational-based credit union for the employees of AT&T Technologies with limited services, to a thriving community-based credit union serving all of Greater Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania offering a full suite of products, services, and technology that compete with the largest of financial institutions.

Under his pioneering leadership, the credit union has undergone a name change, charter conversion, rebranding, construction of new headquarters and most recently major branch renovations, three mergers, a core conversion, two online and mobile banking conversions, the introduction of a multitude of products and services to meet the changing needs of its member-owners and the transformation to a digital-first strategic growth strategy.

All through this expansion, his team has taken great pride in continuing to provide world-class service to all its member-owners and serving them the way they deserve to be served.

During his tenure, Discovery FCU consistently achieved high member satisfaction scores, received numerous industry awards, and local and national honors, and has been recognized as one of the Top 200 Healthiest Credit Unions in America for the past three consecutive years by DepositAcccounts.com

“As I close my chapter with Discovery FCU, I am proud that we are a healthy, high-performing Credit Union,” said Williams. “In my role as a leader, I am fortunate to have worked with so many talented and passionate employees, volunteers and Board of Directors who helped create a forward-thinking organization focused on delivering exceptional service for the betterment and benefit of our member-owners. As I step back to spend more time with my wife, children, and grandchildren, I look forward to seeing the exciting ways Discovery FCU will continue to grow and innovate in the years to come.”

Williams has made a profound impact on the credit union community locally and nationally. He has served on the Credit Union National Association Board of Directors, the National Credit Union Foundation Board of Directors, the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation Board of Directors, the CrossState Credit Union Association Awards Committee, The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Council, the National Credit Union Association Awards Committee, the Greater Berks County Food Bank Board of Directors, the St. Ignatius Loyola Finance Committee, the BCIAA Volleyball Officials Board, the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce Business Community Advocacy Council, testified before the House Financial Services Committee and participated in several political events advocating for and on behalf of the credit union movement.

In 2020 Williams received the distinguished William W. Pratt Professional of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award by the CrossState Credit Union Association.

“Ed is a visionary leader, a steward of credit union principles and values, and a respected mentor and friend to the countless colleagues he has touched over the course of his career. His impact on Discovery Federal Credit Union, the Berks County community, and the national credit union industry truly cannot be overstated. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee and Discovery Federal Credit Union’s entire community, I wish him well on his retirement,” said Robert Shaner, Chair, Discovery Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

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