Central 1 Credit Union (Central 1) has named Don Wright as its new president & CEO, effective January 6.
Wright, who was most recently president, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), has had a long career spanning both the public and private sectors and across a range of industries.
Prior to joining BCIT he held posts in the province’s public sector as deputy minister of both B.C.’s Forestry Ministry and Ministry of Education as well as secretary to B.C.’s Treasury Board.
In the private sector, Wright has served as vice president of forestry, environment and corporate affairs for Weldwood of Canada. As the principal of Analytica Consulting, his projects included acting as chief negotiator for the Province of British Columbia in the softwood lumber negotiations with the United States, commissioner to review teacher collective bargaining in B.C. and advising private sector clients on merger and acquisition strategies.
Wright holds an M.A. in economics from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.
Helen Blackburn, currently in the role of interim president & CEO, will be returning to her role as chief financial officer and senior vice president, strategy on January 6.
Also on January 6, Dan Blue, presently interim CFO, will return to the position of vice president, finance.
Central 1 is the central financial facility and trade association for the B.C. and Ontario credit union systems and is owned by its member credit unions, 44 in B.C. and 96 in Ontario. It represents a full-service retail financial system that collectively serves 3.2 million members and holds $91 billion in assets.