When you spend nearly three decades at one company, you either really love what you do or you’ve mastered the art of hiding from HR. For Alex Rascón, it’s definitely the former. GECU—one of Texas and New Mexico’s heavyweight federal credit unions—just handed him the keys to the kingdom as their new President and CEO.
Rascón takes over from Crystal Long, who hung up her executive badge on May 1, 2026, after a career-defining run guiding the credit union through years of growth and change. It’s the kind of leadership transition that matters: a respected veteran stepping aside for someone who’s been in the trenches and knows the organization inside and out.
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From CFO to CEO: A Natural Progression
This isn’t some outside hire parachuting in with a “fresh perspective” and a stack of buzzwords. Rascón earned this role the old-fashioned way—by doing pretty much every important job at GECU over his 28-year tenure. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, where he juggled accounting, treasury, business intelligence, the card portfolio, human resources, and the credit union’s overall financial performance. You know, light reading.
Before that CFO stint, he ran branch operations, community development, and communications. He even launched GECU’s business intelligence department, which in non-jargon terms means he helped the credit union make smarter decisions based on actual data instead of gut feelings and crossed fingers.
Why This Matters Now
“The appointment of Alex Rascón marks an exciting new chapter for GECU,” said Gregory J. Watters, GECU’s Board Chairman. “He brings the highest level of leadership, deep industry experience, and a forward-thinking approach to meet the evolving needs of our members. We are confident Alex will guide GECU into its next chapter of growth while continuing to focus on our members and the communities we serve.”
And speaking of growth—GECU isn’t just treading water. The credit union has ballooned into El Paso’s largest independently owned financial institution, with more than $4.5 billion in assets and over 441,000 member-owners across the country. That’s not a typo.
The timing of this leadership change lines up with some ambitious expansion moves. GECU recently announced plans to acquire Bank of the Southwest (still waiting on the regulatory thumbs-up from NCUA, FDIC, and New Mexico’s financial regulators). They’re also opening their first Lubbock, Texas branch in fall 2026, planting their flag in new territory.
Passing the Torch
For his part, Rascón seems genuinely pumped about the opportunity, even if he’s keeping it humble. “I am honored and humbled to be chosen as GECU’s next President and CEO,” he said. “Crystal Long was a true visionary and extraordinary leader shaping who GECU is today, and I am excited to build on that legacy.”
He went on to thank the Board for trusting him with the role and reaffirmed the credit union’s commitment to its core mission: people helping people. It’s a refreshingly straightforward philosophy in an industry that sometimes forgets actual humans are on the other end of all those transactions.
With Rascón at the helm, GECU’s betting on continuity, experience, and someone who actually knows where the bathrooms are. Not a bad strategy when you’re steering a $4.5 billion ship.