Ten years ago, Andy Swoger took the helm at Keesler Federal Credit Union. At the time, nobody could have predicted what was coming next—but the numbers tell a pretty remarkable story.
Swoger just hit his decade mark as President and CEO, and to commemorate the milestone, he sat down for an in-depth conversation on the CEO Magazine podcast. If you’re curious about what it actually takes to grow a financial institution without losing sight of the people it serves, it’s worth a listen.
The Secret Sauce? It’s Not That Complicated
When asked about Keesler Federal’s success, Swoger points to two things: what he calls his Board’s “radical generosity” toward members, and a “one team” culture that ditches the usual corporate hierarchy nonsense. Instead of layers of management creating distance between leadership and members, everyone stays focused on the same goal—taking care of the people they serve.
Does it work? The proof is in the pudding. Member satisfaction scores have consistently landed in the upper 80s and 90s throughout Swoger’s tenure, routinely outpacing both competitors and peer organizations. According to Swoger himself, those satisfaction numbers are what he’s most proud of—along with employee net promoter scores in the 90s. Turns out, happy employees and happy members tend to go hand in hand. Who knew?
Growth That’s Hard to Ignore
The past decade has brought the kind of expansion that sounds almost fictional when you list it all out:
- Branch locations more than doubled—from 24 to 54—including a major push into New Orleans
- Assets jumped from $2.3 billion to $5.3 billion
- Membership nearly doubled, climbing from 190,000 to 394,000
- Net income went from $24 million to more than $49 million last year alone
- Total net income over the decade: $330 million
- Staff grew from 440 employees to over 975
The credit union also raised its profile considerably, locking down major sports sponsorships with the Biloxi Shuckers and Keesler Federal Park, the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, LSU Athletics, University of Southern Mississippi Athletics, and Jackson State University Athletics. Not a bad lineup for brand visibility.
Recent Wins Keep Piling Up
This year alone, Keesler Federal pulled off the largest credit union merger in Louisiana and Mississippi history. The organization also earned recognition as one of the nation’s best credit unions from both Forbes and Newsweek in 2026—marking the 8th nod from Forbes and the 4th from Newsweek. Local surveys weighed in too, voting Keesler Federal as the favorite credit union in multiple markets.
Ten years in, Swoger’s approach seems to be paying off in every measurable way. But if the podcast interview reveals anything, it’s that the real measure of success isn’t just in the balance sheet—it’s in whether people actually want to bank with you and work for you. By those standards, Keesler Federal is crushing it.