A credit union that’s been around for 90 years faces a tricky balancing act: honor the past without getting stuck in it. LAFCU, the Michigan member-owned institution, is tackling that challenge by bringing in two finance leaders who know the credit union world inside and out.
Tony Molina has joined as chief financial officer. Patrick Haughey, CPA, steps in as vice president of finance. Between them, they offer executive experience, financial strategy chops and a deep familiarity with how credit unions actually work. The goal is to help LAFCU keep pace with what members need now while staying true to its long-standing focus on their financial well-being.
CEO Patrick Spyke framed the hires in terms of the institution’s track record. “For 90 years, LAFCU has grown and evolved by staying focused on what matters most — our members,” he said. “Tony and Patrick understand the credit union difference and bring the expertise to help us make smart decisions and embrace new opportunities. Our history shows what can happen when you put members first. Our responsibility now is to make sure LAFCU is just as relevant and valuable to the next generation as it has been to the generations before them.”
Molina arrives with more than 20 years of credit union leadership, including a decade as CEO of two credit unions, one in New York and one in New Jersey. His résumé reaches well past the balance sheet into organizational growth, strategic planning, technology innovation and widening access to financial services. During his time as CEO, he led efforts that boosted lending, opened up new membership opportunities and rolled out digital banking to better serve members. Most recently, he worked as a fractional and interim CFO with Charles River CFO. At LAFCU, he sits on the executive leadership team and helps steer the credit union’s financial strategy and long-term direction.
On the education front, Molina holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Michigan University and a master’s in finance from Walsh College. He also carries the Certified Chief Executive Officer designation from the Credit Union Executives Society.
Haughey brings a more specialized toolkit: credit union financial management, strategic planning and regulatory oversight. A Michigan-licensed CPA, he most recently served as a finance executive and CFO for two credit unions through MiCUSO, a Michigan-based organization that provides shared financial leadership services to credit unions. There, he advised executives and boards on financial performance, investment strategy and long-term planning. Earlier, he worked as a senior auditor focused on credit unions, which gave him a wide view of the opportunities and headaches that institutions of different sizes face.
In his new role, Haughey works hand in hand with Molina on financial planning, investment analysis and the kind of informed decision-making that moves strategic priorities forward. He earned a master’s degree in accounting from Grand Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College.
The timing fits the occasion. LAFCU was founded in 1936 by 10 Lansing autoworkers who pooled $95 to help one another meet their financial needs. Today it serves members across Michigan, still running on that people-helping-people idea while adapting to how members live, work and manage their money. Ninety years on, the pitch is the same, and now it has two more finance experts backing it up.