The White House just made it official: John Crews is President Trump’s pick to join the National Credit Union Administration board. If you’re not familiar with Crews, he’s currently serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Policy at the Treasury Department—basically, he’s one of the folks whispering policy advice into Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s ear.
Scott Simpson, President and CEO of America’s Credit Unions, rolled out the welcome mat pretty quickly. “Crews understands the important role mission-driven lenders like credit unions play in helping families and small businesses get ahead,” Simpson said in a statement. He went on to praise Crews’ track record at Treasury, highlighting his “thoughtful approach to innovation, safety, and expanding access to affordable financial services.”
This nomination isn’t coming out of left field. Simpson and Greg Mesack actually sat down with Crews back in April while he was still in his Treasury role. The agenda? Making the case for regulatory modernization that would let credit unions spend less time drowning in paperwork and more time actually serving their members. They also took the opportunity to voice strong opposition to the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act—a topic that’s been giving the credit union world heartburn.
Here’s the timeline if everything goes according to plan: Crews would replace current NCUA Chairman Kyle Hauptman, whose six-year term technically expired in August 2025. If the Senate confirms him, Crews would settle into the role until August 2031, giving him plenty of time to shape policy for the 146 million Americans who trust credit unions as their financial partners.
The credit union industry seems cautiously optimistic about the pick. Simpson summed up the sentiment nicely, saying they’re looking forward to working with Crews to build “a modern regulatory framework” that helps credit unions do what they do best—especially important as economic uncertainty continues to make people nervous about their financial futures.
“On behalf of the defense credit union community, we congratulate John Crews on his nomination to lead the NCUA,” said Jason Stverak, DCUC Chief Advocacy Officer. “The NCUA plays a critical role in preserving the safety and soundness of the credit union system while ensuring access to affordable financial services for millions of Americans, including servicemembers, veterans, and their families. We are eager to sit down with Mr. Crews to learn more about his views and his vision for the future of the credit union industry.”
Stverak added, “At a time of rapid technological change, evolving regulatory expectations, and growing demands on financial institutions serving military communities, strong and thoughtful leadership at the agency is essential.”
Anthony Hernandez, DCUC President/CEO, stated, “Credit unions operate in unique environments when serving all communities across the Nation and overseas. These institutions require a regulatory framework that recognizes both operational complexity and the cooperative, member-owned mission that defines our industry. We look forward to engaging with Chairman-designate Crews to ensure the agency continues to promote innovation, strengthen mission readiness, and uphold the credit union model.”