Executive of the Year: Decades of Dedicated Service

Written by Dakota Damschroder, Communications Editor, CrossState

Whether facing calm waters or churning waves, the ability of any ship to sail through unscathed relies on the strength of the person at the helm. The credit union movement has no shortage of such tremendous leaders, and CrossState Credit Union Association honors the best of them each year through the William W. Pratt Executive of the Year Award. Given to an outstanding professional involved in daily operations, it recognizes the dedication these individuals offer their employees and communities, sometimes over the span of decades.

That was certainly the case for the 2025 recipient. Former CEO Lynn Stephenson spent her entire 42-year career in the credit union movement and with the same credit union, West-Aircomm Federal Credit Union (FCU). Starting as a part-time loan clerk in 1982, it wasn’t a place she necessarily saw herself remaining for long. “At first, I thought of it as being a transition to my ‘real’ job,” she explains. “I had just graduated college and was looking for something in my field, which was safety management. But as I got to know the people there and see what the credit union was all about, I began to think it was a good fit for me.”

Stephenson soon began to rise through the ranks, first transitioning to full time and then taking a position to start the credit union’s Visa credit card program. She became a loan officer as well and eventually grew from assistant director to vice president of the department. Tapped as a potential replacement when the current CEO’s retirement approached, Stephenson started taking different training courses to prepare. She was appointed Executive Vice President in 2016 and elevated to CEO the next year.

During her tenure, Stephenson oversaw numerous initiatives that helped grow West-Aircomm FCU’s assets from $215 million to $350 million. “You never want to be the person who takes a step back when you move into a new position,” she says. “When Ray [Brunner, former CEO] left, the credit union was in great shape. Continuing that growth—continuing to add employees and keep it a good organization—is probably my biggest achievement.”

Along with two small mergers during her first year as CEO, Stephenson oversaw the conversion to a new processor in her second year, a process she describes as “very intense.” She also led the credit union through the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed home banking to the forefront. And at the end of last year, West-Aircomm FCU opened their fourth branch in Zelienope, Pennsylvania, to better serve all their members. “It’s been on our minds to do that for years since Butler was the only county in our charter where we did not have a physical presence,” notes Stephenson. “We’ve always had members in that area, and they are just ecstatic to have a branch there. It also gives us the opportunity to introduce the credit union difference to new members in a growing area.”

Equally important to Stephenson has been the company culture. On top of always trying to be generous with employee benefits and promoting from within, her leadership team prioritized having an open and honest relationship with staff, ensuring that communication goes both ways. “Employees are the ones that support everything,” she says. “Being a CEO or on that senior level team, you depend on them to carry out all the new products and help with the members.”

A big part building culture is putting the “people helping people” motto into practice, which Stephenson modeled both in her position and her philanthropic efforts. As part of West-Aircomm FCU’s WAC Cares committee, she oversaw partnerships with numerous local nonprofits, helping to raise $114,000 for essential causes. She also made a point to get involved outside of the credit union, serving as a director for Keystone Lending Alliance and a Board member for United Way of Beaver County and Member Business Financial Services.

Despite all Stephenson’s success, winning the William W. Pratt Award came as a surprise. “I didn’t know I was nominated,” she says. “I worked with a lot of people who were nominated or won the award, and just to know that I would be thought of in that same category was very humbling to me.” As noted in her acceptance speech during the 2025 CrossState Connect Annual Convention, she considers this a great end to her credit union journey, having retired earlier this year. Most of all, she is grateful for the support and dedication of the West-Aircomm FCU employees.  “I mean, nobody does this by themselves, right?” she muses. “We all need to work together to achieve what we want to achieve as a community.”

Originally published in the 2025 CU Edge Special Edition