Eastman CU CEO announcing retirement

Olan O. Jones, Jr., Eastman Credit Union’s CEO and president, is announcing his retirement effective January 1, 2020. After 22 years at the helm of one of the region’s most successful businesses, Jones says he is looking forward to spending more quality time with his wife, Sylvia, and their family and friends, as well as pursuing interests and hobbies.  

Fielding Rolston, ECU’s board chairman says, “Olan came to ECU at an inflection point for the credit union industry and for ECU. He is a natural visionary and has always seemed to know what was just around the bend. However, I think his best attribute as a leader is that he truly cares about the people he serves. When Olan came to ECU, credit unions were just beginning to be recognized as serious alternatives for financial services, and he was always striving to ensure that ECU was positioned to do the right things for all the stakeholders—members, staff, and communities.” 

Olan has guided ECU through many changes, including the move from doing business with only Eastman Chemical Company employees and their families to seeing membership opened to everyone in the communities it serves. During that time, assets have increased from $631 million to $4.8 billion, and ECU has received many “top-of-class” accolades on member service, member value, and financial stability. During his tenure as CEO, ECU returned more than $118 million to members through dividends, created more than 650 new full-time jobs, added 200,000 new members, and donated more than $8.9 million to support the improvement of communities it serves. 

“On behalf of the board, senior management, and staff of Eastman Credit Union, I want to say thank you to Olan for his years of service and the leadership role he has played in making ECU the extraordinary organization it is today,” said Rolston. “Olan’s contributions will always be valued and remembered. His hard work, commitment, and dedication are worthy of admiration. We all wish Olan a happy, fulfilling, and well-deserved retirement.”

New CEO/president selected
The board of directors also announced that Kelly Price, ECU executive vice president, will be appointed CEO and president, effective January 1, 2020. 

Price comes to the CEO and president position with almost 25 years of experience in several functions at ECU. Most recently she has been responsible for leading the lending, member services, operations, and information technology areas. Price is excited for this opportunity.

“Like Olan, Kelly shares a passion for this organization, its members, staff, and the communities we serve, and we look forward to continued success under her leadership,” said Rolston. 

About Eastman Credit Union
ECU is one of the largest credit unions in the country with more than $4.8 billion in assets. ECU is a not-for-profit, financial service cooperative serving 230,000 members at 29 locations. Credit Union members have access to more than 55,000 free ATMs nationwide and a wide range of financial services, including free checking and free online banking.