ALEXANDRIA, Va. (May 2, 2016) – President Barack Obama has appointed National Credit Union Administration Board Vice Chairman Rick Metsger to be the ninth Chairman of the NCUA Board.
Metsger succeeds Board Chairman Debbie Matz, whose tenure ended April 30.
“I deeply appreciate the trust President Obama has placed in me,” Metsger said, “and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead as the agency strives to protect credit union members and provide a modern regulatory framework for credit unions to innovate and grow safely and soundly. NCUA has a hard-working staff dedicated to the agency’s mission, and I am proud to serve with them.”
Metsger joined the NCUA Board in August 2013, and the Board unanimously elected him as Vice Chairman in September 2014.
“Congratulations to Rick on his appointment by President Obama as Chair of the NCUA,” Board Member J. Mark McWatters said. “I look forward to working with Rick to bring true regulatory relief to the credit union community while protecting the safety and soundness of the Share Insurance Fund.”
During his tenure as Vice Chairman, Metsger has focused on modernizing regulations and the federal credit union charter in order to provide credit unions with greater flexibility to innovate and grow as well as regulatory relief. Metsger led the agency’s efforts to update its regulations concerning fixed assets and credit unions’ fields-of-membership regulation.
Metsger has worked in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining NCUA’s Board, Metsger served in the Oregon State Senate from 1999 until 2011. He was elected Senate President Pro Tempore in 2009. During his Senate service, he was chief sponsor of legislation the state enacted to expand fields of membership for state-chartered credit unions.
Metsger also served on the Oregon State Treasury Deficit Policy Advisory Commission and as a director of Financial Beginnings, a non-profit organization providing financial education to children and young adults.
A former teacher and broadcast journalist, Metsger also was a member of the board of the Portland Teachers Credit Union for eight years, rising to the office of vice chairman.
Metsger holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in teaching from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.