2023 Pierre Jay Winners Announced

2023 Pierre Jay Award Winners Rose Conner and Mike Williams.

The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS) proudly announced during the 58th Annual NASCUS State System Summit (S3) that Rose Conner, Former North Carolina Credit Union Division Administrator, and Mike Williams, President/CEO of Colorado Credit Union, are the 2023 Pierre Jay Award recipients.

This award, named after Pierre Jay, the first Commissioner of Banks in Massachusetts and first credit union regulator in the United States, is the highest honor NASCUS bestows and recognizes those with proven service, commitment, and leadership to NASCUS and the state-charter system.

Ms. Conner joined the North Carolina Credit Union Division in 2005 and was appointed Administrator in 2014, until 2023, following a successful career at the West Virginia Division of Banking. Additionally, Rose served nine years on the NASCUS Board and served as Chair of the NASCUS Regulator Board from 2020 to 2022. During that time, she maintained a pivotal position as NASCUS’s representative to the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee (FBIIC), where she demonstrated her commitment to addressing cybersecurity concerns and shaping policy.

“I want to thank the entire NASCUS leadership team for this incredible honor,” commented Rose Conner. “Working with NASCUS and participating on its Regulator Board has been a privilege. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented team of state credit union regulators and industry leaders from across the country to ensure the state charter remains healthy, resilient, and innovative.”

For more than 30 years, Mike Williams has served as President and CEO at Colorado Credit Union and was the former Chairman of the NASCUS Credit Union Advisory Council. Under Mike’s leadership, Colorado Credit Union has been named one of the best credit unions to work for seven consecutive years by American Banker and voted the best credit union in Colorado by ColoradoBiz Magazine. In 2023, Colorado Credit Union received a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial, recognizing the credit union as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. From 2000 to 2013, Mr. Williams contributed to the Mountain West Credit Union Association and the Credit Union Strategic Partners Boards, including a three-year tenure as Chairman. Mike’s dedicated service extends to his past roles. He was instrumental in forming the GoWest Credit Union Association in 2022 and was named to the Credit Union Hall of Leaders in 2013.

“I am sincerely grateful for being honored with this award. Thank you to the NASCUS team, NASCUS President/CEO Brian Knight, the staff, and the leadership for this tremendous honor,” said Mike Williams. “Serving on the NASCUS Joint Advisory Council has been a privilege. I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with a skilled group of state credit union regulators and industry experts nationwide, all aimed at preserving the state charter’s robustness, adaptability, and innovation.

“On behalf of the NASCUS leadership and staff, I wish to extend our congratulations to Rose Conner and Mike Williams for their outstanding accomplishments. This award recognizes the significant positive influence both Rose and Mike have had on the overall health and prosperity of the state system,” remarked Katie Averill, Superintendent of the Iowa Division of Credit Unions and NASCUS Regulator Board Vice Chair. “Rose and Mike have committed their professional lives to guarantee a secure, stable, and resilient dual charter system, and we sincerely appreciate their enduring friendship and unwavering commitment.”

To learn more about the prestigious Pierre Jay Award and past winners, visit nascus.org/about-nascus/pierre-jay-award/