James Regan sits atop the largest credit union in Central Massachusetts, as DCU has more than $10 billion in assets, which is more than $8 billion higher than the second-largest credit union.
The organization is closing in on 1 million members when most credit unions struggle to get to 100,000 and has opened up its membership eligibility to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Worcester, as well as to employees of more than 800 companies.
All this is important because one of the services written into DCU’s DNA is helping its members find strong financial footing by using low-interest loans, savings accounts with higher returns, financial counseling, and other tools to help those who may be struggling get out from under predatory loans and bad deals, which prevent people – particularly those from disadvantaged communities – from reaching financial independence over the long term.
Regan, who was a certified public accountant for much of his career, has been with DCU since 1991 and its CEO since 2008. He has taken on a leadership role in the industry nationwide, too, having served as administrator of the Trust for Credit Unions, which is a mutual fund for credit unions across the country.
