11:7,6 - The Mennonite

Larry Miller named new MMA president
Mennonite Financial Credit Union CEO has 35 years of banking experience.
Larry D. Miller will become
president of MMA early next
year. The announcement of
his appointment was made at
MMA’s headquarters in Goshen,
Ind., on Oct. 30. Miller currently
serves as president and CEO of
Mennonite Financial Credit
Union; its corporate headquarters
are in Lancaster, Pa.
“Larry brings the best of
church and the best of business
to this role,” said Pat Swartzendruber,
chair of the MMA presidential
succession committee.
MMA board chair Arlan Yoder
said Miller would begin Jan. 21;
the Millers will move to Goshen from their home
in Mount Joy, Pa.
“Larry comes to us as a seasoned leader,”
Yoder, said, “a personable storyteller and an innovator.
… He has proven visionary CEO leadership,
deep expertise in financial services and a commitment
to the Anabaptist life and service of the
church.”
Miller, originally from Kalona, Iowa, has 35 years
of experience in retail banking and the financial
services industries. He was president and CEO of
the Federal Land Bank Association from 1974 to
1985 and then vice president at Hawkeye Bank and
Trust in Mount Pleasant, Ia., from 1985 to 1990.
He joined MFCU as president and CEO in 1990,
when its headquarters were in Scottdale, Pa. In
1998 he moved the credit union’s headquarters to
Lancaster, Pa. During his tenure, the credit union
grew from $7 million to $75 million in assets and
from 3,500 to 9,100 members. The credit union
also has seven branch offices.
Miller’s appointment focuses attention on the
growing relationship between MMA and MFCU,
especially since MMA has been looking for ways
Director, Human Resources
Director, Resource Generation Network
Join Mennonite Central Committee, the relief, development, peace
and service agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches
in Canada and the United States.
For a job description go to the urgent openings sidebar at
mcc.org/serve. For a printed job description or application, contact
Lowell Detweiler, MCC Human Resources, P.O. Box 500, Akron, PA
Mennonite
Central
Committe
MCC LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
17501, and phone: (717) 859-1151,
lcd@mcc.org.
mcc.org/serve g
to expand into financial transaction
services.
“MMA has been in discussion
with Mennonite Financial Credit
Union,” Yoder said, “but we are
not at a point we can make an
announcement.”
Miller said that a merger of the
two organizations is not possible
because MFCU is owned by its
members.
“MMA and the credit union
have found ways to work together,”
Miller said. “I hope that can
continue.”
Swartzendruber said the
search committee’s decision to
tap Miller was independent from the conversations
between MMA and MFCU.
Miller and his wife, Wilma, are members of
Landisville (Pa.) Mennonite Church. He chairs the
finance committee for Lancaster (Pa.) Mennonite
Conference. He is also a member of Mennonite
Central Committee’s finance committee and serves
as secretary-treasurer for The Mennonite magazine
board. The Millers have two adult children.
Miller will succeed Steve Garboden, who has
been serving as interim president for the past 13
months. Garboden will continue as vice president
of health and administrative services.
After MMA’s long-term president Howard
Brenneman retired in June 2005, Skip Nagelvoort
was named MMA’s new president. But Nagelvoort
resigned after three months when it was disclosed
he had filed for personal bankruptcy protection
shortly before his appointment (see “MMA’s New
Leader, Nagelvoort, Resigns,” Oct. 21, 2005).
Swartzendruber said the most recent search
process was different from the 2005 process. The
committee was expanded to include additional representatives
from Mennonite Church USA, and a
leadership profile for the position of MMA president
was developed only after polling 600 leaders.
Swartzendruber said that at one time the committee
had 54 candidates; a screening process
reduced that number to 24, and 10 were selected
for interviews. The search process concluded on
Oct. 29, when Mennonite Church USA’s Executive
Board approved the MMA board’s selection.
MMA, formerly known as Mennonite Mutual
Aid, is the stewardship agency of Mennonite
Church USA. It has 312 staff members and 105
counselors. MMA currently manages $1.6 billion
in assets, primarily on behalf of individuals and
institutions.—Everett J. Thomas
Larry Miller
has
proven
visionary CEO
leadership,
deep
expertise
in financial
services and a
commitment
to the
Anabaptist
life and
service of the
church.
—Arlan Yoder
November 7, 2006 TheMennonite 21