Vancity (Vancouver City Savings Credit Union) is going with what it knows for its new permanent CEO.
The credit union revealed Monday (January 18) it’s appointing Christine Bergeron to the top job after she served in an interim capacity for more than six months.
Prior to taking on the interim CEO duties back in July 2020, Bergeron had served as Vancity’s chief member services officer and led the credit union’s community impact and investment strategies.
“Since joining Vancity in 2011, I feel very fortunate to have been part of the Vancity journey to deliver exceptional service and advice to our members, and to help create a future that is clean and fair for everyone. I’m incredibly excited to help drive our work to fulfill Vancity’s unique mission to further the financial, social and environmental well-being of our members and their communities,” she said in a statement.
Bergeron takes over from Tamara Vrooman, who departed from Vancity last summer after 13 years to take over as president and CEO of Vancouver International Airport.
Previous to that, she was deputy minister in B.C.'s Ministry of Finance, overseeing the government's $100 billion in borrowing and cash requirements and its $36 billion fiscal plan.
In 2015, Vrooman was named the top CEO in B.C. in Business in Vancouver's CEO of the Year Awards in the major private company category.
Vrooman, who is the first woman to lead the airport authority, had been on the authority's board of directors since 2011.
In 2019, she recused herself from the board in order to be considered as a candidate for the executive positions.
The board then conducted a global search for a replacement for Craig Richmond.
Bergeron, meanwhile, is a founding team member of Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, a board member of Aviso Wealth and the co-founder of Shoreline West Asset Management Inc.
She was also an adjunct professor and lecturer at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, where she earned an MBA in strategic management.
“Having led the credit union successfully through one of the most challenging times in global history while delivering a renewed business plan, Christine has already proven she is the right leader with the vision and strategy to lead Vancity into the future,” Vancity board chairwoman Jan O’Brien said in a statement.
—With files from Glen Korstrom
