Virginia Beach, VA (January 30, 2023) – Chartway Credit Union is excited to announce the formation of Chartway Ventures, its newly founded and wholly owned Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO).
Chartway Ventures will focus on investing in organizations that align with the credit union's purpose of unlocking the potential of individuals and families so they can thrive. These investments will be carefully chosen for their innovative approach, scalability, compatibility with Chartway's operations, and potential for strong economic returns for credit union members.
Chartway is fully committed to using its resources and expertise to bring value to its members through Chartway Ventures, and that’s why they’ve brought together industry experts to serve on the volunteer board and guide them through these initial phases and beyond.
The newly formed board includes Steve Warnecke as chair, Phil Olson as vice chair, Doug Leighton and Brian Schools. Rob Keatts will serve as the CUSO’s president. Warnecke, a Chartway board director, is a media executive with more than 20 years of domestic and international experience in TV program distribution, media sales, sponsorship, and management in both broadcast and cable. Retired Adm. Phil Olson currently serves as executive director for the Phoenix Group of Virginia, which provides innovative solutions to the most challenging problems of government and commercial business across the globe, and he has volunteered as Chartway’s CUSO board chair since 2011. Doug Leighton is a payment executive, connector, fintech advisor, and consultant to community banks and credit unions. He recently retired after more than 23 years with Visa. Chartway’s president & CEO, Brian Schools, and Rob Keatts, Chartway’s chief information & strategy officer and executive vice president, round out the team.
“We’re all very excited to see the impact Chartway Ventures will have on the credit union community,” said Brian Schools, Chartway’s president & CEO. “Developing our own CUSO will allow us to drive innovation, foster collaboration, generate revenue, and reduce costs, all of which help better serve our members.”
About Chartway & its Chartway Promise Foundation
Since 1959, Chartway has been unlocking the potential of individuals and families so they can thrive. Member-owned and values-driven, our $2.7 billion credit union proudly serves more than 200,000 members with branches in Utah, Texas, and Virginia. We’ve been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions in 2022, included on American Banker’s Top Credit Union to Work For 2022 list, and received numerous other top workplace and best credit union accolades. Reflecting a bright way forward, our charitable arm – the Chartway Promise Foundation – has raised nearly $14 million to bring joy, hope, and smiles to children facing medical hardship or illness. For information on our vibrant organization, please visit www.Chartway.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.