APCO Credit Union CEO Named LSCU Professional of the Year

The League of Southeastern Credit Unions Awards program recognizes credit unions and credit union professionals who demonstrate exemplary service and accomplish significant achievements in the credit union industry. Awards for Professional and Young Professional of the Year were recently presented at the 2024 Southeast Credit Union Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida.  

For the state of Alabama, Derrick E. Ragland, Jr., President, and Chief Executive Officer of APCO Employees Credit Union, was named Professional of the Year. The Professional of the Year Award recognizes credit union professionals for their impactful contributions to advance the credit union movement in their state and/or the nation. 

Throughout his 42-year career with the Credit Union, Derrick has worked in lending, branch management, collections, facilities and operations. In 2015, he was appointed President and CEO, making him the 4th person to fill the role in the Credit Union’s 70-year history. Under his leadership, APCO Employees Credit Union has been named the 14th Most Efficient Credit Union in the nation, received the Louise Herring Award for Philosophy in Action, and established a long-term pathway for charitable giving with the 501(c)(3) APCO Employees Credit Union Share the Care Foundation.  

“I am deeply honored by this award,” said Ragland. “When I started at APCO 42 years ago, never could I have imagined all the lives I’d get to touch and the many, many people who would touch mine. Credit unions bring out the best in humanity, and I’m grateful to have spent my career serving alongside some of the greatest people I’d ever want to know.” 

Other winners included Diane McCoy of Rome Kraft Employees Credit Union in Georgia and Laurie Cappelli of Community Credit Union of Florida. 

“We are thrilled to honor these leaders with the Professional of the Year Award for their critical role in inspiring their peers, effecting positive change, and serving their members and peers in ways that go far above and beyond,” announced Samantha Beeler, President of LSCU. “With close to a century in collective experience working in the credit union space, Derrick, Laurie, and Diane have left incredible marks on our industry, while also inspiring countless other leaders to follow in their footsteps and stand on the shoulder of these industry giants toward an even greater future.” 

Mr. Ragland holds the Certified Chief Executive designation from the Credit Union Executives Society, serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Credit Union Administration, and is a Coalition of Credit Unions member. In reference to his years of service, Derrick said, “This Credit Union has made a tremendous impact on my life. In fact, I used one of the first APCO Visa® cards to finance my college degree. But my story is not unique; many of our 86,000 Members share similar stories. APCO Credit Union is a trusted friend to its Members and I’m proud we get to help them reach their personal and financial goals.”