Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the platform and policy making body of State Employees' Credit Union. The Board consists of eleven members elected to staggered terms of three years at our Annual Meeting of members. The Board appoints all committees and advisory boards, the President of SECU, and members of the Loan Review Committee. Our Board meets regularly and all members serve without compensation.

Our current Board of Directors includes:

Shirley Bell Chairman Ms. Bell, a graduate of NC A&T State University, retired from the Department of Health and Human Services with more than 40 years of service to the state. She became a Board Member of State Employees’ Credit Union in 1999, having served two terms on the Advisory Board of SECU's Salisbury Street branch. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. In addition to her membership on SECU's Board, Ms. Bell boasts a lengthy volunteering resume spanning 36 years. She is a past president of the State Employees Association of North Carolina where she remains very involved and formerly served on the Teachers and State Employees' Retirement System Board of Trustees. (Because she was representing active employees, she had to step down upon retirement.) She also served many years on the Committee of Excellence for State Employees and is extremely involved in her church. She was recently elected President of the Johnston County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a service sorority. In her spare time, her hobbies include reading, needlecrafts and baking. When asked, "What does the credit union mean to you?" Ms. Bell had this to say, "I feel that I am providing a valuable service to my fellow State employees. My family has always been very involved with volunteering – and the tradition continues."

Jim Barber Vice Chairman Mr. Barber has served on the Board of Directors for State Employees' Credit Union since October 2000 and currently holds the position of Vice Chairman. A New York native with extensive state government experience and a Masters Degree from Harvard Business School, Mr. Barber recently retired after 24 years of service in North Carolina state government including the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill School of Education and the Department of Public Instruction. He continues to serve as a senior advisor at the School of Education. Mr. Barber resides in Brunswick County and does volunteer work for several environmental groups. He is married to the former Linda Bertsch. When asked about his relationship with State Employees' Credit Union, Mr. Barber states, "In 1991, I became a member of SECU and my appreciation for the value of its many services continues to grow everyday. The credit union's strength is in its membership and their shared values for financial security and personal service. I’m very proud to be part of the SECU team, representing members’ long-term interests. I hope I can contribute to strengthening what the credit union can offer its members and making that Difference."

McKinley Wooten Secretary/Treasurer A native of Kinston, Mr. Wooten holds degrees from Morehouse College and Vanderbilt University School of Law. He joined SECU in 1994 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2000 and currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Wooten states that he volunteers his time to serve the membership because, "I believe strongly in the cooperative philosophy of credit unions in general and that of State Employees' Credit Union in particular. I believe in the membership, a league of hard-working, dedicated State employees and their families who rightfully expect and deserve sound leadership at the Board level." As an active member in his church, he serves as Minister of Music. Mr. Wooten is married to Laura Hooker Wooten. He and his wife have a son and a daughter.

Bob Brinson An SECU member since 1980 and the most recent addition to the Board of Directors, Bob Brinson currently serves as Chief Information Officer for the North Carolina Department of Correction. Having served on the Audit Committee for SECU since 2001, Mr. Brinson is steadfast in his role as a volunteer. Mr. Brinson has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from NC State University, an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation.

Karan Bunn Ms. Bunn has served on the State Employees' Credit Union's Board of Directors since 1994 and is a former Chairman of the Board. Ms. Bunn spent the bulk of her government career with the North Carolina State Budget Office in planning, research and public policy positions. She has also directed long range planning efforts for Wake County Public Schools. Ms. Bunn currently owns and directs a market research company, First In Focus Research, which specializes in focus group studies. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from North Carolina State University in math, statistics and business management. She has two children and two grandchildren. When talking about her service to SECU, Ms. Bunn states, "Serving on the Board provides an opportunity to participate in the planning for and the delivery of financial services to over one million people. These services have a direct effect on the economic and social well being of over a tenth of our state's residents. Few volunteer positions provide such an opportunity to make a Difference in the lives of our citizens."

Steve Conrad A member of SECU since 1956, Mr. Conrad is passionate about being a volunteer and is currently serving his second term on SECU's Board of Directors, having previously served as a member from 1973-1992 and as Chairman from 1986-1987. His volunteer spirit began when he served on SECU's Loan Review Committee from 1965-1973. Mr. Conrad received his BS in Geological Engineering from NC State University and is the retired State Geologist with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He is married to the former Dolores Cranford.

Jim Johnson Mr. Johnson became a member of State Employees' Credit Union's Board of Directors in 2001. He lives in downtown Raleigh, and is the former director of the N.C. General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division. Mr. Johnson is a partner in the Raleigh government relations firm Blount Street Advisors, and is a visiting professor at the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. Mr. Johnson, when asked why he gives his time freely to serve the membership, responds, "It is an honor to serve on the Board because of State Employees' Credit Union's commitment to providing a wide variety of affordable, high quality financial services to its members in an environment of trust and service."

Cynthia Jolly Ms. Jolly joined the State Employees' Credit Union Board of Directors in October 2002. When asked why she is interested in giving of her time to serve, Ms. Jolly responds, "The mission of SECU is a natural link with my interests in life-long learning and public service. As a cooperative, non-profit organization, SECU provides valuable resources and services to all members. I am particularly excited about the SECU Foundation and its potential to address community issues across North Carolina, including scholarships to NC high school seniors and support for the SECU Family House and Hertford County teacher housing project." Ms. Jolly holds an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and graduate degrees from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional career includes long experience in educational leadership at the state and local levels. Currently she works with TIES, senior consultants to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

David King Balancing his time between two young children and an intense love for sports, Mr. King has found time to volunteer at State Employees’ Credit Union for over 20 years. The first 10 years were spent as a member of SECU’s Loan Review Committee and for the past 11 years he has served on the Board of Directors. He has distinct North Carolina roots, attending high school, college, graduate school and serving in the military all in North Carolina. Mr. King retired after nearly 33 years with the Department of Transportation and has served as General Manager of the Triangle Transit Authority for the past two years. What does SECU mean to Mr. King? Mr. King has always had a strong belief in North Carolina's state motto "Esse Quam Videri" – "to be rather than to seem" and states, "The notion that a group of state employees, community college, university and public school employees can band together to borrow and save with better rates and better services than other financial institutions can offer appeals to me immensely. As a group we can also choose to provide services and programs which benefit the broader community and lift up the weakest among us – service without undue attention to profit."

Tom King Mr. King joined State Employees' Credit Union's Board of Directors in 1994 and has served as Chairman. A member of SECU since 1954, Mr. King realizes the benefits of membership and says the following about his volunteer efforts: "Being a Board member is a joyful, rewarding and challenging experience. It's about 'People Helping People' and that's what I hope to do." Mr. King attended Hugh Morson High School in Raleigh and graduated from Elon College. He is a retired State employee, having served the Community College system of NC for many years. In addition to the volunteer hours spent at SECU, he enjoys church, traveling, sports, driving and television.

Jo Anne Sanford Ms. Sanford, a lawyer, was Chair of the North Carolina Utilities Commission for the last decade of her 31 years of employment with the State of North Carolina. She worked 20 years with the Attorney General's Office, is a graduate of NC State University and of the School of Law at UNC-CH, and has extensive experience in utility, environmental and other regulatory issues. A longtime resident of a downtown Raleigh historic district, Ms. Sanford is married to Billy Brewer, Jr. and they have one daughter. About Board membership, Ms. Sanford says, "I believe strongly in the merits of state government service and am eager to support organizations that positively impact the lives of people in the State of North Carolina. SECU is a principled and dynamic organization that 'serves those who serve' ----- it is a powerful force for good in this state and I am excited to be part of the mission."