San Francisco Fire Credit Union names Katherine Elser as its next CEO

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 14, 2017) — The Board of Directors of San Francisco Fire Credit Union ($1.2B in assets) is ecstatic to announce the appointment of Katherine “Kathy” Elser as the President and Chief Executive Officer. “What impressed us about Kathy is that she demonstrated the ability to balance prolonged growth while maintaining safety and soundness. She has the experience to lead during a time when credit unions continue to face disruptive and competitive forces. Her robust industry network will also serve our members well.” stated John Sweeney, San Francisco Fire Credit Union’s Board Chairman.

“San Francisco Fire is a vibrant and growing credit union that is deeply committed to its members and the communities it serves. A commitment to members is a top priority and passion of mine. I’m excited to see how I can lead the credit union to new levels while never losing sight of delivering an exceptional member experience.” said Elser.

Prior to San Francisco Fire, Ms. Elser was the CFO/SVP of Finance & Administration for Boeing Employees Credit Union where she was responsible for overall strategic positioning of the credit union and served as an Executive Management Team member. Elser’s career includes 20 years with BECU, a period during which she laid the foundation for and managed the institution’s exceptional performance and growth. She earned a reputation for being a collaborative leader, a dedicated mentor and a member advocate. Earlier in her career she worked in public accounting at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, and at various other financial institutions in both financial reporting and internal audit.


In 2012, Ms. Elser was awarded the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “2012 CFO of the Year”; category- Large Private Company. She serves on various community and industry executive committees and boards of directors. She also participates as a panelist and presenter at various credit union education forums and conferences. Elser is a graduate of the CUES CEO Institute and Cardwell 360 Leadership Institute. She holds a BS in accounting from Central Washington University and a MBA from Pepperdine University.