Harry Zhu named WSECU’s next President & CEO

Aug. 20, 2026 (Olympia, Wash.) - Harry Zhu will be WSECU’s next President & CEO, the credit union announced today. He will join the member-owned cooperative Sept. 21, 2026. 

Zhu succeeds Gary Swindler, who will retire next month after a 37-year career with the $5.1 billion credit union. Zhu was hired following a nationwide search by the board of directors.

“We are excited for Harry to build on our past success and elevate WSECU to the next level of member service and organizational growth,” said Vikki Smith, WSECU’s board chair. “With his depth of executive experience, people-focused leadership and success in helping institutions evolve in a fast-changing landscape, we know Harry is the right leader at the right time.”

Most recently, Zhu served as CEO at USAlliance Federal Credit Union in Rye, NY, recognized as one of the nation’s most innovative credit unions as well as a top employer. He previously spent 13 years as a senior executive at Alliant Credit Union, a nationwide digital-only $20B institution, where he held roles including Chief Retail Lending Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer. In these positions, Zhu led significant transformation initiatives that helped Alliant grow from $7B to $18B in assets, more than double its membership and improve the member banking experience.

“I am honored to be joining the team at WSECU,” Zhu said. “What drew me to this opportunity was the credit union’s uncompromising focus on members’ needs, its appetite for innovation, reputation as a community partner and the exceptional employees who bring their best to serving members every day.”

Zhu will help guide the credit union as it approaches its 70th anniversary in 2027 with a focus on increasing value to members, strengthening financial performance and building engaged teams.

He holds master’s degrees in both business administration and engineering from the University of Michigan and brings Fortune 500 leadership and strategic consulting experience to the role. Zhu will live and work in WSECU’s headquarters area of Olympia, Wash.

Smith reflected on Swindler’s impact on WSECU as he concludes his career, noting his journey and impact was unique. 

“We can’t thank Gary enough for his contributions over 37 years – starting as a loan officer and rising to the executive office,” Smith said. “Under his leadership, we took leaps forward with our digital services, expanded our branch network and navigated a workplace transformation throughout the pandemic. No matter what goal we were working toward, Gary always put people first.”

Zhu and Swindler will collaborate to ensure a seamless leadership and operational transition for the credit union.