Summit Credit Union: Kim Sponem takes helm as Summit Credit Union CEO

For more information, contact:

Cheryl Van Tessier, Finesse Public Relations LLC

(608) 467-4408, ctessier@finessepr.net

Rebecca Gerothanas, Summit Credit Union

(608) 243-5000×4700, rebecca.gerothanas@summitcreditunion.com

MADISON, Wis. — Following Andy Faust’s planned retirement on September 30, 2010, Kim Sponem began her appointment as CEO/President of Summit Credit Union, effective October 1.

Appointed by the board of directors to the leadership position in late 2009 when Faust announced his retirement, Sponem spent three-and-a-half months in Australia this spring on a business sabbatical studying its financial industry and credit unions in particular. “The Australian financial industry has undergone tremendous changes, and many of the things affecting the industry there have been discussed here,” she said. “I wanted to understand how it responded to those changes and learn from it.”

Sponem is not a newcomer to the role of CEO. Prior to serving as Summit’s president since the financial merged with Great Wisconsin Credit Union (formerly known as CUNA Credit Union) in 2008, Sponem was as Great Wisconsin’s CEO/President for more than six years.

A Madison native and current Cottage Grove resident, Sponem is involved with the following groups and organizations:

* United Way of Dane County Marketing Committee (Vice Chair) and Vision Council

* University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology Board of Visitors

* TEMPO Madison (President-elect)

* Members Development Company (Director)

* Corporate Central Credit Union Director (Secretary)

* Credit Union Executives Society (Member)

* Filene Research Council (Member)

* Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (Corporate Chair)

She also assisted the UW School of Human Ecology to help form the Center for Financial Security.

After earning a bachelor of science degree, with honors, in marketing & consumer science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Sponem earned a master of business administration degree from Edgewood College and has also taken classes at Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Institute. She is the recipient of the Edgewood College Alumni Award for Ethical Leadership and Outstanding Community Service

Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative open to anyone in Wisconsin. Summit holds $1.5 billion in assets and has more than 118,000 members with a total of 24 locations throughout the Madison and Milwaukee areas. For more information, visit http://www.summitcreditunion.com or call (608) 243-5000 or (800) 236-5560.