Advocacy Leaders Inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders

Posted by Ryan Fitzgerald on March 4, 2026

One of the highlights at the annual Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C., is the celebration honoring new inductees into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders. Located just steps from Capitol Hill and widely known as the “epicenter of credit union advocacy,” Credit Union House’s Hall of Leaders recognizes individuals whose careers have made lasting contributions to the Credit Union Movement.

This year, GoWest proudly celebrates the region’s two inductees whose leadership, advocacy, and service have strengthened communities and advanced cooperative finance: Charlotte Nemec, President and CEO of Canopy Credit Union in Spokane, Washington, and Brian Rohrbacher, President and CEO of Grand Altitude Federal Credit Union in Lander, Wyoming.

Charlotte Nemec: Leading with Purpose

For nearly three decades, Charlotte Nemec has embodied the principles that define the credit union movement — service, cooperation, and a belief in people’s potential. Beginning her career in human resources, she developed a leadership style rooted in listening, empowering others, and building strong workplace culture. Those values continue to guide her leadership today as President and CEO of Canopy Credit Union.

Since stepping into the CEO role in 2018, Charlotte has led a mission-driven transformation at the Spokane-based credit union. She spearheaded a bold rebrand that strengthened the organization’s identity with members and the community while expanding technology investments and reinforcing its Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) mission. During her tenure, Canopy has experienced nearly 50% asset growth while maintaining a deeply people-centered culture.

Charlotte’s leadership is equally defined by her commitment to community impact. Canopy offers certified financial mentoring in four languages and intentionally reframes “underserved” communities as “underestimated,” emphasizing opportunity and empowerment for members working toward financial stability.

She has also championed innovative partnerships, including a grant-funded small business lending initiative that helped hundreds of local entrepreneurs remain open during economic uncertainty and a collaboration with a community bank to deliver financial education to teen parents.

Beyond her credit union, Charlotte has played an influential role in advocacy across Washington state, the GoWest region, and nationally. She has served on America’s Credit Unions’ Advocacy Committee, co-chaired the GoWest Washington Governmental Affairs Committee, and currently serves as Chair of the GoWest Foundation Board.

Her thoughtful leadership and commitment to the cooperative model continue to inspire others to engage in advocacy and advance financial inclusion.

Brian Rohrbacher: Advocacy in Action

For more than 25 years, Brian Rohrbacher has demonstrated the credit union philosophy of People Helping People through leadership, service, and tireless advocacy.

As President and CEO of Grand Altitude Federal Credit Union, Brian leads with a focus on listening to members and responding to the needs of Wyoming communities. When local producers expressed the need for specialized financial support, he added an agricultural loan officer to better serve the state’s agricultural economy and ensure rural members had access to financial services tailored to their realities.

Brian’s community leadership has also driven meaningful statewide initiatives. When school lunch debt became a growing issue across Wyoming, he helped mobilize credit unions statewide to eliminate every outstanding balance, ensuring thousands of students could focus on learning without the burden of unpaid meal costs. The initiative led to (formerly named) Atlantic City FCU winning a national Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Service Award (2022).

He has also convened elected officials, housing partners, and community leaders in Lander to address housing shortages and championed support for programs like Beef for Backpacks, helping children experiencing food insecurity gain consistent access to nutritious food.

Advocacy has been a defining feature of Brian’s career. He has built strong relationships with Wyoming’s congressional delegation, participated in numerous Hike the Hill visits, and served as the Wyoming PAC Trustee.

His leadership was instrumental in the passage of Wyoming’s public funds legislation in 2025 — a goal more than two decades in the making. Brian spent more than two years traveling across the state to build support and ensure the credit union perspective was heard when it mattered most.

Honoring Leaders Who Strengthen the Movement

Through their leadership, advocacy, and service, Nemec and Rohrbacher exemplify the very best of the credit union movement. Their work continues to inspire others to lead with purpose, advocate with conviction, and build stronger communities through the cooperative model.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Federal Advocacy, Washington Advocacy, Wyoming Advocacy.