Recently retired CEO of Western Cooperative Credit Union (Williston, ND) and a former CEO of Voyage Federal Credit Union (Sioux Falls, SD) were inducted into the Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) Hall of Fame during the Annual Summit Awards Banquet that was held on Thursday, May 16, at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood, Iowa. The Hall of Fame honor is a lifetime achievement recognition, and the most prestigious of all DakCU’s awards.
Melanie Stillwell joined the staff of Western Cooperative Credit Union (WCCU) in 1998, and within four years, earned the title of president/CEO. When she first started, the credit union was at $75 million in assets. Upon her retirement on April 1, 2024, they were at an astounding $441 million with more than 18,000 members and eight locations in western North Dakota.
Stillwell has a long history of volunteer work. Her talents have supported such organizations as the North Dakota State Credit Union Board; the Dakota Credit Union Association Board; the Credit Union National Association’s Examination & Supervision Subcommittee; Williston Rotary Club; Junior Achievement; the Williston State College Foundation; and the Williston Economic Development Board, just to name a few. She was previously inducted into the Credit Union Hall of Leaders in Washington, DC, and was named a “Top 25 Women in Business” by Prairie Business magazine.
Darla Erb became the CEO of Voyage Federal Credit Union in 1998, a position she held until her retirement at the end of 2019. Today, after 85 years, Voyage is still growing under the vision she set, now exceeding $233 million in assets, and serving a community that covers 24 counties in four states, serving more than 20,000 members.
Erb spent her entire career giving back to numerous organizations. She served on the board of the Dakota Credit Union Foundation; the Sioux Valley Chapter of Credit Unions; the Advisory Council of Members United Corporate FCU; and the Dakota Credit Union Association’s Education Committee. In the Sioux Falls community, she has served on the City Planning Commission; as a Diplomat for the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce; as a Board Member for the Siouxland Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association; and volunteered for the Sioux Empire United Way.
Photos show DakCU President/CEO Jeff Olson with each HOF inductee
