Derrick E. Ragland, Jr., president and CEO of APCO Employees Credit Union, was recently named League of Southern Credit Unions (LSCU) Professional of the Year for the state of Alabama. Awards for Professional and Young Professional of the Year were presented at the 2024 Southeast Credit Union Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida.

The Professional of the Year award recognizes credit union professionals for their impactful contributions to advance the credit union movement in their state and/or the nation.

“I am deeply honored by this award,” Ragland said. “When I started at APCO 42 years ago, never could I have imagined all the lives I’d get to touch and the many, many people who would touch mine. Credit unions bring out the best in humanity, and I’m grateful to have spent my career serving alongside some of the greatest people I’d ever want to know.”

Throughout his career with the credit union, Derrick has worked in lending, branch management, collections, facilities and operations. In 2015, he was named president and CEO, making him the fourth person to fill the role in the credit union’s 70-year history. Under his leadership, APCO Employees Credit Union has been named the 14^th Most Efficient Credit Union in the nation, received the Louise Herring Award for Philosophy in Action and established a long-term pathway for charitable giving with the 501(c)(3) APCO Employees Credit Union Share the Care Foundation.

Other winners included Diane McCoy of Rome Kraft Employees Credit Union in Georgia and Laurie Cappelli of Community Credit Union of Florida.

“We are thrilled to honor these leaders with the Professional of the Year Award for their critical role in inspiring their peers, effecting positive change, and serving their members and peers in ways that go far above and beyond,” LSCU President Samantha Beeler said. “With close to a century in collective experience working in the credit union space, Derrick, Laurie and Diane have left incredible marks on our industry while also inspiring countless other leaders to follow in their footsteps and stand on the shoulders of these industry giants toward an even greater future.”

Ragland holds the Certified Chief Executive designation from the Credit Union Executives Society, serves on the board of directors for the Alabama Credit Union Administration and is a Coalition of Credit Unions member.

“This Credit Union has made a tremendous impact on my life,” he said. “In fact, I used one of the first APCO Visa cards to finance my college degree. But my story is not unique; many of our 86,000 members share similar stories. APCO Credit Union is a trusted friend to its members, and I’m proud we get to help them reach their personal and financial goals.”