During the First West Credit Union AGM session in Kelowna on May 9, Paulette Rennie—a 25-year veteran of the B.C. credit union system—publicly announced her retirement.

Rennie, who is president of the Valley First and Enderby & District Financial divisions of First West Credit Union, shared she will be stepping down from her role in June and bringing to a close a financial services and leadership career that spans more than three decades.

“Paulette is an inspirational and transformational leader,” says First West Credit Union CEO, Launi Skinner. “From the branch to operations to senior leadership, she’s done it all. When I first met Paulette I was struck by her passion for the credit union and how she represents the co-operative principle of neighbour helping neighbour. Her retirement is a real loss to First West and the credit union system.”

Rennie joined Valley First in May 1989. Following a brief stint in Vancouver, she returned in 1995 to open the Cherry Lane branch in Penticton. Shortly after, Rennie moved to the Valley First regional office and over the next 12 years she took on increasingly senior roles before being appointed acting chief executive officer. It was in this role Rennie led Valley First through the final stages of its merger with Envision Financial, to form First West Credit Union, and on Jan. 1, 2010, Paulette became president of the Valley First division of First West Credit Union.

Editor’s Note: Paulette worked at Valley First Oliver for a spell while husband was the OIC at the RCMP.
Bill Rennie