First Financial CEO to retire after more than a decade.
Eric Church will step down Oct. 5, handing the $1.4 billion Maryland credit union to current President James Wheeler.
Eric Church, who has led First Financial Federal Credit Union for more than a decade and spent more than three decades with the institution, will retire as chief executive Oct. 5, with current President James Wheeler set to take over the $1.4 billion credit union.
Church, 61, joined First Financial in 1994 after working as a certified public accountant with Stegman & Company, where he had developed a concentration in credit union clients. He spent the next two decades overseeing finance, accounting and technology before being named president and chief executive in 2015.
During Church’s tenure as CEO, First Financial added $485 million in assets, $686 million in loans and $431 million in shares. Membership grew by more than 21,000, while the credit union added more than 100 employees.
First Financial now has $1.4 billion in assets and 81,365 members. Its earnings also improved in the first half of 2026, reaching $2.4 million, compared with $1.1 million during the same period a year earlier.
Church also oversaw several major changes to the institution’s footprint. The credit union purchased its headquarters in Sparks, where it had relocated from Lutherville, and completed three credit union mergers that added more than 4,000 members and strengthened its presence across the region.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve First Financial and our membership for over three decades,” Church said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished over the years, and as I begin the next chapter, I know First Financial is in great hands with James Wheeler and the talented employees who will continue building on our success and moving the credit union forward.”
Church’s departure will mark the end of a 42-year career in financial services that began in accounting. He is a Baltimore County native and a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics along with certificates in accounting and finance.
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Bob Brenneman, chair of First Financial’s board, credited Church with helping establish the credit union’s long-term stability.
“Eric has been a cornerstone of First Financial’s strength and stability for more than three decades,” Brenneman said. “Eric’s impact extends far beyond any single accomplishment, and we are deeply grateful for the leadership and dedication he has provided to First Financial over the years.”
Wheeler was appointed president in October 2025 and will assume the chief executive role when Church retires. His promotion provides an internal succession at a time when First Financial has continued to expand its operations and member base.
The credit union said Wheeler brings extensive leadership experience and a deep commitment to its mission. His appointment is intended to provide continuity while the organization moves into its next phase.
Church’s tenure began when First Financial was a substantially smaller institution. The growth in assets, lending, membership and employees over his years as chief executive reflects the broader expansion of the credit union, while the three mergers gave it a larger regional presence.
First Financial, based in Sparks, serves more than 81,000 members and will enter the transition with a leadership change already planned rather than a prolonged search for an outside successor.
Wheeler will become president and CEO on Oct. 5, succeeding an executive whose career at First Financial spans more than 30 years.
“I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished over the years, and as I begin the next chapter, I know First Financial is in great hands with James Wheeler.”
– Eric Church
Outgoing CEO
First Financial Federal Credit Union
Ken McCarthy is manager of marketing communications at Tyfone, where he monitors the credit union industry and contributes to conversations shaping its future. He previously covered credit unions and community banking for American Banker and S&P Global Market Intelligence. He holds a journalism degree from Point Park University and has more than 15 years of experience covering financial services. He is also the author of three literary fiction novels.
