Scott Simpson knows the job will not be easy

Simpson, a seasoned credit union advocate and veteran of political campaigns, earlier this week was named president and CEO of America’s Credit Unions and will step into the role this November at a moment when the industry faces some of its fiercest political headwinds in decades.

Simpson currently heads the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues and formerly led the Utah Credit Union Association. He will succeed Jim Nussle, who guided ACU through a period of post-merger consolidation and intensifying legislative scrutiny.

Nussle has led America’s Credit Unions since its formation in 2024 following the successful merger of the Credit Union National Association and the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions and previously served as President and CEO of CUNA for nearly a decade.

Nussle announced his intent to retire in April. The group said it evaluated a pool of more than 100 candidates for the position.

With more than two decades defending credit unions, Simpson enters the national arena amid renewed challenges to the industry’s federal tax exemption and increasing regulatory oversight.

“I came up through politics and public policy,” Simpson said in an interview with CUToday. “And early in my career, I discovered cooperative finance — this social mission with a real sense of purpose. I decided then that I was going to spend my career defending it.”

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Simpson’s selection by the ACU board may signal a sharpened focus on advocacy.

His background includes managing state and federal campaigns, equipping him to navigate the dual pressures of Capitol Hill and state legislatures. He emphasized the importance of a robust “ground game” — a coordinated, grassroots advocacy network across all 50 states.

“If I come to Washington thinking I can accomplish something alone, we’ll lose quickly,” he said. “We succeed when we execute across the full footprint of the country, in all 535 congressional offices, as one team.”

The appointment comes as banks and their allies intensify efforts to revoke the credit union tax exemption — a battle dating back more than 70 years.

Simpson cites the 1951 repeal of similar exemptions for other financial institutions as a cautionary tale, noting that credit unions remain the sole survivor of that era. “We will never be out of the woods on this,” he warned.

Beyond defending tax status, Simpson aims to reshape how credit unions tell their story. While the industry now serves more than 144 million Americans, he argues its narrative has lagged behind its growth.

As he prepares to take the helm, Simpson says he brings both humility and resolve.

“I’ll admit it’s a little daunting to take the helm of an organization like this,” he said. “But I have so much confidence in the cause.”