The appointment caps a seven-year rise at the Silicon Valley lender as its retiring chief steps aside after more than three decades.

Star One Credit Union, a $9.3 billion-asset financial institution rooted in Silicon Valley, announced on Monday that it has appointed Minal Gupta as its new chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition at one of the nation’s larger credit unions.

Gupta, who has spent the past seven years at Star One, succeeds Gary Rodrigues, who is retiring after more than 34 years at the organization. The selection followed a national search conducted by the credit union’s board.

“I’m grateful to have worked with Gary for the last seven years, and I am honored to continue Star One’s mission of putting people over profits and building a stronger financial future for our members,” Gupta said. “As a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution, our members are not just customers, they are owners. Every decision we make is viewed through the lens of how it benefits our membership.”

Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Star One serves more than 130,000 members across the South Bay and surrounding counties and ranks 28th among U.S. credit unions by assets. Founded in 1956, the institution has long emphasized ties to Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation, a focus that has intensified as competition for deposits and talent has increased across the financial sector.

Gupta joined Star One in 2019 as vice president of remote services and quickly moved up the organization’s ranks, serving as senior vice president of operations, executive vice president and president before being named chief executive. Her career spans more than two decades and includes roles at Wells Fargo, Citi, Farmers and Merchants Bank, and Fremont Bank.

Story continued below…

Her background includes overseeing the launch and adoption of major payment systems such as Zelle, Same Day ACH and FedNow, experience that positions her to steer the credit union through an era of rapid technological change.

“Minal is a gifted leader,” said Melissa Henck, chair of Star One’s board of directors. “Her strategic vision and clarity of purpose make her the perfect person to carry on Gary’s legacy of delivering value to our members.”

Rodrigues, who led the credit union through years of growth and digital transformation, offered similar praise as he prepared to step down.

“I’ve had the chance to work closely with Minal for the past seven years, and what stands out most is how deeply she cares about our members, our employees, and the communities we serve,” he said. “Her commitment to delivering on Star One’s member-first mission makes her the perfect leader for the future.”

The leadership change comes as Star One continues to post steady financial gains. The credit union earned $37.7 million in 2025, up from $33.7 million a year earlier, according to data from the National Credit Union Administration.

Looking ahead, Gupta has emphasized a strategy that blends advanced financial technology with the cooperative model’s traditional focus on service.

“The Star One Credit Union community is grateful to Gary Rodrigues for his 34 years of dedicated leadership. We thank him for his visionary service and wish him the best in his next chapter.”

– Minal Gupta
New CEO
Star One Credit Union