Saginaw, Michigan (January 23, 2024))- Wildfire Credit Union announces that after a nationwide search, Benjamin Denay has been selected as the Credit Union’s next President/CEO. Denay will succeed Tim Benecke, who served as President/CEO of Wildfire Credit Union for the past 15 years.

“We will continue to find opportunities to provide the best services and products to our members with Ben as our leader,” said Ken Voelker, Board Chairperson. “Ben has the experience and long track record of leadership and success in the financial services sector as well as the fresh perspective that we were looking for in our CEO. He knows our community well and demonstrated his commitment to making the community better, which aligns perfectly with the values of our credit union.”

Denay has nearly 22 years in the financial services sector, including a lengthy career in management with Garber Management Group, an umbrella organization for 23 new-car dealerships, representing 16 franchises across six states. Most recently, Denay served as the Chief Financial Officer of local Saginaw-based company, Gateway Financial Solutions, a $400 million consumer auto finance organization. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management from Northwood University in Midland, MI, and a CPA designation.

“I am deeply honored to lead Wildfire Credit Union, an organization that stands out for its dedication to serving members and the community. I look forward to working with the talented team here to deliver outstanding financial services for our members and strengthen our role as a trusted financial partner in our community.” Denay said when asked for a comment on his new position.

About Wildfire Credit Union
Wildfire Credit Union is headquartered in Saginaw, Michigan with full-service branches in Midland, Saginaw, and Bay City. The credit union has $1 billion in assets, has more than 48,000 members, and has a state-wide charter. Wildfire, formerly Communications Family Credit Union (re-branded in 2009), was established in 1937 to serve telephone employees. As with many credit unions of the era, it has humble beginnings and is built on the foundation of personal financial support for each member. Today, each of its 185 employees strives to offer distinctive service in-person, online, or over the phone. Wildfire is a strong leader in the community, supporting many interests that align with the interests of its membership. For more information, please visit: https://www.wildfirecu.org