Crystal Long

A champion of the credit union movement, Crystal Long has led GECU efforts to bring financial well-being to members and others in Texas and New Mexico. Crystal has shown that when people commit to the principles and values of cooperatives—in everything from member service to community development–it makes a difference.

Like so many other movement leaders who began their credit union careers in entry level positions, Crystal joined the staff of GECU as a file clerk. That humble origin started her on a path that led not only to leadership at GECU, but also to engagement at the highest levels of the credit union ecosystem, including active participation in the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) program and a field-engagement trip to Kenya led by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU). 

In keeping with the credit union movement’s people helping people philosophy, Crystal led GECU’s democratically-determined transformation into a Federally Chartered credit union. This culmination of this effort welcomed into membership additional communities across Texas and New Mexico who lacked sufficient access to the tools of financial wellbeing. GECU’s federal charter remains the largest underserved expansion granted by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). 

Recognizing that long term benefit for communities, organizations, and individuals is linked to well-informed policy, Crystal has encouraged members to engage in advocacy efforts in the credit union space. GECU joined America’s Credit Unions’ Member Activation Program to help members speak on behalf of the credit union movement with elected officials. 

Informed by her own professional path, Crystal leveraged her position as a credit union industry leader to elevate future generations of credit union leaders through the formation of the GECU Young Professionals (YPs) program as part of the greater Cornerstone League Credit Union Young Professionals. Today, GECU has one of the largest groups of Young Professionals with more than 415 members and growing.

Among Crystal’s prestigious recognitions are NCUF’s 2019 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement Award, the 2024 Greg Inman Servant Leadership Award, and induction into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in 2025–all for her dedication to the credit union movement.

From its humble origins of 11 people pooling $5 each in mutual aid during the depths of the Great Depression, GECU has grown to become one of the largest and strongest credit unions in Texas and New Mexico with more than 435,000 members, 28 state-of-the-art branches, innovative online services and more than $4.4 billion in assets. Crystal Long’s leadership journey from credit union file clerk to CEO echoes that inspiring example of what is possible when people help people–not only within their own organizations but for the broader community–through cooperative values and principles.