Michael Poulos, president and CEO of Michigan First Credit Unio

Michael Poulos

President/CEO

A leading force in the credit union industry, Michael Poulos has driven expansion and innovation since he became president/CEO of Michigan First Credit Union in 2000. Under his leadership, the credit union has grown to nearly 90,000 members and more than $630 million in assets with an emphasis on exceptional customer service and ongoing investment in new technology. During his tenure, Michigan First has expanded lending programs by $230 million, implemented effective sales practices and cultivated a focus on high-touch service. Poulos’s efforts have yielded significant growth for the credit union—a Metro Detroit institution for generations—adding service-driven technology and expanding membership beyond the educational community to include all residents and workers in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Instrumental in the launch of mobile banking and advanced MoneyWorks ATMs, he has also instituted continuing education and training for all team members, supporting his belief in developing credit union leaders from within. Poulos has also focused on attracting a new generation of members by investing in youth and young adult financial education programs, as well as in a new brick and mortar branch designed for students at Wayne State University. Under his leadership, the credit union has also deepened its connection to the community, supporting more than 25 student-run credit union branches in area schools and founding the Michigan First Foundation in 2012. The foundation gives more than $160,000 annually to local non-profits and students through its donations and scholarship programs. Prior to serving as CEO at Michigan First, Poulos ran three credit unions in New York and Florida, earning the 1995 Credit Union Professional of the Year award from the New York State Credit Union League. He is a member of the Credit Union Executive Society and is a frequent presenter at industry events, including serving on the faculty of Credit Union Marketing University in Tempe, AZ. He earned an M.B.A. from Russell Sage College as well as a Bachelors degree in Accounting from LeMoyne College.