GREENSBORO, N.C. – “Have you ever tried herding cats?” asksLarry G. Johnson, the now retired president/CEO of the NorthCarolina Credit Union League. Huh? What is Johnson talking about?The answer, of course, is managing a state CU league, a job he saysthat can become “impossible” given the “strong egos and strongdrives” of the members. The 63-year-old Johnson knows somethingabout that. He was CEO of the North Carolina League for 25 years,36 years as a trade group executive, and until his formalretirement Dec. 31 was the number two “dean” of state leaguemanagers, based on his years as president. Gary Wolter, 64, ofAlabama holds the top spot. “When you're trying to be successfulrunning a League, you simply have to take risks and you only have20/20 vision after it's over,” quipped Johnson in describing hisdown-home management philosophy. As in any business, “there arerisks to be taken – you win some and lose some and you're notsimply going to bat a thousand,” declares Johnson in detailing themanager's approach, coming at a time there has been high turnoveramong League CEOs, some of it related to policy differences onconfronting the heightened banker attacks. Apart from those bankerfights-of which North Carolina has been right at the top with someof the most important and newsworthy relating to the AT&TFamily FCU (now Truliant FCU) FOM case that led to the passage ofthe Credit Union Membership Access Act, H.R. 1151 -Johnson'sachievements go far beyond keeping the banking lobby in check. Forinstance, starting in 1978 he nursed the League back to financialhealth from a $250,000 negative and 75% member affiliation to $1million in equity currently in the League's service corporationplus 96% affiliation. “I don't take credit for that since it is notone person that can do the job-it takes a team,” said Johnson, whohas long been modest about his industry accomplishments. Accordingto the Johnson management philosophy, “You have to have an active,functioning good quality board, a chapter structure thatunderstands the organization's needs and a competent andexperienced staff.” During his tenure at the League, CU eligiblemembership in North Carolina has climbed from 700,000 to 2.6million. “I have watched Larry Johnson `in action' for over 30years-a teacher, a preacher and man of great purpose and one we'vealways looked up to,” said James Blaine, president of the $11billion State Employees CU, of Raleigh, the state's largest. Citingthe depth of his character, Blaine said Johnson “looms large as aleader – great heart, a true servant and unwavering commitment tothe cooperative philosophy.” That Johnson commitment was never moreevident than in the countless “social responsibility” causes he hasspearheaded ranging from a $500,000 campaign in support of the DukeMedical Center's Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant ResearchLaboratory or a $450,000 campaign on behalf of Prevent Child AbuseNorth Carolina. And the most recent has been a $500,000 two-stateCarolinas Credit Union Foundation campaign to raise funds for theVictory Junction Gang Camp, a facility to be opened next June inRandelman, N.C. for children with life threatening illnesses andtied to Hollywood actor Paul Newman. The tears flowed from family,friends and Johnson himself last June at the annual meeting of theLeague when Johnson was presented not only with the “LifetimeAchievement Award” but also a surprise honor – the naming of aspiritual center in his name and his wife, Hanna, at the VictoryJunction camp. Construction of the spiritual center will begin thisfall to follow the opening in June of the two medically-equippedcabins for the youngsters. In a July letter to League members,Johnson wrote that “life is not about accomplishments, but aboutrelationships,” and the “outpouring of love and appreciation wasoverwhelming.” The funding of the spiritual center “really touchedour hearts” and to include his wife “was indeed special anddeserved recognition of her role as Larry's partner, supporter andconfidant.” In addition to a specially engraved bible and a trip toGermany for the couple, the Johnson tribute was also included inthe Congressional Record by U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R.-N.C), whopraised Johnson for serving members of the League “with honor anddignity” throughout his career. His contributions, wrote Coble,“have been an asset to credit unions in North Carolina and acrossthe country.” A native of Greensboro, Johnson joined the League in1972 as executive vice president after serving as first timemanager of First Carolina Corporate Credit Union. He began his CUcareer in December 1967 as the first full-time manager of thecorporate. Prior to joining the corporate, he served eight yearswith the U.S. Air Force where he received extensive training inaccounting, finance and budgeting. In joining the League, Johnsonwas given primary responsibilities for legislative/regulatoryactivities, later moving up to president. He served on numerousnational committees and has been a three-term director of theAmerican Association of Credit Union League Executives Board.During 1986/1987, he was chairman of the National Credit UnionPolitical Action Committee (CULAC). Regionally, he had beendirector of the Southeast Regional Service Corp., a cooperativeeffort by state leagues to develop regional/national shared servicefacilities, and a director of the Southeast Regional Schools. Hiscolleagues have long recognized Johnson's generous spirit,underscored they say in the transition to his successor, the Julyappointment of John Radebaugh, former president/CEO of the NewMexico League. The North Carolina League Board, apparently wantingto give time to Johnson to step aside, stipulated that Johnsonwould remain as president/CEO through 2003 and that Radebaugh wouldbecome president-elect Oct. 13 assuming the top job at Dec. 31. Butin a surprise move, Johnson announced in mid-October that he wouldbe giving up the president/CEO job, stating “I am now seniorconsultant.” a title he said was made up. Johnson said then, “I seeno reason to have a delay as we deal with budgets and salaries”adding “this gives me time to slip quietly away into the nightwhile the spotlight falls totally on John.” In reflecting on hiscareer, Johnson told Credit Union Times he is most proud ofstanding up to the banking lobby on field of membership/taxchallenges over the AT&T Family Credit Union case, H.R. 1151 aswell as a North Carolina battle over municipal investment funds. “Isuppose one of my biggest disappointments is the price we had topay on H.R.1151 on PCA,” said Johnson referring to provisions inthe law over CU capital thresholds. He said it is heartened to hearrecent Congressional support for changing PCA which has become “tooonerous.” He said he also “fully supports” the NCUA in its effortto make it more difficult for CUs to convert to a mutual stockform. He said it is unfortunate those managers of CUs seeking tomake the change “have completely lost sight of the cooperativenature” of a CU. As he departs the credit union industry to “stepback, catch my breath, play golf and take a trip to Germany with mywife,” Johnson said he hoped his legacy might be that NorthCarolina CUs “truly stay focused on their core philosophy and notget caught up in profit and growth. We just can't do that.” -

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