SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The credit union industry has lost one ofits most innovative technology leaders.

The Golden 1 Credit Union Senior Vice President and ChiefInformation Officer Michael D. Grommesh, 52, passed away on Oct. 3.Described by the credit union as a “quiet thinker, self-proclaimedtechnocrat and an ardent supporter of the credit union industry,”Grommesh was recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He joined the credit union in1983. Grommesh was very active on the national scene, having servedin various board positions with CUNA, the California Credit UnionLeague and Western Payments Alliance. Grommesh played a key role inone of The Golden 1's most innovative initiatives–the creation ofCredit Union Direct Lending in the early '90s. Today, CUDL is thelargest indirect lending network for credit unions. “Mike was awell-respected and highly valued member of The Golden 1'smanagement team for more than 23 years and leaves a legacy of anoutstanding information technology department,” said CEO TeresaHalleck. “He took the credit union's data processing capabilityfrom its infancy to adulthood, growing from a few computers to morethan 140 systems that facilitate more than 30 million transactionsper year.”