PBN Leaders & Achievers Awards 2025
STEPHEN J. WHITE
Westerly Community Credit Union CEO and president
AFTER MORE THAN four decades in the credit union industry, Stephen J. White has built a career defined by service, community and growth.
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Since 2000, White has served as CEO and president of Westerly Community Credit Union. The financial institution – and the surrounding communities – has flourished thanks to White’s impact.
A University of Rhode Island business graduate, White began his financial journey as a teller at Middletown-based People’s Credit Union. He climbed the corporate ladder over 16 years to become the institution’s chief operating officer.
White subsequently became Westerly Community’s top executive. The credit union was then a modest two-branch institution with $85 million in assets. But under White’s guidance, Westerly Community has grown into Rhode Island’s fifth-largest credit union, with $502 million in assets, $24 million in annual revenue, five branches and more than 22,000 members.
“The real success isn’t just in the numbers; it’s in the trust we’ve earned,” White said.
White’s growth strategy has been both forward-looking and grounded in the community. He launched successful small-business and marine lending programs, expanded Westerly Community’s digital services to rival national banks, and cultivated a workplace culture centered on member care and community well-being.
“We’ve always believed that if we take care of our members and our employees; the numbers will follow,” he said. “Community involvement is part of who we are as a credit union.”
That dedication extends far beyond the office. White has served as board president for the Westerly Education Endowment Fund and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, as treasurer and committee member for the Ocean Community YMCA and as a mentor with the Chariho Incubator Program. He also has been recognized as CEO of the Year by the Cooperative Credit Union Association and Citizen of the Year by the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce.
While White prepares for retirement in early 2026, his impact will remain.
“I hope people remember that we made a difference for our members, our employees and our community,” White said.
