WASHINGTON–The White House has nominated John Crews for an NCUA Board seat. The announcement of the nomination is included among other nominations listed on the White House website.
As the CU Daily was first to report here in February, Crews is the assistant secretary for financial institutions policy in the Treasury department.
Note date has been set for a hearing or a confirmation vote. If confirmed, Crews’ term would run through August 2031.
Crews was appointed to the position in mid-2025 and has a long history in Washington. Prior to joining the Treasury Department, he served as a policy advisor to Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), where he covered economic and financial services policy, and prior to that was the policy director of the Senate Banking Committee.
During the first Trump Administration, Crews has served on the National Economic Council as a special assistant to the President for Economic Policy.
Crews, who has held numerous other positions as a staffer on the Hill going back a decade, is a graduate of Princeton University with a BA in politics.
In September, Crews and NCUA Chairman Kyle Hauptman were on the same agenda for a Hike the Hill event hosted by the League of Credit Unions, where Crews appeared as part of a “fireside chat.”
Hauptman Waiting to Exit
The NCUA board currently has one member, Chairman Hauptman, who is waiting to exit after the Securities and Exchange Commission announced he has been appointed to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).
Hauptman, whose term expired in August of 2025, has said he would remain on the board until a successor could be nominated and approved by the Senate.
Sources has earlier told the CU Daily the fact Crews has already been vetted for his position with Treasury would speed the nomination along, if in fact he is nominated.
Awaiting Court Decision
In the meantime, it appears the board will continue to have just one member until litigation filed by Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka—the two NCUA board members fired by President Trump in April of 2025—is ruled on by the courts, with a Supreme Court decision in a separate case likely to decide the matter.
America’s Credit Unions Issues Statement
“America’s Credit Unions congratulates Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Policy John Crews on his nomination to the National Credit Union Administration,” America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Scott Simpson said in a statetment. “Crews understands the important role mission-driven lenders like credit unions play in helping families and small businesses get ahead. His experience at the Treasury Department reflects a thoughtful approach to innovation, safety, and expanding access to affordable financial services. We look forward to working with him in this capacity to ensure credit unions have a modern regulatory framework that supports their ability to serve more than 146 million Americans who rely on them as trusted financial partners in uncertain times.”
As the CU Daily reported earlier, in April Simpson and ACU’s Greg Mesack met with Crews in his current capacity as Treasury deputy assistant secretary for financial institutions policy. His role advises Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on policies related to financial institutions, regulation, and legislation.
During the meeting, Simpson and Mesack shared the importance of modernizing key regulations to free up credit union time and resources for additional member service and detailed the movement’s opposition to the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act.
National Small CU Association Issues Statement
“We congratulate John Crews on his nomination to serve as the next Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). We also want to thank Chairman Kyle Hauptman for his leadership and engagement with the National Small Credit Union Association during his tenure,” Joshua Urbick, CEO of IBEW 26 FCU and head of the new National Small Credit Union Association, said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the NCUA and working collaboratively to share the challenges, opportunities, and issues impacting small credit unions across America. Small credit unions remain a vital part of the financial services landscape, and we are passionately committed to ensuring their voices continue to be heard.”
DCUC Issues Statement
“On behalf of the defense credit union community, we congratulate John Crews on his nomination to lead the NCUA,” Jason Stverak, DCUC chief advocacy officer, said in a statement. “The NCUA plays a critical role in preserving the safety and soundness of the credit union system while ensuring access to affordable financial services for millions of Americans, including servicemembers, veterans, and their families. We are eager to sit down with Mr. Crews to learn more about his views and his vision for the future of the credit union industry.
“At a time of rapid technological change, evolving regulatory expectations, and growing demands on financial institutions serving military communities, strong and thoughtful leadership at the agency is essential,” added Stverak.
“Credit unions operate in unique environments when serving all communities across the nation and overseas,” added Anthony Hernandez, DCUC president/CEO. “These institutions require a regulatory framework that recognizes both operational complexity and the cooperative, member-owned mission that defines our industry. We look forward to engaging with Chairman-designate Crews to ensure the agency continues to promote innovation, strengthen mission readiness, and uphold the credit union model.”
