SAGINAW, Mich.–The departure of a credit union CEO for allegedly having appeared in an AI-created photo showing her wearing a “Lake America” sweatshirt has—not surprisingly—led to a Great Lake’s worth of comments from CU Daily readers.
As the CU Daily reported here, Family First Credit Union said in a statement on its website that CEO Jane Smith is no longer with the $97-million credit union following a controversy that arose after Smith posted a photo before a family trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Smith told WJRT that her family took a picture at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and used ChatGPT to make it appear they were wearing matching “Lake America” sweatshirts. They did not own or wear the sweatshirts, the news outlet reported.
The photo was later shared publicly by Smith’s sister, after which it went viral in the wake of sharply divided views on the renaming of Lake Ontario as Lake America by President Trump. As a border state with Canada, the issue has been a particularly sensitive one in Michigan.
‘No Political Statement’
“We weren’t trying to make a political statement,” Smith told WJRT. She said the family was “kind of poking fun” amid discussion of the “Lake America” name. Smith later described creating and sharing the image as an error in judgment.
As The CU Daily previously reported, Smith apologized after the image spread online. “It was insensitive, distasteful, and in poor judgment,” she said in a statement provided to WJRT. “Though the image did not depict a real event, I understand that the image was hurtful and offensive.”
The board of Family First, which was founded in 1939 to serve Saginaw’s municipal workers, later issued its own statement, saying it “unequivocally disapproves and rejects” the post. Although Smith made it in a personal capacity during a family trip, the board said, “the post is unacceptable.” It said her conduct did not reflect the credit union’s values and that it was determining its next steps.
The board’s next statement was that Smith had left Family First CU and that Chief Operating Officer Jason Acosta is serving as interim CEO.
What CU Dail Readers are Saying
Since the CU Daily first began reporting the story, its comment section has been filled with feedback that takes all sides in the debate. Here are some of the comments posted:
- No being satirical, no political views unless someone deems them the correct political view, no freedom of expression. Got it.
- What a shame for things to end this way. Have whatever opinion you want of what was done but turn the page and move on. This wasn’t deserving of death threats and one’s job.
- If you lead a company you should be well aware of how sensitive the world is right now and maybe use critical thinking. This is why I post nothing on social media of a personal nature; there’s no upside only downside risk
- Doesn’t get anyone fired to support the other side, just saying!!
- Ridiculous. I hope she sues the pants off them. It’s not even a political statement. It’s at worst tacky. The Board got weak and bowed to some on social media who search for things they think others should be offended by. They didn’t have an upheaval of offended members, and that’s the only thing that should matter.
- I agree; it is tacky to “wear” that sweatshirt, but if you don’t think it is a political statement, then I am not sure what planet you are living on. How is it not political?
- Canada is/was the US’ biggest ally. DJT is ruining America’s relationships with our allies and being spiteful; this show of support is a loud political statement.
- Agreed, we speak of kindness and inclusion as long as it fits our narrative.
- Whether or not the shirts were real – it was still offensive. Secondly, she also made a comment about the wildfires saying Trump could buy real estate cheap in Canada. Real funny, aye? Making fun of a situation where acres & acres of land lay in charred ruins, people’s homes burnt to the ground and loss of employment…to say nothing about the environment and all the animals who were likely killed or injured so badly they will die.
- Offensive to who? The President of the United States addressed this in an Executive Order. When we get to a point in society when you can offend someone for thinking that someone who brutally murders their children should be held accountable, then we know we’ve gone too far with the victimhood, faux outrage, and the voice given to those who decide what others should be offended by, even when they aren’t.
- An Executive Order that I am sure will be reversed immediately (as well as the Gulf of “America”) once we have a competent, sane, and non-dictatorial leader at the helm).
- Total BS to fire someone for this. IT WAS A JOKE!
- Who is offended? Canadians? Last I checked FFCU is in America so who cares if Canadian are offended!
- If I were a member, I would have closed all of my accounts.
- No matter whether you are liberal or conservative, when you are the CEO of any company, credit union, or not, you need to be neutral. Who wants to alienate half of your membership? Not me.
- Personally, I have strong political beliefs, but as long as I have been in banking, and a member shows their politics, I just smile and nod and mmhmm them until they leave.
- Why any CEO would be this idiotic is beyond me. She deserves to lose her job.
- It’s beyond you because what she did is patriotic, not idiotic. And it wasn’t political, either. If the exec order came from any other president, this wouldn’t even be a conversation.
- Strangest of all, Lake Ontario borders neither Detroit nor Halifax- so how was this even relevant to the family trip? I’m also not seeing how whether or not the images were AI generated makes any difference at all.
- If you lead a company you should be well aware of how sensitive the world is right now and maybe use critical thinking. This is why I post nothing on social media of a personal nature, there’s no upside only downside risk
- This is why Canadians and for that reason many people around the world, dislike ignorant, arrogant Americans.
- You shouldn’t be representing any company. I’d fire you.
- Seriously, this is a thing? The credit union needs to disapprove of a private joke? How is any of this offensive?
- The part that really bothers me is that she emphasized that they didn’t really wear the sweatshirts, just made an AI image pretending they did, then blamed big bad AI. Lady, whether you wore the sweatshirts or pretended to. doesn’t matter. The snarky intent tells us everything we need to know about who you are. To her employer: This is your CEO, not some teller in a backwater branch.
- “Family First Credit Union is built on a foundation of community, integrity, and respect,” the board said. “We hold all of our employees, particularly our executive leadership, to the highest ethical and professional standards. Ms. Smith’s conduct in this matter does not align with those standards and expectations.”
- If I were a member of this Family Firs Credit Union I would be worried that such a juvenile and unserious person is overseeing my money. I would definitely be moving my cash to the serious credit union across the road.
- Canada and Canadian companies are the source of MANY of your jobs, directly or indirectly. This type of behavior is why we are looking for alternative countries to do business with and send your job there. Think about that. This is more than a behavior problem. It goes to the root of American tourist ignorance and arrogance when visiting another country. It stopped being funny a long time ago.
