The Tennessee Credit Union League is pleased to announce its 2025-2026 Board of Directors.
Two new volunteer board members, along with one incumbent, were elected to serve on the 2025-2026 Tennessee League Board of Directors. The members were selected during the 91st Annual Business Meeting, held prior the Annual Convention and Expo in Gatlinburg, on April 22. The two newly elected board members and the incumbent, in the following order, include:
Dr. W. Craig Esrael
President and chief executive officer of First South Financial Credit Union in Bartlett. Esrael holds more than 40 years of experience in the credit union industry, serving the entirety of his career at First South, which he led to being recognized as one of the top performing institutions in the nation.
Ron Smith
President/chief executive officer/chief security officer of Enbright Credit Union in Nashville. Smith has served more than 25 years in the financial services industry, with experience in collections, recovery, lending, security and management. Under his leadership, Enbright was named one of Nashville Business Journal’s Power Leaders in Banking.
Shelly Brown
Chief executive officer of United Southeast Federal Credit Union in Bristol. Brown holds more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. As incumbent, she will serve as secretary of the board.
Esrael and Smith succeed Mark Fraker, president and chief executive officer of Chattanooga Federal Employees Credit Union, who served as board treasurer for six years, and Dawn Graeter, president and chief executive officer of Southern Security Federal Credit Union, who served as chairwoman from 2024 to 2025.
As board members, Esrael, Smith and Brown will serve three-year terms, ensuring that the League’s initiatives uphold the needs of the state’s credit union community at large. Together, they join six other board members for the 2025-2026 year:
Laura Parham
Chairwoman, Heritage South Community Credit Union
Jessica Grostic
Vice chairwoman, Copper Basin Federal Credit Union
Brian Trotter
Treasurer, EPB Employees Credit Union
Amy Banks
Clinchfield Federal Credit Union
Joel Forbess
Kimberly Clark Credit Union
Carter Ridgway
Kemba Delta Federal Credit Union
For more information about the 2025-2026 TCUL Board of Directors, visit www.yourleague.org/about/board-directors/.
Photo Caption: Laura Parham, incoming board chairwoman, speaks at the end of the 91st Annual Meeting.
