Gardner-based GFA Federal Credit Union has named Mark Hettinger as its new president and CEO.

Hettinger has more than 30 years of credit union experience and was most recently executive vice president and chief operating officer at Minnesota-based First Alliance Credit Union.

“The GFA Board of Directors were thrilled to find a candidate the caliber of Mark Hettinger during our nationwide search,” Doug Delay, GFA FCU’s board chair, said in a statement. “Mark will bring experience, professionalism, and leadership to our members and the communities we serve.”

Hettinger had joined First Alliance Credit Union as chief operating officer in 2004. Before that, he was vice president of member services at Think Federal Credit Union. He has also had roles as a branch manager and lending officer, the statement said.

GFA has about $649 million in assets and 31,000 members.

“GFA has over eight decades of history with strong growth and high-quality member service, along with an intelligent and dedicated Board of Directors,” Hettinger said in the statement. “I look forward to enhancing the credit union’s strong employee culture and providing innovative, world-class service to meet all members’ financial needs – whether they joined us yesterday, today or will join us tomorrow.”

Hettinger replaced Joshua Brier, who became GFA’s president and CEO in April 2021 and then left in August 2022 for a role at GYL Financial Synergies in Connecticut.