Jamestown Credit Union Leaders Schmitz, Sommerfeld Inducted into Hall of Leaders

Steve Schmitz, president and CEO of First Community Credit Union in Jamestown, and Fran Sommerfeld, president and CEO of Levo Credit Union in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders on March 3 during a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. The two were among 18 credit union champions recognized at the event, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the credit union movement nationally.

Schmitz's connection to the credit union world runs deep in North Dakota. He began his career with First Community Credit Union in 2000 as a branch manager in Napoleon, a small town about 60 miles south of Jamestown, and worked his way up to president and CEO in 2010. In the 15 years since, he has overseen multiple mergers and guided FCCU past the $1 billion asset milestone, expanding the institution's footprint across the region while keeping a focus on community impact and member service.

Sommerfeld's roots in the movement stretch back even further. He started in 1991 managing a small credit union in Flasher, North Dakota, a town of just a few hundred people in the southwestern part of the state. After nearly two decades building his career across the Dakotas, he became president and CEO of Levo Credit Union in 2009. Since then, he has grown the organization to more than 36,000 members across four states, with a particular emphasis on mentorship and advocacy within the broader credit union community.

Together, the two honorees bring more than five decades of combined service to the credit union movement. Schmitz has spent more than two decades at FCCU alone, while Sommerfeld has devoted more than 30 years to the field. Their induction into the Hall of Leaders places them alongside credit union professionals recognized at the national level for lasting institutional and community impact.