Bill Smith retired from Coastal Credit Union’s board of directors in 2023 after an incredible 53 years of service to the credit union. During the majority of his tenure, Smith served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the board, with terms as Vice Chair and Chair.

 

In 1974, Smith played a crucial role in setting the tone for Coastal's future expansion and reputation as an innovator and industry leader when he convinced the rest of the board to hire the credit union's first CEO.
Outside of the board room, Smith was an energetic advocate for credit unions. He was active in the industry's annual Governmental Affairs Conference and regularly attended the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) visits to Capitol Hill. He previously served on committees for NAFCU and the North Carolina Credit Union League and was the chairman of the League of IBM Credit Unions for nineteen years.

 

In recognition of his efforts, Smith was named NAFCU Volunteer of the Year in 1993, was awarded the Order of the Longleaf Pine by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in 2018, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation in 2019.

 

In addition to his service to credit unions and a career at IBM, Smith was a small business owner and an officer of the Antique Dealers Association. In his spare time, he volunteered with Junior Achievement and the Duke Children's Miracle Network. 

 

In 2025, Coastal unveiled a completely renovated headquarters, with the new Bill Smith Board Room dedicated in his memory.