Loggers Association) Credit Union
Charles Thompson
Charles is President and CEO of WCLA (Washington Contract Loggers Association) Credit Union in Olympia, Washington, where he has served since 2021. He has also served as Treasurer of the Pacific Logging Congress and Pacific Forest Foundation since 2024.
Charles began his career in financial services while serving on active duty in the US Marine Corps, including assignments in Okinawa, Japan, and as head of a deployed finance office in Al-Qa’im, Iraq. Following his military service, he joined Komatsu Financial in early 2008, working in captive finance while earning an MBA from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of Chicago.
After Komatsu, Charles moved west to work for a registered investment advisory firm before joining the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions as a credit union examiner. There, he specialized in business lending and led examinations of credit unions across Washington, including WCLA Credit Union. He later worked at BECU, Washington’s largest state-chartered financial institution, before joining WCLA.
Charles lives in Olympia with his wife, Christine, and their two dogs.