Two Credit Union Professionals Inducted into Hall of Fame!

​Congratulations to Darrell Dickhaut and Dayne Headland; both received this highest honor at the DakCU Awards Banquet for their years of service to the industry. 

Two credit union professionals were inducted into the Dakota Credit Union Association Hall of Fame during the elegant awards banquet that was held on Wednesday, May 11 at the Holiday Inn – Rushmore Plaza in Rapid City. The Hall of Fame honor is a lifetime achievement, and the most prestigious of all DakCU awards. 

Darrell Dickhaut (shown in photo above with DakCU President/CEO Jeff Olson) worked in the credit union industry for more than 25 years. Originally from Redfield, SD, Darrell was a military veteran who served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC during the Vietnam War. He became the manager of Turtle Creek FCU in 1991 and spent the next two years fixing the problems that had plagued the small financial institution, including crippling delinquency and a poor CAMELS rating. In 1997 he oversaw the construction of a new building on Main Street in Redfield, and another addition was completed in 2001. He also served on the SD Credit Union League Board of Directors for ten years; completed CUNA Management School in 1997; and was a top ten fundraiser for CULAC. (Watch the tribute video here.) 

In 2012, Turtle Creek FCU merged into Dakotaland FCU with the support of board and staff. Since retiring in 2015, Darrell still resides in Redfield, but now spends his days fishing, hunting, and chasing grandchildren. He and his wife Barb spend a few of the colder months in Arizona.

Dan Cumbee, former CEO of Dakotaland FCU, said “I met Darrell for the first time in 1991 shortly after he had taken the manager’s position in Redfield. He came to Huron and we spent a few days talking about credit unions and I gave him a crash course in basic operations. I thought Darrell must never have a bad day because he was one of the most positive and encouraging people I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. It turned out that Darrell was truly an all-around good guy and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you. It was later that I discovered what an incredible asset Darrell would be to the Dakotaland organization, but along with that, I had found a true professional I could count on and a life-long friend.” 

He continued, “Darrell is most deserving of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. His commitment to the credit union movement and his accomplishments over the years are extraordinary. His quiet leadership style has left a lasting impression and has earned my respect and admiration.”

Dayne Headland began his credit union journey more than 52 years ago when he became a member of First Community Credit Union. He was employed by the credit union from 1982 to 1991 as an Agriculture Loan Officer in Jamestown before leaving to pursue farming full-time. He then ran for the FCCU Board of Directors in 1992 and has served for the past 29 years. He plans to retire next year.  (Watch the tribute video here.)

Dayne is the longest standing board member at FCCU. Steve Schmitz, President/CEO said, “Every decision he made, he gave a lot of thought to and was not afraid to share his opinions He trusted the leadership FCCU had in place, but also wanted to make sure we spent our credit union members’ money wisely.”
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When Schmitz first began working with Dayne, FCCU was on the verge of conservatorship by the NCUA and in full crisis management. Dayne provided leadership to the newly placed management team. He understood that infrastructure and expansion to new markets was imperative to the credit union’s long-term success. In 2010, Dayne took on an additional role as a member of the ALCO committee.

Schmitz continued, “In my 20 years of working with Dayne, he has always shown consistent leadership. Especially through the tough times, Dayne is always willing to voice his opinion to make and support difficult decisions that have needed to be made for the long-term success of FCCU. He has made a lasting legacy on our credit union,” he concluded.

L to R: Steve Schmitz, President/CEO First Community CU; Dayne Headland; and Jeff Olson, DakCU President/CEO.

Congratulations to our two newest inductees into the Dakota Credit Union Association’s Hall of Fame!
​Visit our website to see previous inductees.