Founder and the inaugural Chair of Bank First.

We were sad this week to hear the news of the passing of Peter Leonard-Kanevsky, one of our founding board members and our very first Board Chair.

As a former country primary school teacher, Peter had the bold vision and determination to create a credit union owned by its Members for teachers, which put people before profits.

Peter’s courageous leadership took us through periods of transformation that were beyond what anyone had first expected  when they voted to create the Victorian Teachers Union (VTU) Credit Union. What remained true and unchanged through the Bank’s evolution was Peter’s unwavering commitment to putting Members first, and this is his legacy that we continue to honour and is so ingrained in who we are and what we stand for today.

We are grateful that over the years, Peter hasn't been a stranger. He has been a loyal Member and advocate and has regularly visited and shared the story of our organisation.

As Peter said during our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2022 - this place is 'one of the most worthwhile things that exists in the state of Victoria'.

His legacy lives on in the purpose of Bank First and in a culture that steadfastly puts Members at the heart of every decision – a legacy of courage and audacious actions.

Some of our founding Members, including Peter Leonard-Kanevsky (pictured fourth from right), shared their stories and ongoing admiration for the organisation they played a huge role in at our 50th anniversary in 2022.