Nymbus Appoints MSUFCU CEO April Clobes to Board of Directors to Drive Credit Union Innovation

Nymbus has appointed April Clobes, President and CEO of Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), to its Board of Directors. This move signals a deeper alignment between the modern core provider and the credit union sector, as Clobes brings three decades of operational experience and a track record of fintech investment to the company’s leadership.

What was announced

April Clobes joins the Nymbus Board of Directors, expanding her existing role within the company’s ecosystem where she already serves on the board of Nymbus CUSO. Clobes is the President and CEO of MSUFCU, a $9.3 billion institution, and also serves as CEO of Reseda Group, a wholly owned Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) formed by MSUFCU in 2021. The appointment follows a significant operational partnership in 2025, where MSUFCU utilized Nymbus to migrate two acquired entities—Algonquin State Bank and McHenry State Bank—onto Pillur. Pillur is a specialized digital banking platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. This project recently received a Finopotamus Tekkie Award for Core Innovation.

Clobes has been with MSUFCU since 1996, taking the helm as CEO in 2015. Under her leadership, the credit union has grown to serve over 415,000 members across 35 branches with a workforce of more than 1,400 employees. Her background combines the management of a large-scale traditional financial institution with the strategic oversight of a CUSO dedicated to scaling fintech solutions. Her recognition in the industry includes being named one of the Most Powerful Women in Credit Unions by American Banker and a Crain's Detroit Business Newsmaker in 2023.

"Credit unions are competing against institutions with far larger technology budgets, and collaboration is how we close that gap. Nymbus gives credit unions a practical path to modern technology without waiting years to get there. I look forward to helping the board expand that access across the industry."

April Clobes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Michigan State University Federal Credit Union.

The companies involved

Nymbus provides a modern core banking platform specifically designed for U.S. banks and credit unions. The company focuses on enabling financial institutions to launch new digital products or migrate legacy systems without the typical multi-year implementation timelines. Nymbus has established a significant presence in the credit union market, notably through the formation of Nymbus CUSO in March 2021, which acts as a bridge between credit unions and fintech offerings. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) is a major player in the credit union space, managing $9.3 billion in assets. It has moved beyond traditional banking through its subsidiary, Reseda Group. Reseda Group is a wholly owned CUSO that MSUFCU established in 2021 to invest in and scale fintech companies that serve the broader industry. This dual structure allows MSUFCU to act as both a consumer of financial technology and a strategic investor in the sector, positioning it as a forward-thinking institution within the American financial landscape.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has tracked Nymbus’ expansion across the digital banking sector, including its selection by Sagehaven Selects Nymbus Core Platform to Launch Proposed National Bank to power a de novo institution. The company’s focus on the credit union sector was highlighted in Credit Unions Poised to Dominate Underserved Business Banking Market, New Nymbus Research Reveals, which examined the opportunity for these institutions to capture the SMB market. Additionally, Nymbus has advanced its technical capabilities with the launch of an industry-leading, secure MCP server for AI-driven core banking actions. The platform’s market standing was further solidified when it was named a finalist for four prestigious awards in late 2025.

What this means

This appointment underscores the shifting dynamics in the core banking market, where the "buy-versus-build" debate is being replaced by a "partner-to-scale" strategy. By bringing a sitting CEO of a major credit union onto its board, Nymbus is positioning itself to better navigate the specific regulatory and cultural hurdles unique to the CUSO model. The industry is seeing increased pressure on legacy core providers as credit unions seek more agile, SMB-focused digital platforms like Pillur. The move highlights a broader trend: fintechs are no longer just vendors; they are becoming deeply integrated into the governance and investment structures of the institutions they serve.