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Family First Credit Union in Saginaw, Michigan, says former CEO Jane Smith is no longer an employee and has named COO Jason Acosta interim CEO. Smith said an AI-edited family photo showing fictional “Lake America” sweatshirts was shared publicly without its AI label; the credit union called the post unacceptable. The institution has not said whether Smith resigned or was dismissed, or explicitly confirmed the post caused her departure.
Family First Credit Union says CEO Jane Smith is no longer an employee and has appointed chief operations officer Jason Acosta interim CEO, effective immediately, after an AI-edited image linked to Smith and her family drew backlash. The Saginaw, Michigan-based credit union did not say whether Smith resigned or was dismissed, and its announcement did not explicitly tie her departure to the image.
In a letter to members on Wednesday, the $96.8 million-asset credit union named Acosta as interim chief executive and said Smith “is no longer an employee.” On Thursday, the institution apologized for the “concern, disappointment and pain” the situation caused members and the community. It said its responsibility was to act in the credit union’s best interest, uphold member trust and put the community first.
The image at the center of the controversy appeared to show Smith and family members wearing sweatshirts marked “Lake America.” In an interview with Michigan ABC affiliate WJRT-TV, Smith said the group had no such sweatshirts. She said she used ChatGPT to add them to a photograph taken at Detroit airport before a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Smith said she posted the altered picture on her private Facebook page with an AI-content label. According to her account to WJRT, her sister captured the image, added the caption “Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol,” and reposted it publicly without the label. That version spread widely online. The credit union told the station that, although the post concerned Smith’s personal life and family vacation, it was unacceptable and had been made without the institution’s authorization or knowledge.
The episode has put a community financial institution’s leadership and member trust in the spotlight. Family First’s apology acknowledges that the controversy caused concern and pain among members, while its statement distances the credit union from Smith’s actions and affirms support for Canadian neighbors.
The image also illustrates how an edited picture can circulate without the context its creator says accompanied it. Smith told WJRT that the AI label was present on her private post but absent from the public repost. The public response followed the image’s apparent meaning, while Smith said the clothing was fabricated and intended as a joke about a reported effort to rename Lake Ontario.
A Joke About Lake Ontario
Smith told WJRT that she and three family members were traveling to Halifax for a 10-day trip beginning Sept. 11. She said conversation about the trip and Canada turned to President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario, and that the group was “kind of poking fun” at the change. The source report describes the order as having been issued the previous month.
In a statement to the station on Sept. 16, Smith called the image “insensitive, distasteful and in poor judgment” and said it should not have been created or shared. She said she did not intend to insult anyone but recognized that intent did not erase the impact. She also told the station she had received death threats and had returned to the United States before her planned Sept. 21 return.
The credit union’s public statement did not set out a detailed account of its employment decision. Customer Zachary McDaniel told WJRT he disagreed with Smith’s actions and said people should stay out of the dispute over the lake’s name.
““We sincerely apologize for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.””
— Family First Credit Union
Departure Details Remain Unstated
Family First has not said whether Smith resigned or was dismissed, and its announcement did not explicitly say the image led to her departure. The sequence of events and the credit union’s condemnation provide context, but the institution has not publicly described the decision-making process or given further details about its employment action.
Smith’s account of how the image was made and reposted comes from her interviews and statements to WJRT. The supplied reporting does not independently establish who removed the AI label or the full circumstances of the public repost. The source material also does not provide a later statement from Acosta about his interim plans.
Interim Leadership at Family First
Jason Acosta is serving as interim CEO, effective immediately, according to the credit union’s letter to members. Family First has not announced how long the interim appointment will last, whether it has begun a permanent CEO search, or whether it plans to provide members with more information about Smith’s departure.
For now, the institution says it will focus on members, community trust and its operations under interim leadership. Any further explanation of the departure or next steps will depend on statements from Family First or Smith; no additional milestone was specified in the supplied reporting.
Key Questions
Who is leading Family First Credit Union now?
Chief operations officer Jason Acosta was named interim CEO, effective immediately, according to the credit union’s letter to members.
Did Jane Smith resign or was she fired?
The credit union said Smith is no longer an employee but did not say whether she resigned or was dismissed.
What was the “Lake America” image?
Smith said she used ChatGPT to add fictional “Lake America” sweatshirts to a family photograph. She said her sister reposted a screenshot publicly without the AI-content label that had appeared on Smith’s private post.
Did Family First say the image caused Smith’s departure?
No. The credit union called the post unacceptable and announced Smith was no longer an employee, but did not explicitly connect the two developments in its announcement.
Source: rss
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