Family First Credit Union removes CEO after AI sweatshirt photo sparks controversy

Family First Credit Union disclosed that Jane Smith has been removed from her position as chief executive, with the board appointing chief operations officer Jason Acosta as interim CEO. The announcement, posted on the credit union’s website, did not detail the reasons behind the termination or whether Smith resigned. The decision comes after a viral Facebook image of Smith and three family members wearing fabricated "Lake America" sweatshirts during a visit to Halifax drew criticism.

Smith later clarified that the sweatshirts were AI-generated and not real, intended as a joke about a proposed U.S. renaming of Lake Ontario. The credit union issued an apology to members, acknowledging the disappointment and pledging to act in their best interests. Attempts to contact Smith, Acosta, and the credit union’s marketing team have so far yielded no response.