David Gilbert, longtime board member and chairman of APGFCU, passed away on October 24, 2025. He began his volunteer service in 1969 as an elected board member serving for 47 years, with over 20 years as chairman or president of the board.

During his tenure at APGFCU, he also held the positions of vice chairman (four years) and chairman emeritus (three years), and served as a member of nearly every board committee.

Additionally, Gilbert volunteered at the state and national levels, including as a board director for the MD|DC Credit Union Association and as a director on the board of the former NAFCU (now known as America’s Credit Unions). There, he lobbied for important changes to federal laws and regulations. He was a strong advocate of people working together to achieve a better life for themselves and their community through the financial services provided by credit unions. To further the credit union movement and philosophy, he made special efforts to encourage the recruitment and development of volunteers.

While he served, Gilbert witnessed APGFCU’s remarkable growth from approximately $7 million in assets and 9,000 members in 1969 to nearly $1.2 billion in assets and almost 121,000 members by 2016. In 2018, Gilbert was recognized for his contributions to the credit union movement when he received the Wright Patman Award from the MD|DC Credit Union Association. As part of the ceremony, a video highlighting Gilbert’s accomplishments was shared. In addition, he was named Volunteer of the Year by NAFCU in 2009.

Gilbert was a graduate of Harvard, earned a law degree from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Science in Business Administration from George Washington University. He retired from a distinguished career of civil service with the Department of Army, where he earned many service awards as a key executive.

Beyond credit unions, Gilbert served in leadership capacities for many civil, academic, and religious organizations. He was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Doris, with whom he had five children and 10 grandchildren. In addition to promoting the role of volunteers in credit unions, his interests included skiing, tennis, sailing, and the Maryland Senior Olympics.