Alvin J. Cowans

B.S. Public Relations, 1977

President and CEO of McCoy Federal Credit Union, Orlando
University of Florida Gator Athletic Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame 2025

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Alvin J. Cowans, CCUE, has been the President and CEO of McCoy Federal Credit Union in Orlando since November 1985. He has worked in the financial industry since 1978, joining McCoy Federal in 1983 as Senior Vice President before becoming President and CEO at the age of 30.

Cowans earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida in 1977. He was a four-year letter winner for the Florida Gators football team (1973–1976), served as co-captain in 1976, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1977. He was inducted into the University of Florida Gator Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

He is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Orlando Program, the Florida Credit Union League Management Institute, and CUNA’s Advanced Management Institute. He also holds the designation of Certified Credit Union Executive.

Cowans served 17 years as a director for the League of Southeastern Credit Unions in various roles, including chairman. He was appointed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (District 6) to its Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC) and later served as District 6 Chairman, representing the district in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he served a three-year term on the Federal Reserve’s Consumer Advisory Council and nine years as Region III Director for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions.

Currently, Cowans serves on the City of Orlando’s Finance Committee and as Chairman of the Orange County Sports Incentive Committee. His numerous recognitions include the 2021 Onyx Magazine Men of Honor award and the 2025 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity / I.S. Hankins Foundation Drum Major Award for Business.

Cowans is a member of the University of Florida Athletic Association Board of Directors and the Gator Booster Board of Directors. He is married to Shirley Smith Cowans and has two sons and five grandchildren; Dr. Alvin Jeffrey Cowans, II, wife Nikki, children Ava and Aubrey, and Marcus A. Cowans, wife Keshara, children Marcus A. Cowans, II, McKinley and McKayla.