Maurice Joseph Pilver

Maurice ("Maury") Joseph Pilver passed away on January 20, 2024, at the age of 86.
Maury, a banking/credit union executive and civic leader for over 60 years, was born in Portland, Maine in December 1937 to Janeth ("Gail") L. Bardelli and Louis L. Pilver. He grew up in coastal New England including in the historic small town of Newburyport, Massachusetts. After his family's relocation to Florida in 1950, Maury attended St. Petersburg High School, graduating in 1955. He then studied in a pre-law track at St. Petersburg College.
In 1960, Maury's long career in banking and consumer lending began with a position, operating throughout Florida, with the North American Mortgage Corporation. In the mid-1960s, Household Finance Corp. – now known as HSBC Finance Corporation – recruited Maury to serve as an area manager in San Antonio, Texas, responsible for three offices. He later served in a similar position for Household in Fort Worth, Texas.
Beginning in the late 1960s, Maury moved back to Florida, where he served as a Vice President at Marine National Bank (what is now EverBank) in Jacksonville and then the Chief Operating Officer for what is now VyStar Credit Union. It was during this time in Jacksonville that Maury met his beautiful wife of 54 years, Jacquelyn ("Jackie") Flood. Later, he became CEO of what is now First Florida Credit Union. In the mid-1970s, Maury re-located out of state and took the helm, as CEO, of Beaufort Federal Credit Union (now part of CPM Federal Credit Union) in Beaufort, South Carolina. Returning to Jacksonville in 1982, Maury became CEO of what is now Alive Credit Union (originally Blue Cross & Blue Shield Employees Credit Union, and later HealthAmerica Credit Union). Maury served as Alive's CEO for 28 years before retiring in 2010. During that time, Maury worked diligently to make a very small credit union with limited deposits/assets, membership, and employees into a much larger, thriving financial institution that absorbed a number of other credit unions, all while repeatedly earning exceptional financial ratings from independent reviewers. He also successfully worked to expand Alive's membership base, such as with physicians and employees of numerous hospitals/medical centers, including The Mayo Clinic, which opened its Florida campus in 1986. Even after retiring as CEO, Maury continued his role on Alive's Board of Directors (for 41 years in total), serving as Chairman (2019-2020) and long-time Treasurer, until his passing.
Maury was also a strong supporter of the larger credit union movement. For 10 years, he served on the Governmental Affairs Committee of what is now the League of Southeastern Credit Unions, including representing Florida credit unions' and their members' interests with the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. Further, Maury was the co-founder and President of Healthcare Credit Unions International (HCUI, now known as Healthcare Credit Union Association), an organization established to provide a platform for healthcare credit unions – both nationwide and abroad – to collaborate more effectively.
Beyond credit unions and banking, Maury was actively involved as a civic leader throughout his adult life. While in Jacksonville in the late 1960s to mid-1970s, he served two terms as President of the Young Republicans and was elected Chair of the Duval County Republican Party, where he was active (as Treasurer) in future U.S. President Ronald Reagan's campaigns in Florida. After moving to South Carolina in the mid-1970s, Maury was elected as the Vice President of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, was later appointed as Chair of the Hilton Head/Beaufort County Aviation Board, and was a charter member of the Sea Island Rotary Club of Beaufort. Following his move back to Florida in 1982, he served as Vice President of the South Jacksonville Rotary Club, completing 20+ years as a Rotarian. For the City of Jacksonville, Maury was appointed, and confirmed by the City Council, to the Jacksonville Equal Opportunity Commission, and eventually served as Chair of that body. Still later, then Mayor John Delaney appointed Maury to the International Development arm of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, where he served as Treasurer and then Vice Chairman. He was also active in the Jacksonville Sister Cities Association committee for the Jacksonville-Nantes (France) sister city relationship and traveled to Nantes to represent the City in the early 2000s.
As a classic car enthusiast and proud former owner of a 1960s-era Corvette Sting Ray, Maury was appointed, in the mid-2000s, as a board member of the Amelia Concours d'Elegance car show. He and his wife Jackie also enjoyed regular national and international travel, and he had a special place in his heart for Canada. In Jacksonville, Maury was a proud member of San Jose Country Club for several decades. He loved reading, movies, music, food, and produce markets. And Maury was well-known for his friendly, outgoing personality and his great sense of humor.
Maury is survived by his beloved wife Jackie, his two sons, David and Michael, his brother Michael C. Pilver, his sister Claudia Blackburn, his brother Harry Pilver, his sister Michele Pilver, and numerous nephews and nieces and their children. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 03, 2024 at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Legacy Lodge (4801 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32207) starting at 12:00 PM.