CEO who wore 'Lake America' sweatshirts to Halifax is ousted

newsSep 24, 202617277

Jane Smith, the Michigan tourist and CEO of Family First Credit Union in Saginaw who posted the viral Sept. 11 photo of herself and three family members apparently wearing "Lake America" sweatshirts, is no longer employed by the credit union, the board announced Wednesday. The board statement, addressed to members and signed by the chair, named chief operations officer Jason Acosta as interim CEO and gave no reason or indication whether Smith resigned or was dismissed. The credit union posted an apology on its Facebook page saying it was acting "in the best interest of the Credit Union" and acknowledging differing community perspectives. Smith told ABC12 News the image was AI-generated, that she ran the sweatshirt image through ChatGPT and labeled it as AI on her private post, and that her sister later reposted it publicly without the AI warning. The episode followed backlash tied to U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America," a move that drew Canadian pushback and prompted three U.S. members of Congress to introduce a bill titled "Hands off our Great Lakes."

Dare Obasanjo

@carnage4life.bsky.social

Jane Smith who has been at the center of controversy for sharing an AI-generated photo wearing a “Lake America” sweatshirt with a group of others has lost her job as the CEO of Family First Credit Union. FAFO season continues for MAGA.

6515d ago

Dare Obasanjo23

Details in the article below

wikinaut.bsky.social6

I really have to wonder what these people think? Why do they relish in being offensive, in rejecting decency, and gleefully rejoice in it? SMH

brianmoore2.bsky.social4

FFCU made the right move. As CEO she was the front face representative to the marketplace. You can’t have a person lacking professionalism, decency, judgement, and basic decorum in that role.

d.w. 1878 (just like pagliacci did) 🚫👑2

Hope that LibOwn was worth it.

Quoting this

James McLeod23

Fired for being so stupid that it's newsworthy is a pretty high bar to clear in 2026. Congrats to Jane on this accomplishment.

Colin6

wow, ai is taking people’s jobs!

ℳatt

@matttomic.bsky.social

We, as a nation, successfully bullied a bank into firing their CEO for her stupid shirt www.cbc.ca/lite/story/9...

CEO who posted about wearing 'Lake America' sweatshirts to Halifax is no longer CEO
Jane Smith no longer working for Michigan's Family First Credit Union

5215d ago

ℳatt25

My takeaway I'll be thinking about from this story is that Google Maps and Apple Maps have gotten away repercussion-free with officially implementing something that we've deemed is a *fireable offense* in the normal corporate world

Quoting this

🏳️‍⚧️🇨🇦 Valkyrie Eleison6

Not sure how to feel about this On one hand, corporations being bullied by government power was how we got into this mess On the other, mess with the goose and you get the honk

Steve Lafleur

@stevelafleur.bsky.social

If the CEO of a credit union makes a joke that exacerbates diplomatic tensions that are harming the state, of course you need to fire her. Just wild that those tensions are wholly created by the sitting President, who faces no accountability cause he's a special lil guy. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

3215d ago

Nick P4

Also every CEO should understand that their conduct reflects on the business they lead. “Reputational risk” is a whole thing.

scmdgmlnhrs.bsky.social1

How did anyone who exercises such poor judgement become a CEO - of anything?

Lawrence

@ldog562.bsky.social

I hope wearing this shirt was worth your 600,000 dollar salary ,,, Maybe Trump will give you a job. 'Lake America' CEO Now 'Lake Unemployed'. crooksandliars.com/2026/09/ceo-...

1815d ago

SHE 💙🇺🇸🇮🇪🌈 🇺🇦⚾️1

That makes my year!!!!!👍🖕 So long…good bye…farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night…..I love to see you go!

MariaMia🐾🐾🐾1

Actions have consequences So does capitulation

JeffTrnka

@jefftrnka.bsky.social

CEO who posted about wearing 'Lake America' sweatshirts to Halifax is no longer CEO. Jane Smith no longer working for Michigan's Family First Credit Union. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

2315d ago

Liberals🇨🇦🇺🇦

@saynotobs.bsky.social

Michigan tourist who posted about wearing 'Lake America' sweatshirts finb out update.

1215d ago

Scotlady19🇨🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@scotlady19.bsky.social

FAFO! Jane Smith of the Lake America sweatshirt group that went to Halifax , has now been fired from her job.

1816d ago

K a s s i e D e e

@kassiedee.bsky.social

The CEO who posted a photo of herself and some friends wearing “Lake of America” sweatshirts is no longer employed. #FAFO “According to the company, CEO Jane Smith is no longer an employee of Family First Credit Union, effective immediately.” www.abc12.com/news/busines...

1016d ago

Canadian Cynic1

That is some satisfying FAFO.

Paul fulbrook

@paulfulbrook74.bsky.social

Jane Smith is no longer employed by Family First Credit Union, less than a week after its board publicly rejected her AI-generated "Lake America" post and said it was determining its next steps. The credit union has not said whether she resigned or was fired. • #fafo

1215d ago

Robert Smith 🇨🇦

@grumpygeek4sure.bsky.social

We Put Your Flag Beside Ours For Decades. I Think That Time Is Over - Sep 24, 2026 open.substack.com/pub/guardthe... Jane Smith is no longer employed by Family First Credit Union after the now infamous Lake America image sparked outrage in Canada. youtu.be/Y0yHBbbfbjc?...

515d ago

Hank Ering 🇨🇦💙🌊

@hank-ering.bsky.social

Four Americans that sported Lake America shirts on a post before a junket to Halifax, Nova Scotia 🇨🇦 have #FAFO. Jane Smith has been fired from her job as CEO. No doubt, she won't be hired again for a long time over this egregious lack of judgement. #CareerEnding #ETTD

815d ago

Resister Sister Nicki Smith

@worldtraveldiva.bsky.social

“Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. lol lol.” Like unemployment? Not sure Jane Smith will. lol lol. 😈 #FAFO #karma #boofuckinghoo www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

415d ago

ToeKnee amouronana 🌈

@tonymcpan.bsky.social

a CEO or was another more-on than off move so many these days www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

515d ago

davidkc.bsky.social

@davidkc.bsky.social

Nice FAFO: CEO behind offensive "Lake America" photo loses her job. www.culturealberta.com/articles/ceo...

415d ago

General De Bree von Kollaps, bringing muscovy empire to ≈ 1385

@dvodvo.bsky.social

Oh, the sweatshirts were't real, but AI generated.... Now tell me the post was a hallucination? Now you say it was a joke? Hey Ms. Jane Smith, ya wanna know what's a joke? Your IQ. You deserve that firing. Plus a tad more... www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

315d ago

1 source

cbc.caCEO who posted about wearing 'Lake America' sweatshirts to Halifax is no longer CEO | CBC News

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CEO who wore 'Lake America' sweatshirts to Halifax is ousted

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