A family joke involving an AI-edited photograph has ended with Jane Smith no longer working as CEO of a Michigan credit union.Smith, who was the president and CEO of Family First Credit Union in Saginaw, Michigan, became the subject of online backlash after a photograph appeared to show her and family members wearing matching sweatshirts reading “Lake America”.The image was created using ChatGPT, according to Smith, and was posted ahead of a family trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. What began as a joke quickly spread online, particularly in Canada, where the reference to “Lake America” struck a nerve.Family First Credit Union later announced that Smith was no longer an employee, effective immediately. The organisation did not say whether she resigned or was dismissed, and it did not explicitly say that the controversial photograph was the reason for her departure. Chief Operating Officer Jason Acosta was named interim CEO.
Who is Jane Smith?
Smith was the president and CEO of Family First Credit Union, a Saginaw-based credit union with nearly $97 million in assets. She had held a senior leadership role at the organisation for years and was listed as its president and CEO in the credit union’s own annual report.Her LinkedIn profile describes her as a certified credit union executive and identifies her with Family First Credit Union.Before her departure, Smith was known for her work in credit-union leadership and community engagement. But her name suddenly became widely known for a very different reason.
What was the ‘Lake America’ photo?
The controversy began with a photograph taken while Smith and her family were preparing to travel to Halifax.Smith told WJRT that the family had taken a regular photograph at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and later used ChatGPT to digitally add matching “Lake America” sweatshirts. She said they never actually owned or wore the sweatshirts shown in the image.The joke referred to the Trump administration’s decision to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. federal purposes. The change has been politically contentious in Canada and the United States.Smith initially posted the altered image privately on Facebook with an indication that it had been generated or altered using AI, according to her account. Her sister later shared it publicly without that AI label, after which it began circulating more widely.The post included the caption: “Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will.”
Why did the photo cause such a reaction?
The timing and location became a major part of the controversy.Smith and her family were travelling to Halifax, and the image appeared to show them arriving in Canada wearing clothing that appeared to mock the country’s reaction to the Lake Ontario name change.The post attracted criticism from people in Canada, including those in the Halifax area. The backlash became significant enough that Smith later apologised and acknowledged why people could find the image offensive.“We weren’t trying to make a political statement,” Smith told WJRT. “However, we were, you know, kind of poking fun” at the renaming of one of the Great Lakes.She also said she understood why people in Halifax might have been upset by the image.“I do regret having any post that would make someone feel like we don’t value them as human beings,” she said.Reports also said Smith’s family cut short its planned 10-day Canadian trip after she received what she described as death threats.
What happened to Jane Smith after the backlash?
Family First initially said it was reviewing the situation. Its board said the post had been made by Smith in her personal capacity but was still unacceptable and that the organisation expected its leadership to meet high ethical and professional standards.Days later, the credit union announced that Smith was no longer employed.“Jane Smith is no longer an employee of Family First Credit Union, effective immediately,” the organisation said.Jason Acosta, the credit union’s chief operating officer, took over as interim CEO. Family First also apologised to members and the wider community for the “concern, disappointment and pain” caused by the controversy.The credit union has not publicly explained whether Smith resigned or was dismissed.So, while the AI-generated “Lake America” photo preceded her departure and is at the centre of the controversy, it would be inaccurate to say the organisation has officially confirmed that the post was the reason she lost her job.For Smith, what started as a family joke about a controversial name change quickly became a public controversy that followed her from a private Facebook post to the top of a Michigan credit union’s leadership story.
