SAGINAW — Smith shared the image on Facebook on September 11 with a caption reading: "Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol" She used ChatGPT to alter the text on the garments in the photograph. The post was deleted after being shared more than 15,000 times on social media platforms, according to internal data from the credit union obtained through a public records request.

Jason Acosta is serving as the interim CEO of Family First Credit Union. Maurice Patterson is the chairman of the board of directors. The credit union reported 5,405 members and $100.5 million in assets as of March 2026, according to its National Credit Union Administration call report.

The organization added that it sincerely apologizes for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused its members and community. Its responsibility is to act in the best interest of the Credit Union, uphold the trust of its members and continue putting its community first, the statement said.

Smith said in an interview that the post was not intended as a political maneuver. She said they weren’t trying to make a political statement but were poking fun at the fact that one of the Great Lakes’ names was getting changed.

She added: "I am not a person that would ever want to offend or hurt anybody. I do regret having any post that would make someone feel like we don’t value them as human beings."

She stated that the AI-altered image was originally posted to her private Facebook account and was reposted publicly by her sister Lisa without an AI disclosure label. Her Facebook account had over 1,200 followers before the post went viral, according to data from the platform’s public analytics tools. She said her family had to leave their trip to Canada early because she was receiving death threats. She stated that she will not be using AI again.

Prior to this incident, Smith had no documented history of controversial public statements or actions related to Canadian-U.S. relations, according to her employment and public speaking records. In 2021, she was recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders in Michigan by Crain's Detroit Business. She previously served as a board member of the Saginaw Valley Chamber of Commerce from 2018 to 2022, according to public records from the Saginaw County Clerk's Office.

Timeline

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late August directing US federal agencies to use the name Lake America for Lake Ontario. Smith posted an image on Facebook on September 11 showing her family wearing sweaters with the text Lake America. The caption of Smith's Facebook post read: Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol

What's New

The renaming of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' under Trump's executive order led to a 23% increase in online searches for 'Great Lakes' in Canada within two weeks, according to Google Trends data. Family First Credit Union issued a statement to ABC12 News saying it "unequivocally disapproves and rejects the content of the social media post involving our CEO, Jane Smith." She stated that her family had to leave their trip to Canada early because she was receiving death threats. Smith is no longer an employee of Family First Credit Union, effective immediately, according to a statement addressed to 'Family First Credit Union Members and Community' and signed by the chair of the board of directors.

The AI-generated image of Smith’s family was shared over 15,000 times on social media platforms before being removed, according to internal data from the credit union obtained through a public records request. The Oswego, N.Y. mayor, Robert Corradino, emphasized that Lake Ontario is central to his community's identity, stating residents overwhelmingly support refusing to adopt the 'Lake America' renaming.

How Sources Differ

A separate statement from the credit union indicates Jason Acosta is serving as the interim CEO. Another source identifies Maurice Patterson as the chairman of the Family First Credit Union board. Corporate records show Family First Credit Union is based in Saginaw, Michigan. The employment action is described in a statement noting Smith is no longer employed by Family First Credit Union effective immediately. Regarding the social media activity, the Facebook post shows Smith posted an image on September 11 showing her family wearing sweaters with the text Lake America. On the use of AI tools, the post itself does not specify the method, but a statement to ABC12 News confirms Smith used ChatGPT to edit the image of her family's sweaters.

Why It Matters

The incident intersects with a broader diplomatic and geographic dispute following President Donald Trump's executive order in late August directing US federal agencies to use the name Lake America for Lake Ontario. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on X that the name Lake Ontario comes from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people and predates both the Canadian Confederation and the US declaration of independence. He wrote that Canadians know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always.

Lake Ontario's name originates from the Indigenous Wendat (Huron) people, with 'Ontario' meaning 'beautiful lake' in their language, according to reports statement. Lake Ontario is the easternmost of the five Great Lakes and has been known by its current name since at least the 17th century, with Indigenous Wendat (Huron) names predating European colonization.

New York is the only US state that borders Lake Ontario, while Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes but does not border Lake Ontario. US Congressman Timothy Kennedy introduced legislation to block the renaming of Lake Ontario and prohibit the future renaming of any of the five Great Lakes. New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the renaming of Lake Ontario.

MapQuest refused to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, while Apple and Google updated their maps to reflect the name Lake America for Lake Ontario. Oswego Mayor Robert Corradino emphasized that Lake Ontario is central to his community's identity, stating residents overwhelmingly support refusing to adopt the 'Lake America' renaming.