Last week, eight credit unions plus two vendors, LSI and Dolphin Debit, announced new promotions, hires, accolades and other changes at their organizations. Check out the latest People news below.
WEST
The $9.8 billion First Technology Federal Credit Union based in Mountain View, Calif., promoted Alex de la Cruz to SVP, head of retail. Previously, de la Cruz served as First Tech’s vice president of member experience. In his new position, de la Cruz will lead the retail channel including the strategy for the next generation of First Tech’s branch of the future. He brings more than 15 years of management experience to the position.
The $493 million Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii hired Samantha Leigh as human resources manager. She will be responsible for the human resources and training departments and will oversee the credit union’s performance management, employee relations and service excellence. Leigh has extensive experience in human resources management. Prior to joining the credit union, she worked for Roberts Hawaii as a human resource generalist and the Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa as a human resource coordinator.
MIDWEST
The $507 million Kellogg Community Credit Union in Battle Creek, Mich., hired Maria Keller as COO. Keller joins KCCU with more than 18 years of information technology experience. Keller will be overseeing the IT, operations and facilities teams. She is also part of the organization’s senior leadership team, which helps set the strategic direction for the credit union organization and to ensure it is delivering the best possible products and services to its members.
EAST
The $533 million Sun East Federal Credit Union in Aston, Penn., announced that Anthony B. “Tony” Brazunas III, one of the board’s longest-serving members and current chairman, is retiring after 30 years of dedicated service. As a result of Brazunas’ retirement, the executive board of directors was realigned, and Tom Crawford, a former Sunoco employee of 35 years and current owner/president of TS Crawford Consulting, LLC, was appointed chairman.
CUNA’s Credit Union Magazine announced James Schenck, president/CEO of the $22.5 billion PenFed Credit Union, will be honored as the 2017 Credit Union Hero of the Year. Since becoming CEO in April of 2014, Schenck has led PenFed’s asset growth from $17.6 billion to more than $22.5 billion. He has expanded the reach and impact of the PenFed Foundation to address unmet needs facing our nation’s veterans, active military and their families. One of its hallmark programs was raising funds to help the PenFed Foundation build the Defenders Lodge in Palo Alto, Calif., for former military personnel going to the Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center. Since it opened three years ago, the lodge has provided more than 75,000 bed nights at no cost to veterans of all wars.
SOUTH
MEMBERS Development Company appointed Kevin Johnson (pictured), president/CEO of the $7.8 billion Suncoast Credit Union in Tampa, Fla., to its board of directors. Johnson replaces Charlie Mallon. Mallon left the board when he became president/CEO of the $553 million ABNB Federal Credit Union in Chesapeake, Va. Johnson has worked in the cooperative movement since 1985, when he started his career at Suncoast Credit Union.
The $2.1 billion Truliant Federal Credit Union in Winston-Salem, N.C., named Craig Fishel to the new role of marketing director. Fishel will ensure that Truliant’s marketing satisfies the needs of new and current member owners and aligns with business needs of the credit union.
Fishel (pictured) will oversee Truliant marketing and communications activities that extend across public and community relations, grassroots, social media, membership, paid media, education, research and data analytics.
Rod Taylor, president/CEO of the $1.3 billion Barksdale Federal Credit Union in Bossier City, La., and Daniel Weickenand, CEO of the $674 million Orion Federal Credit Union in Memphis, Tenn., won reelection to at-large seats on the NAFCU board of directors. Both will begin their new, three-year terms at the close of NAFCU’s annual business meeting, slated for June 13 in conjunction with NAFCU’s Annual Conference and Solutions Expo in Honolulu.
VENDORS
LSI, formerly Lending Solutions, Inc. based in Elgin, Ill., has undergone a complete overhaul, officially rebranding itself to LSI. The building blocks of the rebrand focus on people, passion and hope. LSI is an #AlwaysLive financial services partner that helps credit unions and banks provide remarkable service around the clock for their members and clients. LSI was the first of its kind to market and has remained the industry leader since its inception in 1994.
Dolphin Debit, a full-service ATM management company, named Christy Nusz vice president and regional sales manager. Based in Kansas City, Nusz will be working with Dolphin Debit client credit unions and banks across several states, primarily in the West and Midwest. She will play a key role in helping the company expand and gain more of a national presence beyond its historic focus on the Southeast and South Central regions. Nusz has more than 30 years of financial services experience.
Please send your People news items to Tahira Hayes at thayes@cutimes.com.
