Kirk Kordeleski, president/CEO for the $4.7 billion Bethpage Federal Credit Union of Bethpage, N.Y., delivered the keynote address to the 1,640 May 2012 graduates of Farmingdale State College, a campus of the State University of New York, the credit union announced.
The occasion also marked Kordeleski's receipt of an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), conferred by the SUNY Board of Trustees, from Farmingdale State College President W. Hubert Keen.
“The honorary doctorate degree is the highest form of recognition offered by the State University to persons of exceptional distinction, and that describes Kirk Kordeleski,” Keen said at the school's 93rd Annual Spring Commencement ceremony. “For 30 years, he has demonstrated integrity and excellence in leadership and a strong dedication to our community.”
Kordeleski, a resident of Sea Cliff, N.Y., has served as Bethpage FCU's president/CEO for 10 years. He's also chair of the Long Island Association board of directors, a board member for the Long Island Arts Alliance and the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, and a former board member for the Farmingdale State College Foundation.
“I am fortunate that my personal passions are fueled by the engagement between business and community, which is the essence of Bethpage Federal Credit Union as a financial cooperative that exists solely to serve its members,” Kordeleski said at the ceremonies. “It is my hope that today's graduates find the same satisfaction in the intersection of their professional and personal interests.”
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
