Joseph R. Ciejka was hired as a registered representative for the $1.2 billion, Fitchburg, Mass.-based Workers' Credit Union. Ciejka was previously with MW Financial Group in Farmington, Conn.

Tammy Garcia (pictured) joined the $627 million, Leominster, Mass.-based Leominster Credit Union as a branch manager at the credit union's Shrewsbury Street office in Worcester, Mass. Garcia has 20 years of banking experience in the areas of member service, loan origination, business development, staff development and community involvement.

MIDWEST

Heritage Credit Union, a $282 million institution based in Madison, Wis., promoted Heather Ristow to COO and Kelly Chambers to vice president of marketing. In addition, Heritage CU hired Chad Helminak as vice president of development. Ristow has been with Heritage CU since 2012 and in the credit union industry for 12 years, including three years at Corporate Central Credit Union in Muskego, Wis. Chambers served as Heritage CU's digital solutions manager for the past year, and prior to that, he managed online and marketing efforts for several organizations, most recently the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association. Helminak brings nearly 10 years of communications and development experience to Heritage CU, and has worked for the Wisconsin Credit Union League and Filene Research Institute.

The $2.7 billion Veridian Credit Union in Waterloo, Iowa promoted Kelly Mangrich (pictured) to vice president of payment systems. Mangrich has been employed at Veridian CU for 24 years, most recently as vice president of payment systems. Veridian CU also promoted Lindsey Smedley to credit analyst. Smedley has been with Verdian CU for 14 years and most recently served as a commercial loan specialist. 

SOUTH

The Lake Charles, La.-based CSE Federal Credit Union hired Lori Drumwright as a business development specialist. Drumwright has numerous years of experience in the customer service, public relations and business development fields. In addition, the $288 million credit union hired Matthew Koch as CFO. Koch most recently served as director of accounting for the $98 million, Shreveport, La.-based ANECA Federal Credit Union. 

The $438 million, Sunrise, Fla.-based BrightStar Credit Union hired Dennis Leiva as vice president of operations. He previously served as the general manager at CT Miami LLC/Blu Products Inc., and prior to that, spent almost a decade as a vice president and Collier County area manager at BankUnited.

WEST

The $2.3 billion WSECU in Olympia, Wash. hired Jennifer Statham as senior vice president/chief brand technologist. Prior to joining WSECU, Statham was a marketing executive at Dell in Austin, Texas. She has also worked at Pepsi, Coors Brewing Company and MediaOne.

Nathan Schmidt (pictured below), executive vice president of marketing and business development for the $6.9 billion, San Diego-based San Diego County Credit Union,was named a 2015 Credit Union Rock Star by CUNA. The awards program recognizes those who demonstrate outstanding innovation and creativity in their chosen fields, and by doing so have made the credit union movement a better, more interesting place. Schmidt received his designation largely for his work as part of the leadership team at SDCCU, where he oversees strategic planning, marketing, product development, business development, and community and media relations.

Chei Brown, vice president of branches for the $1.3 billion Kern Schools Federal Credit Union in Bakersfield, Calif., was named the 2015 Distinguished Businesswoman of the Year by the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes women in the community who not only hold a leadership position within their organizations, but through hard work, determination and perseverance, epitomize what it means to be a role model to others.

CUSOs

Erin Mendez, president/CEO of the $4.4 billion, Pleasanton, Calif.-based Patelco Credit Union, has been appointed as an associate director for the board of CU Direct in Ontario, Calif. Mendez has more than 25 years of experience in the credit union and financial services industry, and has been the president/CEO of Patelco CU since August 2013.

Bill Arnold was named president/CEO of Member Support Services in Clark, N.J. Arnold previously served as chief information officer for the $2.7 billion Service Credit Union in Portsmouth, N.H., and has more than 15 years of experience in the credit union industry, plus more than 30 years of information technology and operations experience.

LEAGUES

The Credit Union Association of the Dakotas named Jay Kruse (pictured) vice president of government affairs. Kruse is currently the controller at the $139 million, Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Service First Federal Credit Union, where he previously served as an internal auditor. 

VENDORS

John Skeldon, senior vice president of business development for the Cincinnati-based Cooperative Business Services, was the recipient of the 2015 20 Under 40 award for Northwest Ohio. The leadership recognition program showcases young, dynamic leaders in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan who are under the age of 40 and have distinguished themselves in their careers and/or in the community.

The Members Group hired Pam Brodsack (pictured) as chief technology officer. Brodsack previously served as chief technology officer for Enhanced Resource Centers, a national debt collections and business process company. Brodsack has dedicated more than 20 years of her career to the financial services sector, and prior to ERC, she held a variety of IT positions with CBE Companies, a global provider of call center solutions.

Miriam De Dios, president/CEO of the Des Moines, Iowa-based Coopera, was named Latino Business Person of the Year by the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa as a part of its annual Latino Leadership awards program. LULAC attributed De Dios' selection to her passion for improving the financial lives of Latinos. As CEO of Coopera, she equips credit unions with strategic plans and culturally relevant financial services to reach and serve the growing Latino community.

The Des Moines, Iowa-based Community Business Lenders Service Company hired Eric T. Wilson as chief lending officer. Wilson has served in a range of leadership roles since 1994 and most recently founded and operated Wilson Management & Consulting Services. Prior to that, he served as chief operating officer for an area media distribution and retail company.