MAXX guests bid in the live auction benefiting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
The Northwest Credit Union Association's largest annual event, which concluded in Tacoma, Wash., Thursday evening, featured the ushering in of a new board chair, an awards ceremony honoring Northwest credit union stars, and a charity auction that raised nearly double the amount of funds it raised last year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
John Zmolek In anticipation of its official merger with the Idaho Credit Union League on Dec. 31, the NWCUA seated members of its 2018 to 2019 board of directors and executive committee. John Zmolek, president/CEO of the Seattle, Wash.-based Verity Credit Union, took the reins from Brooke Van Vleet, president/CEO of the St. Helens, Ore.-based St. Helens Community Credit Union, as chair of the NWCUA board.
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Bert Fisher, president/CEO of the Shelton, Wash.-based Our Community Credit Union, will serve as vice chair of the NWCUA board during the coming year, and Jeff Adams, president/CEO of the Spokane Valley, Wash.-based Horizon Credit Union, will serve as secretary/treasurer.
In a recent election, NWCUA member credit unions re-elected Van Vleet and Debie Keesee, president/CEO of the Spokane, Wash.-based Spokane Media Credit Union, to continue their board service. Joining Zmolek, Fisher, Adams, Keesee and Van Vleet on the board are:
- Bob Newcomb, president/CEO, SELCO Community Credit Union, Springfield, Ore.;
- Jim Lumpkin, president/CEO, USAgencies Credit Union, Portland, Ore.;
- Scott Burgess, emeritus president/CEO, Rivermark Credit Union, Beaverton, Ore.; and
- Don Clark, president/CEO, Sound Credit Union, Tacoma, Wash.
ICUL board members will continue their service until the merger, with two members joining the NWCUA board at its January 2019 meeting. They are: Kent Oram, president/CEO for Idaho Central Credit Union in Pocatello and Dan Thurman, president/CEO for East Idaho Credit Union in Idaho Falls.
The "New York, New York"-theme auction and dinner Wednesday night raised a grand total of $628,226.49 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals – significantly more than the $325,000 raised at last year's MAXX convention.
Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Advantis CU's Bob Corwin is NWCUA President/CEO Troy Stang, left, and Tom Johnson, retired STCU president/CEO, who won the honor last year. Mr. Corwin is also pictured with his family. At the MAXX Awards Gala Thursday night, Bob Corwin, president/CEO of the Milwaukie, Ore.-based Advantis Credit Union, took home the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Innovation and Impact Award went to Teri Robinson, president/CEO of Ironworkers USA Federal Credit Union in Portland; the Distinguished Director Award to Cus Arteaga, board chairman of Lower Valley Credit Union in Sunnyside, Wash.; and the Young Credit Union Leader Award to Tiffany Pillars, director of accounting for Providence Federal Credit Union in Milwaukie. The Shelton, Wash.-based Peninsula Credit Union received the Members on Main Street award, a new award this year.
Tiffany Pillars, Young Credit Union Leader, and her spouse Joe Pillars, are pictured with NWCUA President/CEO Troy Stang (left) and NWCUA Chief Officer Jennifer Wagner (right). The NWCUA also honored three Advocates of the Year: Brad Swartzentruber, president/CEO, Northwest Christian Credit Union, Nampa, Idaho; Stacie Wyss-Schoenborn, president/CEO, Central Willamette Credit Union, Albany, Ore.; and Scott Adkins, president/CEO, Inspirus Credit Union, Seattle. In addition, eight credit unions received CUNA awards for financial education and responsibility programs, and four credit unions from each of the three states the NWCUA represents were honored for their advocacy initiatives.
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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.
