Professionals Advance Careers in the CU Industry

WEST

Kirtland Financial Services, the wealth management and planning subsidiary of the $796 million, Kirtland Federal Credit Union in Albuquerque, N.M., hired Keith Hardy as wealth management advisor. Prior to joining the Kirtland Financial Services team, Hardy was a retirement planner at Fidelity Investments and financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. He earned his masters of business administration from Eastern New Mexico University.

The $5.3 billion Ent Credit Union in Colorado Springs, Colo., promoted two employees.

Casey Perkins was promoted to vice president of consumer lending. Perkins has worked at Ent in consumer lending for 15 years, serving most recently as the director of consumer lending sales and service. Perkins is a graduate of Regis University with a bachelor’s degree in organizational development. An active local volunteer with organizations including Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, Silver Key, and Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, he has also been a co-chair of Ent’s annual employee fundraising campaign for United Way.

Darrell Noble was promoted to vice president of mortgage lending. Noble has 17 years of experience at Ent, serving within both the credit union’s consumer lending and mortgage lending areas. Most recently, Noble was the credit union’s director of mortgage production support and servicing.

The $1.9 billion Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, Ariz., promoted Don C. Wren from business relationship manager II to business relationship manager III. As business relationship manager III, Wren supports Vantage West’s existing business members, develops new relationships with local businesses, and helps them achieve growth and success as their financial partner. This involves understanding how their businesses operate through financial analysis and listening to their needs.

EAST

The Cooperative Credit Union Association presented Bob Drouin, vice president controller at the $3.3 billion Service Credit Union in Portsmouth, N.H., with the Young Professionals Award of Excellence. The award signifies a young professional under 40 years of age who best demonstrates a commitment to the values and principles defining the credit union’s mission. The 38-year-old Drouin was one of 11 recipients in the CCUA’s area of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware. Overseeing 21 people in the various departments, Drouin promotes a culture that encourages and ensures accuracy in reports and collaboration among departments.

MIDWEST

The Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan selected Lisa Wilson, a member of the board of directors at the $324 million Wanigas Credit Union in Saginaw, Mich., as one of the 2018 Top 50 Latinas of Michigan. The purpose of the award is to recognize individual women who have distinguished themselves in their organization, profession and community. Wilson’s passion for the credit union industry is evident in her significant level of involvement in the activities and business. Wilson volunteered at Wanigas for 13 years: 10 years on the credit committee and three on the board of directors.

The $2.3 billion Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, Wis., named Melissa Wilson vice president of marketing and business development. She is responsible for overseeing branding and driving market strategy for Royal. Wilson will develop and lead the marketing and business development teams to create and implement programs, products, campaigns and initiatives to drive increased engagement with new and existing members. Wilson brings more than 10 years of experience in marketing and management roles. Most recently she served as marketing and communications manager at Chippewa Valley Technical College.

The $215 million Unison Credit Union in Kaukauna, Wis., named Mike Allen as the new vice president of commercial lending. Allen will work to develop Unison’s member business loan and deposit portfolio, which further supports the credit union’s mission to become an active financial partner to business members. Allen brings a unique background with extensive experience at the executive level within financial industry.

TRADES

CUNA announced two new staff appointments to help drive credit union success.

Mitria Wilson was hired as senior director of advocacy and counsel, where she will use work on regulatory advocacy issues for the organization, particularly relating to NCUA examination, supervision and housing policy issues. Prior to joining CUNA, Wilson worked as senior counsel for the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services.

Hannah Truslow was named director of political fundraising development for the Credit Union Legislative Action Council, the federal political action committee of the CUNA. In this new role, Truslow will focus exclusively on growing the trade association’s national fundraising base for both CULAC and other corporate political fundraising efforts. In this capacity she will work alongside CUNA league partners and member credit unions to grow the fundraising capacity of the association’s political programs.

Please send your People news items to Tahira Hayes at thayes@cutimes.com.