8 Credit Unions & CO-OP Financial Services Announce Employee Moves

WEST

The $7.6 billion Alaska USA Federal Credit Union in Anchorage, Alaska hired two employees to its team of financial advisors.

Lance Sevier was hired as a financial advisor. Sevier will serve the greater Seattle and north Puget Sound membership for Alaska USA. Sevier is a highly qualified advisor having earned both the certified financial educator and certified financial planner designations. The CFEd® is awarded to financial advisors who have experience teaching or instructing adult learners. The CFP® mark is recognized as the highest standard in personal financial planning. For more than a decade, he has been helping individuals, families and businesses plan for their future by providing them with the advice and knowledge necessary to achieve their goals.

John Gee was hired as a financial advisor. Gee will serve the Tacoma and south Puget Sound membership for Alaska USA. As a 40-year resident of the Pacific Northwest, Gee understands the lifestyle and what’s important to the people and families who live there. Gee will assist members in many ways, such as with wealth accumulation for retirement, how to effectively use wealth as income, wealth transfer through estate planning and insurance protection.

EAST

After nearly 30 years at the $630 million Merrimack Valley Credit Union in Lawrence, Mass., including 16 years as its president/CEO, Peter Matthews is retiring at the end of March. He oversaw the conversion of the credit union to a community charter in 2005, growing MVCU’s membership organically and opening five new branches. John Howard will replace Matthews as president/CEO.

The $766 million Point Breeze Credit Union in Hunt Valley, Md., named Beth Bavis vice president, member business lending. Bavis brings 25 years of experience in the banking industry to her new position. She previously served as vice president, commercial branch manager at M&T Bank and, more recently, as vice president, business banking relationship manager at PNC Bank.

The $511 million Bellwether Community Credit Union in Manchester, N.H., appointed Nathan Saller as the successor to current president/CEO, Michael L’Ecuyer. Saller was named president/COO and will transition to CEO when long-time leader L’Ecuyer retires on Oct. 1. Saller joined Bellwether in 1997 in a marketing role, then led the company’s retail banking and call center teams, and later was placed in charge of corporate strategy. He was named COO in 2017 and EVP in May 2018.

MIDWEST

Robert Harvey, long-time board member at the $173 million BlueOx Credit Union in Battle Creek, Mich., is retiring from the volunteer board of directors at the end of his term in April. A BlueOx member since 1960, Harvey has served in various volunteer positions since 1964, including a brief stint on the supervisory committee before joining the board. As a board member, he served in several roles during his tenure, including chairman for 10 years and in a variety of committee assignments.

The $2.1 billion Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in St. Paul, Minn., promoted Teri Laufers to chief information officer. Laufers joined Affinity Plus in 2014, bringing with her nearly 30 years of industry experience. She most recently served as SVP of IT operations and development. As chief information officer, Laufers will be responsible for technical and regulatory operations related to the credit union’s entire infrastructure, including systems, applications, network security, computer operations, digital banking, development, testing and technical support.

SOUTH

The $572 million ABNB Federal Credit Union in Chesapeake City, Va., hired Vicky James as a relationship manager at the Yorktown branch. James brings more than 26 years of financial services experience to the credit union, previously holding managerial roles at a variety of banks in the Hampton Roads, Va., area. She will be responsible for enhancing relationships with existing members while building relationships with new members and within the communities ABNB now serves.

The $2 billion GTE Financial Federal Credit Union in Tampa, Fla., named Tina Fischer to its supervisory committee. The supervisory committee’s role is to ensure the credit union’s financial records are in order, and internal controls are in place to protect the assets of the credit union and its members. Fischer has more than 20 years of experience in management consulting and academia. She is currently manager of Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College.

CUSOS

CO-OP Financial Services named Erik Askelsen general counsel. Askelsen will be joining the executive management team to lead the company’s enterprise risk management, information security and legal affairs. Askelsen brings more than 20 years of legal experience with large organizations and complex industries. Askelsen’s career includes serving as a general counsel for a life insurance company and as a partner in two law firms. Most recently, he was a partner with Faegre Baker Daniels LLP in Des Moines, Iowa.

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