Professionals Leap Ahead at 8 Credit Unions, NAFCU

WEST

The $4.7 billion Redwood Credit Union in Santa Rosa, Calif., hired Tim Keane as vice president of corporate real estate. In his new role, Keane will lead the team responsible for acquiring, building and maintaining RCU’s facilities. Prior to joining the credit union, Keane spent about 21 years working in the real estate and construction business. He was a custom home builder for a large regional builder in the Southeast and the director of land acquisition and development for KB Home in Atlanta, Ga.

EAST

The $669 million Liberty Bay Credit Union in Braintree, Mass., promoted Lyndon Matteson to president/CEO. Matteson joined Liberty Bay in December 2018 as president. At the time, the plan was for Matteson to succeed current CEO, Edward Lopes when he retired. With Lopes’ pending retirement, the credit union is executing its plan for Matteson to assume CEO duties in addition to day-to-day operational responsibility for the credit union. Prior to joining Liberty, Matteson held executive positions at Upstate National Bank, Cobblestone Financial Group, Inc., Citizens Bank/Charter One Bank and Key Bank.

MIDWEST

The $978 million Honor Credit Union in Berrien Springs, Mich., hired Lorie Owen as regional manager in Southwest Michigan. Owen’s region covers Honor’s member centers in Berrien Springs, Benton Harbor, Buchanan, Coloma, Decatur, Dowagiac, Niles, Paw Paw, South Haven, St. Joseph and Stevensville. Owen has 18 years of experience working in the credit union industry as an assistant manager, branch manager and regional market development manager. As regional manager, Owen will lead the overall member experience team in Southwest Michigan and closely work with Honor’s marketing, real estate, business services, lending and operations team.

Janet Bantz, president/CEO at the $57 million CrossRoads Financial Federal Credit Union in Portland, Ind., announced her retirement effective Jan. 1, 2020. Bantz has been the leader of the credit union since 1989 when she was hired to serve as manager of what was then known as Portland Forge Employees Federal Credit Union. At the time, the credit union served consumers from five employer groups, held $4 million in assets, had six employees and one office. Today, the credit union has $57 million in assets, more than 9,000 members and employs 29 people.

SOUTH

The $944 million Neighbors Federal Credit Union in Baton Rouge, La., named Kelly Westmoreland vice president of e-commerce. Westmoreland started with Neighbors in 2008 as a teller. In 2010, she was part of the team that launched Neighbors’s Walker High School branch, which is still open nine years later. She was later promoted to the back-office operations department as a card specialist, and was shortly promoted again to fraud and forgery. She most recently served as a project analyst before being named to her current position.

The $659 million Freedom First Credit Union in Roanoke, Va., appointed Linda Johnson to CFO, effective March 2020. Johnson currently serves as SVP of accounting/finance to the CFO. She will take the place of retiring CFO Keith Rickoff. Johnson joined Freedom First in 2008 and has grown to lead accounting, finance and analytics. She has more than 22 years of combined financial management and leadership experience.

The $1.6 billion Sharonview Federal Credit Union in Fort Mill, S.C., promoted Steven Shaffner to SVP of people strategy.

Prior to his promotion, Shaffner served as vice president of talent management since 2017. He will now be responsible for positioning Sharonview as an employer of choice and will oversee the talent management and leadership and development teams. He will also serve on the executive leadership team and report to President/CEO Bill Partin.

The $1.8 billion South Carolina Federal Credit Union in North Charleston, S.C., added two seasoned leaders to its senior management team.

Kevin Kosco was promoted to SVP of retail sales and service. Kosco has worked for South Carolina FCU for nearly 13 years. In his prior role, he served as vice president of regional sales where he managed the credit union’s financial center operations in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Georgetown and Spartanburg. In his new role, Kosco leads the retail sales and service team and ensures that credit union staff provides outstanding member experiences through all delivery channels.

Scott Muscarella was hired as SVP of marketing. Muscarella recently joined the credit union after serving 16 years as president of Agency51 Advertising, a marketing and advertising firm. As the SVP of marketing, Muscarella leads the credit union’s marketing, public relations and communications efforts across its five major markets.

TRADES

NAFCU named Allyson Browning senior member experience strategist, effective immediately. In this new role, Browning’s mission will be to ensure credit union leaders take full advantage of NAFCU’s bold advocacy agenda and resources, responsive compliance assistance, and forward-looking education and training programs. Furthering the association’s commitment to growth, Browning will be responsible for creating opportunities to increase NAFCU’s interaction in the credit union community and maximize member engagement within NAFCU.

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