8 Credit Unions & Leagues Promote, Hire & Honor

WEST

The $1.8 billion, Tucson, Ariz.-based Hughes Federal Credit Union promoted Irlanda Cuevas to marketing manager of business development and community relations. In her new role, Cuevas will lead a team of business development representatives in assisting members and nonprofit organizations to reach their financial and philanthropic goals through financial wellness. Since 2018, Cuevas has served as a business development representative and assisted the credit union with its community and business development initiatives, and has successfully strengthened Hughes’ relationships with local Chambers of Commerce, nonprofit organizations, libraries, schools and underserved members of the community. Prior to and while attending university, she was a nonprofit social worker. She was a 2020 recipient of the Junior Achievement Volunteer of the Year award and recently received her Business Development and Marketing Certification from CUNA. She is also an ambassador for the Tucson Metro and Greater Area Vail Chambers of Commerce.

EAST

Jenn Deschene, community engagement manager for the $415 million, Orono, Maine-based University Credit Union, was appointed to the board of directors for The United Way of Aroostook in Presque Isle, Maine. As UCU’s community engagement manager, Deschene represents the credit union in communities throughout the state, engaging with members, businesses, nonprofits, local leaders and others to support financial literacy, volunteerism and public service. She is a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor and also serves on the Presque Isle Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, Aroostook Aspirations Initiative Board and University of Maine at Presque Isle Alumni Association Board.

MIDWEST

Royal Credit Union ($3.9 billion, Eau Claire, Wis.) hired Heather DeNamur as organizational relations and recruiting manager. In her new role, DeNamur is responsible for leading the talent services team to ensure all processes align to Royal’s organizational values and strategic focus of attracting and retaining high impact talent. She also serves as a partner to leaders in areas of talent management and performance management, and champions a culture of effective performance management techniques, team member engagement, and successful talent identification and placement. DeNamur comes to Royal with seven years of human resource experience with a heavy emphasis in talent management and six years of retail experience.

SOUTH

The $1.7 billion, Indian Land, S.C.-based Sharonview Federal Credit Union announced four promotions.

David Brand, who joined Sharonview as vice president of consumer lending in 2018, was promoted to SVP, lending operations. In his expanded role, Brand will lead the organization’s lending operations in support of its consumer, indirect, real estate and member business loan production channels and, in the future, credit management.

Morgan Larkerbrink was promoted to vice president of people strategy, overseeing the employee services and employee experience teams, in addition to the learning and development team. She joined Sharonview as learning and development manager in 2019 and was promoted to assistant vice president of learning and development in 2020.

Hunter Platt was promoted to vice president of digital and innovation. In his new role, Platt will continue to oversee the digital experience, product development and third-party vendor management areas, and now also oversee help desk functions and some core business systems. Platt joined in 2014 as a financial service representative in the member experience center and has since made several advancements, including his promotion last year to assistant vice president of digital and innovation.

Brittany Wallace was promoted to vice president of loss mitigation, continuing to oversee the loan collection, asset recovery and financial wellness teams while providing strategy to ensure members’ financial health and Sharonview’s asset quality remain strong. Wallace joined Sharonview in 2016 as an account manager in loss mitigation and has since made several advancements, including her promotion last year to assistant vice president of loss mitigation.

Truliant Federal Credit Union ($3.6 billion, Winston Salem, N.C.) promoted Benjamin J. ‘B.J.’ Whisler to the role of vice president of treasury. He will join the senior management team. Whisler previously was Truliant’s treasurer. In his new role, he leads Truliant’s treasury department and chairs its asset and liability committee. In addition to managing Truliant’s investment securities portfolio, Whisler provides expertise in market risk evaluations, corporate liquidity and funding, pricing strategy and capital planning. He holds an MBA from Duke University in Durham, N.C.

The $454 million Trax Credit Union in Tampa, Fla., promoted Jessica Stevenson to vice president of marketing. Stevenson joined the credit union in 2009 when it was known as Railroad & Industrial Federal Credit Union and has served in the roles of branch manager, training manager and most recently marketing director. Her most notable accomplishment has been leading the credit union’s rebrand to Trax, which was completed in October 2021.

LEAGUES

The Minnesota Credit Union Network presented two awards at the MnCUN Accelerate 21 Conference on Nov. 19 in Bloomington.

The Outstanding Credit Union Director of the Year Award was given to Douglas Cooke, former board president of Duluth Fire Department Credit Union ($6.2 million, Duluth, Minn.). This award is given to a credit union board member who best represents the credit union spirit through dedication to, and belief in, the credit union movement.

The Outstanding Credit Union Professional of the Year Award went to Chuck Albrecht, president/CEO of Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union ($595 million, Baxter, Minn.). This award is given to a remarkable person who truly stands behind the “people helping people” credit union philosophy.

The Cornerstone League hired Amy Fuller as SVP of strategic development effective Dec. 6. Fuller brings more than 24 years of credit union industry experience in business development, marketing and communications. In her new role, she will oversee the creation of Cornerstone’s comprehensive communication and strategic marketing plans that will support its organizational growth goals. Additionally, she will manage the development and use of business and product lifecycle planning to continually assess organizational value propositions, competencies and partnerships, and develop data-driven, market-based products and services that support Cornerstone’s revenue growth and relevancy. Fuller comes to Cornerstone from Atlanta Postal Credit Union/Center Parc Credit Union ($2.5 billion) in Atlanta, where she served as chief strategy officer. Before that, Fuller was vice president, innovation strategy at the $4.5 billion Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union in Plano, Texas. She holds a master’s degree in mass communication from University of Georgia in Athens.

Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com