New Chapters Begin for Credit Union Professionals

EAST

Kehrer Bielan Research & Consulting, a provider of research and insight for the financial advice industry, honored Karen Benedict, SVP of Northwest Financial Advisors (NWFA), as the No. 1 director of mid-sized financial advice firms on its inaugural Top Directors Awards list during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 13. NWFA is owned by NW Capital Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the $4.3 billion, Herndon, Va.-based Northwest Federal Credit Union. The list recognizes the most successful investment services directors among the nation’s banks and credit unions. Kehrer Bielan defines mid-sized firms as those employing between seven and 24 financial advisors, and assessed the performance of 406 banks and credit unions to form a list of 26 directors who have risen above their peers.

GFA Federal Credit Union ($675 million, Gardner, Mass.) promoted Gina Vecchi to assistant vice president/retail mortgage originator. Vecchi began her career at GFA in 2014 as a part-time teller and was promoted to member service supervisor in 2015, financial service supervisor in 2016, assistant branch manager in 2018 and retail mortgage originator in 2019. She also received the credit union’s Rising Star Award for her continuous display of GFA’s core values and serves on GFA’s student advisory board.

MIDWEST

The $5.6 billion, Waterloo, Iowa-based Veridian Credit Union hired Bill Rogers to the position of manager of information technology security. Rogers previously worked at Cedar Falls Utilities and holds an MBA focused in quality management from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa.

The $3.9 billion, Eau Claire, Wis.-based Royal Credit Union promoted Emily Lau to regional director of branch operations. In her new position, Lau is responsible for leading branch managers and their teams to achieve their strategic and growth goals, as well as guiding operations of Royal’s offices in Wisconsin’s Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls and Rice Lake communities. Lau joined Royal in July 2010 as a teller and progressed to member account representative, branch team lead, branch supervisor and most recently branch manager II of the Eau Claire South office. She earned her Enhanced Financial Counseling Program Certificate, has completed Royal’s two-year Exploring Leadership Program and is part of Royal Young Professionals. She also serves on the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest committee and is a board member for Hillcrest PTO in Chippewa Falls.

Bertine “Bunny” Nixon, Emeritus Board Member for Great Lakes Credit Union ($1 billion, Bannockburn, Ill.), received the Drum Major for Justice Award at Waukegan Township’s 20th Annual Dreamers’ Event, held virtually on Jan. 17. The event honors the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Drum Major for Justice award is presented to local community members for their service to their communities in faith, business and public life. Nixon was honored for her service to Waukegan Township, Ill., through her more than 30 years of volunteer service on the credit union’s board of directors, as well as her work with other community organizations in Illinois’ Waukegan and Lake County. Nixon, who was named GLCU’s first Emeritus Board Member in 2020, previously received the Illinois Credit Union League’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Illinois Credit Union League Hall of Fame that same year. In 2021, GLCU dedicated the lobby of its Waukegan branch – Nixon’s home branch – to her.

SOUTH

The $645 million 121 Financial Credit Union in Jacksonville, Fla., announced two promotions.

Beth Lightsey was promoted to controller and vice president of finance. In her new role, Lightsey oversees the accounting and finance departments and is responsible for financial reporting, accounting operations and regulatory compliance. She also works closely with credit union auditors and examiners and prepares all monthly, quarterly and year-end financial reports. Prior to joining 121 Financial in 2017, Lightsey served as a senior tax associate in public accounting.

April Bartlett was promoted to vice president of lending. Bartlett joined 121 Financial in early 2021 as director of lending. In her new role, she oversees all consumer and mortgage lending activities at 121 Financial, including indirect lending. She also ensures 121 Financial’s lending policies and procedures remain competitive and address the evolving needs of the credit union’s members, and directs all collections functions. Prior to joining 121 Financial, Bartlett spent 22 years with another local credit union where she also served in lending and operations roles.

LEAGUES

The California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues announced three new hires and one promotion.

Angelica Pappalardo was hired as political advocacy manager. In her new role, she will maximize value and the political impact of League-member credit unions by ensuring a strong political program through targeted fundraising and strategic candidate support across California and Nevada. For the past eight years, Pappalardo has served as client relations director for one of Sacramento’s premier political consulting firms. Her experience includes managing campaign finances and coordinating various political events, ranging from small and intimate private dinners to large-scale inaugurations, and helping elect dozens of candidates to the California State Legislature. She also holds expertise in fundraising and development, strategic planning, and communications and relationship management.

Jeff Boian was hired as vice president of education and professional development. In his new role, Boian is responsible for rolling out new professional development opportunities for the Leagues’ member credit unions while also enhancing existing training and education opportunities, including webinars, seminars and conferences. He has spent nearly 20 years working in the field of higher education where he held a number of roles, including in student life, student services, full-time faculty and career strategy. Most recently, he was with the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif. In addition to his new role with the Leagues, he serves as a senior adjunct professor of career development and has also worked with organizations to offer training, consulting and coaching services. Boian has a master’s degree in organizational leadership, as well as graduate certificates in career and life planning, teaching in higher education, and organizational development and change. He is also a certified Master of Career Services.

Daniel West was hired as vice president of social impact. In his new role, West will serve as the Leagues’ resource on increasing member credit unions’ corporate social responsibility footprint in the communities they serve. With a special emphasis in raising financial services/wellness in historically underbanked and underserved communities, he will work directly with members to leverage the variety of federal and state funding sources and programs meant to support this work, including grant writing, program planning, implementation and technical assistance. In addition, West will work to establish the Leagues as a credible and authoritative voice in the credit union social impact arena. His career has been focused on increasing educational and economic opportunity for historically underserved communities, having worked with both international and domestic organizations in leading efforts to influence, inform and support the development of policies and programs that support underprivileged areas. West has also helped organizations write and secure grant funds to start and expand existing programming that connects students from underserved communities to career education.

Lisa Quaranta was promoted to vice president of regulatory advocacy and compliance. In her new role, she will serve as a vital link between League-member credit unions and federal/state regulators, provide timely regulatory and compliance information, and mobilize credit union leaders to help ensure their voices are heard during the regulatory rule-making process. She will also provide leadership and liaison support of the Leagues’ compliance services and programs. Quaranta has over 20 years of diverse experience in the credit union industry and brings extensive knowledge of laws and regulations affecting compliance and operations. Prior to joining the Leagues, she provided compliance support to credit unions at ViClarity (formerly PolicyWorks), as well as at general counsel firm Moore Brewer Wolfe Jones Tyler & North. She also previously worked in a variety of operational and lending roles at a credit union based in Southern California, and holds a Credit Union Compliance Expert designation.

TRADES

The Defense Credit Union Council in Washington, D.C., which represents credit unions serving the nation’s military, announced the retirement of Conference Manager Janet Sked. She will step down at the end of June 2022 after managing DCUC’s conferences and events for 23 years. Sked was instrumental in creating DCUC’s annual and overseas conferences, helping to modernize the agenda and format, find the best speakers and select outstanding hotels.

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