CU Movement Hires, Promotions & Honors Continue

WEST

The $1.7 billion, Vancouver, Wash.-based iQ Credit Union promoted Ali Migaki to chief retail officer. Migaki previously served as SVP of retail services, and oversees the retail management function of the credit union, including branch operations and the member and lending contact centers. She is also responsible for nearly 50% of the credit union’s staff and member-facing services. Migaki has been with iQ for 26 years, starting as a member service representative and later expanding to additional roles and leadership positions. She is a 2014 graduate of Western CUNA Management School, regularly serves as a CUNA Council mentor in the organization’s Mentor Match Program, has been a member of the Northwest Credit Union Association Value Creation Task Force since 2019, and is a member of the Digital and Data Council for Allied Solutions. She also serves on the board of Elevate Oregon, an organization for at-risk youth in Oregon school districts.

EAST

The $70 million CME Credit Union in Cranston, R.I., hired Bryan Baptiste to its executive team as SVP, operations effective Feb. 28. In his new role, Baptiste will define the strategic priorities for retail branches, operations and lending. He most recently worked at Centerville Bank, first as vice president, business control officer and then as vice president, compliance. Prior to Centerville Bank, Baptiste served at the $3 billion, Smithfield, R.I.-based Navigant Credit Union, working his way up from head teller to assistant vice president, banking center and finally assistant vice president, retail training.

American Eagle Financial Credit Union ($2.3 billion, East Hartford, Conn.) announced six promotions.

Brian Kennedy was promoted to EVP, chief strategy and revenue officer. Kennedy has worked at AEFCU for the last 17 years of his 30-year career in financial services. He received his Certified Chief Executive Designation from the CUES CEO Institute.

Teresa Knox was promoted to EVP, chief operations and experience officer. Knox has worked at AEFCU for the last 18 years of her 35-year career in financial services. She earned her MBA from Western New England University in Springfield, Mass., serves as a board member for the Credit Union League of Connecticut’s Foundation Credit Union Building Financial Independence, and was selected as a 2020 Women in Banking honoree by Banking New England magazine.

Ann-Marie Katzer was promoted to SVP, retail delivery. Katzer has been with AEFCU for 31 years. She earned her master’s in social work from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is a graduate of the CUNA Management School. She has been selected as a 2022 Northeast Women in Banking honoree by Banking New England magazine.

Dara Macchi was promoted to SVP, marketing and data analytics. Macchi joined AEFCU in 2018 with more than 20 years of marketing experience, having spent the previous 12 years in financial services. She is also a graduate of the Connecticut School of Finance and Management, serves as a board member for the Farmington Public School Foundation in Farmington, Conn., and is on the steering council for the Women’s Leadership Center at the University of Saint Joseph.

Larry Michaud was promoted to SVP, finance. Michaud has been with AEFCU for 20 years and most recently served as vice president, finance and accounting. He earned his MBA from Western New England University.

Pam Villanova was promoted to SVP, digital solutions. Villanova has worked for AEFCU for 13 years and most recently served as vice president, deposit products and service delivery. She completed the Wharton Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania, graduated from both the Connecticut School of Finance and Management and the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, and has been a board member of the Hockanum Valley Community Council in Vernon, Conn., since 2018.

Suffolk Federal Credit Union ($1.5 billion, Medford, N.Y.) promoted Charles Schembri to EVP, chief experience officer. Schembri previously served as Suffolk’s SVP, retail banking. In his new role, he will continue to be responsible for leading the credit union’s member-facing channels, including branches, the contact center and digital, while also newly overseeing the deposit and card operations teams.

MIDWEST

The $1.2 billion, Burton, Mich.-based ELGA Credit Union announced two promotions.

David Brandt was promoted to EVP. Brandt has served as CFO for ELGA since 2018 and worked with community financial institutions for 25 years as an auditor, consultant and executive. He serves on the board of trustees and finance committee for the Mott Community College Foundation in Flint, Mich., is the vice president of the Michigan Credit Union Foundation and sits on the State & Federal Issues Committee as part of the Michigan Credit Union Leagues’ Government & Political Affairs Forum. He also works with Michigan’s Lapeer County Education Attainment Fund, serving on the administration and steering committees, and was recently named Professional of the Year by the Michigan Credit Union League.

Mallory Hazard was promoted to vice president of consumer lending. Hazard most recently served as ELGA’s lending manager and joined the credit union in 2005 as a co-op student. In her new role, she is responsible for directing all consumer lending activities. Hazard earned an MBA from Northwood University’s Devos Management School in Midland, Mich., and a certificate of executive leadership through the inFUSION Group.

The $4.9 billion Community First Credit Union in Neenah, Wis., promoted Jennifer Busch to program manager with Community First Financial Advisors, a full-service investment program offered through CUSO Financial Services. Busch began her banking career in 2004 as a personal banker with Associated Bank and later with Chase Bank. After becoming a licensed personal banker in 2008, she joined Citizens Bank as a sales assistant. She joined Community First in 2014 as an investment coordinator and was promoted to investment coordinator team lead in 2019. In her new role, she will be Community First Financial Advisors’ primary liaison with CFS, providing management and oversight of the program. She will also work closely with advisors, the support team, marketing and branch operations while reporting to senior management.

The $1.8 billion Consumers Credit Union in Kalamazoo, Mich., announced two new hires.

Nicole Lawrence was hired as a mortgage loan officer. Lawrence has more than 10 years of experience in the financial sector and will serve Michigan’s Muskegon and Lakeshore market.

Bryan Smith was also hired as a mortgage loan officer. He will serve the Kalamazoo market.

SOUTH

The $1.5 billion SAFE Federal Credit Union in Sumter, S.C. hired Alan Lewis as EVP and chief administrative officer. Lewis brings more than 29 years of leadership experience to SAFE including strategic planning, board relations, loss prevention and project management, and most recently served as EVP at the $6.7 billion, Melbourne, Fla.-based Space Coast Credit Union.

He previously served as SVP of information technology and delivery channels at First Citizens Bank in Columbia, S.C.

Washima Huq, executive director of the Texas Trust Gives Foundation, the non-profit arm of the $1.7 billion, Arlington, Texas-based Texas Trust Credit Union, received the Rising Star award from the Greater Arlington Chamber’s Women’s Alliance. The annual award is presented to a woman who demonstrates servant leadership and humbly puts others before herself. In her role at the Texas Trust Gives Foundation, Huq oversees the charitable giving of the credit union. She also serves on advisory boards and committees for the Asian Business Council, the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Cooper Street YMCA, Arlington Women’s Alliance, Mansfield ISD Superintendent’s Advisory Council and Cornerstone League’s Young Professionals Group.

The $3.7 billion, Tullahoma, Tenn.-based Ascend Federal Credit Union hired Regina Johnson as vice president of internal audit. She brings more than 30 years of internal audit, risk management and budgeting experience with financial institutions and large corporations. Before joining Ascend, she was vice president – internal audit manager and senior consultant with ProBank Austin in Brentwood, Tenn. She also spent more than a decade with Dollar General Corporation in Goodlettsville, Tenn., where she was promoted to director of internal audit. Johnson earned the Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Risk Management Assurance designations from the Institute of Internal Auditors.

CUSOS

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based real estate CUSO HomeAdvantage hired Jean Theis as its first chief relationship officer. Theis brings more than 20 years of credit union experience in areas including member experience, marketing, sales management, real estate lending and training. In her new role, Theis will lead HomeAdvantage’s sales, marketing and member concierge teams to more seamlessly and strategically support HomeAdvantage’s credit union partners and their members. Theis most recently was COO for the $2.9 billion Consumers Credit Union in Gurnee, Ill., has been on the HomeAdvantage board of directors since 2016 and is an accredited Certified Chief Executive by CUES. She earned an MBA from Western Michigan University.

LEAGUES

Bob Arnould, SVP of advocacy for the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, received the 2022 Eugene H. Farley League Leadership Award from the American Association of Credit Union Leagues. Arnould was awarded for his demonstration of visionary leadership at the state and national levels for over 27 years on behalf of credit unions in both states, as well as the CUNA-League System. He joined the California and Nevada Leagues in 1995, after serving as speaker of the Iowa State Assembly, as well as a legislative committee chair, ranking party leader, and campaign consultant and manager in Iowa. At the California and Nevada Leagues, his accomplishments include building an advocacy program as well as hiring and training an advocacy team.

The Maine Credit Union League’s technology services provider, Synergent, rehired Tyler Hudson to the organization to serve as vice president of software delivery effective Feb. 7. As a member of Synergent’s management team, Hudson is responsible for overseeing the implementation of new credit union software, services and third-party products. He also is charged with data management, translation, and optimization with core systems and integrated services. Hudson has been working in financial services for over 24 years, including 20 years in the credit union movement. He most recently served as SVP of operations and digital services at HRCU ($400 million, Rochester, N.H.). Before that, he was the assistant vice president of development at Synergent. He also has held positions at the $10.8 billion San Diego County Credit Union and Symitar.

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