11 Credit Unions Hire & Promote Employees, Board Members

WEST

The $1.9 billion, Clackamas, Ore.-based Advantis Credit Union hired Greg Spear as CFO. He succeeds Laurie Wilson, who announced her retirement after serving as CFO for nearly two decades. Spear brings over 24 years of experience serving in the role of CFO at both community banks and credit unions. He most recently served as CFO for the $1.7 billion, Portland, Ore.-based Unitus Community Credit Union.

EAST

The $2.7 billion, Fort Washington, Pa.-based TruMark Financial Credit Union hired Neal V. Brauner as vice president, digital banking manager. Brauner brings over 30 years’ experience in the financial industry and most recently served as a principal strategist at DigitalVision21 in Claremont, Calif., where he consulted for businesses $10 billion and under in the areas of digital transformation, digital banking applications, strategic planning, customer analytics and marketing. He holds an MBA with an emphasis in international business and social management of technology from the University of Washington, Seattle.

The $672 million GFA Federal Credit Union in Gardner, Mass., promoted Lindsey A. Trotto to assistant vice president/digital payments manager. Trotto joined GFA as a branch operations manager at its Peterborough, N.H., location in 2019, and was then promoted to branch manager and most recently BSA/audit coordinator. In her new role, she will be responsible for activity involving ACH, remote capture and wire transfers. In addition, she will establish a strong foundation of procedures and guidelines tailored to business members to assist in growth in the digital payments space, making the benefit a more accessible, convenient channel.

The $2.3 billion American Eagle Credit Union in East Hartford, Conn., hired LaKisha Jordan as vice president, inclusion and diversity. In her new position, Jordan will play a leading role in ensuring American Eagle’s workforce is diverse, culture is inclusive, and strategic plans are aligned with the organization’s mission to deliver financial freedom to all people and businesses within their communities. She most recently spent five years at KeyBank as vice president, regional corporate responsibility officer. Before that, she served in various commercial banking roles at Bank of America for nearly 10 years. She holds an MBA from Southern Connecticut State University, earned a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certification from the University of South Florida and completed the McKinsey Management Program for High-Performing Managers. In 2018, she was named one of Connecticut’s 100 Most Influential Blacks by the CT NAACP. In addition, Jordan currently serves on the Governor’s Prevention Partnership Board of Directors, Gateway Community College Foundation Board of Directors, YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester Board of Directors and Southern Connecticut State University’s Business Advisory Council.

MIDWEST

The $5.1 billion Community First Credit Union in Neenah, Wis., hired April Zuberbier as SVP of investments and insurance. She comes to Community First after a 17-year career at Thrivent where she held various positions, including lead compliance analyst, a manager involved in implementation of strategic initiatives, director of process management and workforce services, chief of staff to the chief administrative officer and director of business execution. In her new role, Zuberbier will leverage her investment and insurance industry experience while focusing on leading Community First’s teams at the Community First Insurance Center and Community First Financial Advisors, a full-service investment program offered through CUSO Financial Services. She holds an MBA from UW-Oshkosh and has completed the Executive Leadership Development program at St. Norbert College’s Center for Exceptional Leadership.

The $1.8 billion, Ferndale, Mich.-based Credit Union ONE named Guadalupe Lara chairperson of the board of directors. Since joining the credit union’s board, she has served on several committees, including the compensation committee and corporate governance committee. She succeeds Paul Stuart, who stepped down after 13 years as board chair and will remain on the board as a director. Lara spent 27 years as corporate director of social work for the Detroit Medical Center, and is a motivational speaker who has been recognized for her work on inclusion and workplace conflict management by over 47 organizations. In addition, she has been named by five different Michigan governors to lead boards and commissions for her advocacy on behalf of the underserved; has worked in Washington D.C. at Homeland Security, United States Citizenship Immigration Services; served as director of the Consortium of Hispanic Agencies; and served as adjunct faculty at Eastern Michigan University, School of Social Work.

West Community Credit Union ($364 million, O’Fallon, Mo.) promoted Lori Hudson to community engagement manager. In her new role, Hudson will be responsible for developing and building key community relations and business development strategies that align with the credit union’s mission to support the communities it serves. She has been with West Community for 21 years and held various positions within marketing.

The $929 million, Newburgh, Ind.-based Heritage Federal Credit Union elected Tim O’Brien chairman of the board at its annual meeting. O’Brien has served on Heritage’s board of directors since 2019 and previously served as board treasurer.

In addition, Yvette LaPlante was elected director to the board and named second vice chair. LaPlante previously served as an associate board member. Dr. Rebecca Herman was elected director to the board, George Barnett was reelected director to the board, Dr. Brian McGuire was named was named first vice chair, Ed Hemmersbach was named board treasurer and Steve Crow was named board secretary.

The $4 billion Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, Wis., hired Sandra Araujo as branch manager II of its Hudson, Wis., office. In her new role, Araujo is responsible for the management of overall operations that will help to drive branch growth in the Hudson office. She brings over 20 years of experience in the credit union industry and has worked in the areas of marketing, collections, IRAs, training and operations. Araujo has completed the CUNA Financial Counseling Certification Program and holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, Arizona. She is also a veteran who served in the Gulf War and runs her own nonprofit horse rescue that works to rehabilitate and rehome horses in need.

SOUTH

The $454 million Members Credit Union in Winston-Salem, N.C., announced two promotions.

Jennifer Siglain was promoted to SVP of member experience and compliance. In her new role, Siglain will oversee various departments, including member services, digital engagement, compliance, facilities and security. She joined Members in 2021, serving as internal auditor, and has over 20 years of credit union experience.

Tim Mullen was promoted to SVP of lending and branch operations. In his new role, Mullen will oversee branch operations, information technology, lending and financial solutions. He joined Members in 2019 as vice president of lending and has 20 years of experience working in the credit union industry.

The $3.7 billion Ascend Federal Credit Union in Tullahoma, Tenn., reelected three board members and announced a new board treasurer.

Lucy Matthews was reelected as a board member. Matthews, who has been an Ascend member and served on the board since 2018, is currently an associate professor in the marketing department at Middle Tennessee State University. Before that, she worked at Trine University in Angola, Ind. Matthews holds a doctorate in marketing from Kennesaw State University in Atlanta and a master’s degree in marketing from Georgia State University.

Valerie Molette was reelected as a board member. Molette, a member of Ascend since 2014, has served on the Ascend board of directors since 2019. In addition to her board work, Molette is managing director of workplace experience and a digital and future work strategy leader at Deloitte Services. In total, she’s worked at Deloitte for more than 20 years in various finance, operations and IT positions. She holds an MBA from Tennessee State University.

Mark Rigney was reelected as a board member. Rigney has been a member of Ascend for 48 years and served on the board of directors since 2014. He has also been the vice president of global future of work corporate transformation at Jacobs Engineering since 2020. Previously, he served in several different operations, technology, research and design positions at Jacobs Technology, Aerospace Testing Alliance and Rawlings Sporting Goods and Worth, Inc. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee Space Institute.

Andy Flatt was named board treasurer. Flatt has been a board member since 2016, serving previously as vice chairman, and has been a member of Ascend since 1981. A longtime health care executive with 36 years of experience, Flatt is currently the SVP and chief information officer of National Healthcare Corp.

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