Credit Unions, CUSOs, Leagues Hire & Honor

MIDWEST

The $4.4 billion, Wausau, Wis.-based Connexus Credit Union hired Noelle Rude to its business technology leadership team as vice president of data and insights. In her new role, she will be responsible for building and leading the organization’s data management, data science, business intelligence and system utilization strategy while overseeing data technology transformation initiatives. Rude brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the financial services and management consulting industries. Most recently, she served as enterprise information governance leader at Thrivent. She has spent much of her career developing strategic data governance and data management capabilities, and has worked in a number of industries including mortgage securitization, banking, investments and insurance.

The $137 million, Heath, Ohio-based Hopewell Federal Credit Union hired Abby Triona as a teller. She graduated from high school in 2021 and brings previous experience in retail sales.

EAST

The $1.8 billion, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.-based Hanscom Federal Credit Union hired Maria Vasilevsky as SVP, project management to coincide with the credit union’s creation of a new Project Management Office (PMO). Vasilevsky most recently spent four years at the $749 million Direct Federal Credit Union in Needham, Mass., where she established a PMO and worked with Lean and process improvement. Prior to her career in banking, she was a project management consultant, and before that she specialized in proposal writing and contracts. Vasilevsky is a Certified Project Management Professional and Certified ScrumMaster.

The $812 million, Chesapeake, Va.-based ABNB Federal Credit Union hired William Albert and Michelle Grant as financial advisors for ABNB Financial, a division of the credit union providing investment, retirement and financial planning services to members through CUSO Financial Services L.P. In their new roles, they will provide financial advice on investment and insurance strategies for members interested in retirement planning, wealth building, asset transfer to future generations and more.

Albert holds a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation from the College for Financial Planning, Series 7 and 66 securities licenses with CUSO Financial Services, L.P.,  as well as a Virginia Life and Health Insurance, Annuities and Variable Contracts License.

Grant brings over 15 years of experience helping members with their financial goals while working in the financial industry. She holds Series 6, 63 and 65 securities licenses, as well as Virginia Life Health Insurance, Annuities and Variable Contracts.

CUSOS

CU*SOUTH, a Fairhope, Ala.-based CUSO that is part of the CU*Asterisk network, hired Robert (Bob) West as CEO. A United States Air Force veteran, West brings over 22 years of credit union and financial industry service. Most recently, he served as EVP/chief information officer for the $6.5 billion, Enola, Pa.-based Members 1st Federal Credit Union. West also served as vice president of client operations management for Fiserv from 2013 to 2018, as well as in several other leadership roles.

CU*Answers in Grand Rapids, Mich., recognized its former CEO, Randy Karnes, as the recipient of the Robert H. Mackay award at its Annual Leadership Conference held on June 16, in Grand Rapids. Karnes served as the CEO of CU*Answers from 1994 to 2021 and will be retiring at the end of September 2022. The Robert H. Mackay award was established in 2005 to recognize the leadership contribution of Robert Mackay, retired CEO of Berrien Teachers Credit Union (now the $1.4 billion, Berrien Springs, Mich.-based Honor Credit Union), who served as a member of the CU*Answers board of directors from 1985 to 2007 and as chairman for 19 of those years.

LEAGUES

The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation and Minnesota Catholic Credit Union ($42 million, Little Canada, Minn.) recognized George and Kay Rossez as CU Builders in honor of their retirement from the board of directors and supervisory committee after 60 years of dedication to the credit union movement. In 2011, the couple received the Minnesota Credit Union Network Volunteer of the Year award, and in 2019 were inducted into the national Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in recognition of the significant impact they had made on the credit union movement at the local, state and national levels. Created in 2008, the Credit Union Builder Award honors an individual’s dedication to the success, growth and vitality of the not-for-profit financial movement in Minnesota.

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