CU Executives Receive Awards & Announce Retirements

EAST

Elaine C. Jones, vice president, branch administration for the $1.8 billion, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.-based Hanscom Federal Credit Union, retired on June 30. She has been with Hanscom for almost 20 years, beginning in 2002 when she was hired to manage the credit union’s first retail branch in Bedford, Mass. In 2003, Jones was promoted to become Hanscom’s first-ever vice president, branch administration. Hanscom created and named for Jones the Elaine Jones Sales Innovator Award in 2022, an annual award given to a branch employee who does an outstanding job of finding ways to help members save more money by directing them to the right accounts or financial tools they need.

Ed Butler, EVP/COO for the $5.6 billion, Endwell, N.Y.-based Visions Federal Credit Union, received the Outstanding Professional Award during the New York Credit Union Association’s Annual Meeting & Convention. The NYCUA offers this recognition annually to honor credit union professionals who have a true passion for the industry and inspire others with their hard work, dedication and success. Butler has been with Visions since 1980 and worked his way up from a teller position to EVP during his 42-year employment. His work has been focused predominantly on lending and he has been instrumental in annual strategic planning exercises for the organization. As EVP/COO, Butler provides oversight to the following departments: Human resources, information technology, business performance, internal operations, governmental affairs and member-facing interactions.

Three executives with the $1 billion, Allentown, Pa.-based First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union were named to Lehigh Valley Business’ annual Power 30 Banking and Finance list: President/CEO Donna LoStocco, Chief Lending Officer Terry Grier and Chief Strategy Officer John Melcher.

LoStocco has served as president/CEO for First Commonwealth for the last six years, leading the organization to surpass $1 billion in assets at the end of 2021.

Grier has been instrumental in enhancing First Commonwealth’s portfolio of lending products and services, with a key focus on building comprehensive business solutions and positioning First Commonwealth as a trusted financial partner for businesses throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley.

In his newly-expanded role, Melcher is leading strategic imperatives that allow First Commonwealth to continue to grow, expand and enhance its product offerings, capabilities and technology to meet the ever-changing needs of its over 70,000 members and 1,800 employer partners, all the while fostering an organizational culture that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, generosity and innovation.

MIDWEST

The $1.8 billion, Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Consumers Credit Union hired Trish Meyer as a mortgage loan officer. In her new role, she will help prospective homebuyers in the Coldwater, Mich., market navigate the home loan process.  Meyer brings more than 21 years’ experience as a mortgage loan officer.

SOUTH

Eric Bennett, chief lending officer for Southeastern Credit Union ($340 million, Valdosta, Ga.), received the 2022 Hugh Watson Award from Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools, a collaboration of seven southeastern credit union leagues. Selected by vote of his classmates, Bennett accepted the award on June 17 during this year’s session of the Southeast CUNA Management School in Athens, Ga. The award recognizes the exceptional contributions he has made to the class as a whole over the course of the three-year program and his outstanding leadership skills. Bennett joined Southeastern in 2017 and previously spent approximately 15 years in the community banking industry, serving in various roles including branch manager and as a consumer, mortgage and commercial lender.

Laida Garcia, president/CEO for floridacentral Credit Union ($625 million, Tampa, Fla.), will retire in January 2023. Garcia’s career in the credit union industry has spanned four decades, beginning with positions as a loan officer, director of marketing and communications, and SVP/chief credit officer. She served as EVP for eight years before becoming the credit union’s second president/CEO in 2009. Garcia served on the CUNA board for nine years and chaired its charitable arm, the National Credit Union Foundation, for three years. She also served on the board of the Florida Credit Union League, now the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, for nine years, and as its chair for three years. In 2018, Garcia was named Professional of the Year by LSCU. She was also selected to serve as an inaugural member of Filene Research Institute’s i3 group.

Atlanta Postal Credit Union ($2.5 billion, Atlanta) – the parent organization of Center Parc Credit Union – announced changes to its board of directors, which also governs over Center Parc.

Earlier this year, Donald D. DeCinque stepped down as chairman of the APCU board of directors. DeCinque served as board chairman since January 2018, after his retirement as CEO from APCU. He will also step down from the board to become a director emeritus. DeCinque began his career at APCU as a teller in 1981 and worked his way up through several positions, ultimately becoming president. He has been on the of directors since 1998.

DeCinque was succeeded by (Charles) David Disharoon. Disharoon takes over as chairman following nearly 19 years on the APCU board of directors. He is a retired postmaster of Cornelia, Ga., and served more than 35 years with the USPS.

Also taking a director emeritus role will be Katherine Brown, who retired from the USPS after 31 years as manager of personnel and services. She became a member of APCU’s board in 1993.

The board of directors for the $1.3 billion, Oklahoma City, Okla.-based WEOKIE Federal Credit Union appointed Mike Kloiber to serve in its newly-created ambassador director position. This non-voting position will help advise the WEOKIE board and provide important industry expertise, as well as provide assistance to the board and management in order to benefit the growing membership at WEOKIE. Kloiber was employed at Tinker Federal Credit Union ($5.9 billion, Oklahoma City) for 33 years, where he served as president/CEO for 25, bringing a total of over 43 years of financial industry experience. He retired in August 2021.

The $1.6 billion SRP Federal Credit Union in North Augusta, S.C., hired Luis Alejandro as chief internal audit officer and vice president. Alejandro brings extensive senior-level experience in the financial services industry, with positions primarily in internal auditing, regulatory compliance, and a combination of retail and back-office banking operations. He hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he spent almost 25 years in publicly traded commercial banks, beginning his career at Ernst & Young in its audit division. In 2015, he joined Launch Credit Union ($1.1 billion, Merritt Island, Fla.) as the leader of internal audit. Three years later he assumed the same role at Partners Federal Credit Union ($2.5 billion, Burbank, Calif.). In his new role, Alejandro will lead the independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve the quality and effectiveness of internal control, risk management and governance processes, thereby protecting the organization and its reputation. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Information Systems Auditor.

The $2.8 billion GTE Financial in Tampa, Fla., promoted Lisa Cathey to assistant vice president of marketing. Cathey began her career with GTE Financial in 2012 as a teller, quickly working her way up to member experience officer, followed by loan officer. After a few years, she was promoted to business development officer and then to community financial educator. She most recently served as engagement marketing manager.

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