7 CU Professionals Receive New Roles, Promotions & Awards

WEST

Mission Management & Trust Co. (Mission Trust) – a Tucson, Ariz.-based independent trust company that was acquired by Notre Dame Federal Credit Union ($965 million, Notre Dame, Ind.) in February 2022 and specializes in trust and estate services, asset management and securities custody – hired Bridget O’Brien Swartz as vice president and fiduciary counsel. In her new role, Swartz will facilitate the expansion and development of trust services beyond the traditional offerings to also include settlement planning, qualified settlement funds, special needs trusts and settlement preservation trusts throughout Arizona. She comes to Mission Trust after practicing law for over 25 years with a primary focus on special needs law, most recently as senior counsel at Dyer, Bregman & Ferris, PLLC in Phoenix. Her background and knowledge is focused in planning for individuals with disabilities under the age of 65 and their families, including but not limited to assisting clients with public benefits eligibility issues, personal injury settlement planning, guardianship and conservatorship, and special needs trust drafting and administration. Swartz is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and vice president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She earned her law degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where she also earned a master of public administration.

EAST

The $4.2 billion, Herndon, Va.-based Northwest Federal Credit Union hired one employee and promoted another.

Milly Cramer was promoted to the executive team as SVP of operations. Cramer has been a member of the Northwest team for over 15 years, and has served in roles including in the areas of training, human resources and branch operations. Most recently, she served as vice president of retail operations for four and a half years.

Dennis Holthaus was hired as CFO. Holthaus joined the Northwest team as interim CFO in February 2022. Prior to joining Northwest, he served as CFO for Achieva Credit Union ($2.6 billion, Dunedin, Fla.) as well as the CEO of Achieva Merger Services.

The $1.4 billion Member One Federal Credit Union in Roanoke, Va., promoted Patience O’Brien to chief transformation officer. She most recently served as SVP of corporate projects for Member One. O’Brien holds a master’s of arts in clinical psychology from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt., is a Certified Credit Union Executive and has a Project Management Professional certification. She is also a 2011 graduate of Leadership Roanoke Valley, where she served for nine years as an advisor, program chair and alumni chair.

MIDWEST

Mike Murdy, senior business lender for the $1.9 billion, Rapid City, S.D.-based Black Hills Federal Credit Union, was selected as Lender of the Month for August by the South Dakota Development Corporation (SDDC). The SDDC is one of four certified development companies in the state helping facilitate the SBA 504 program, which allows South Dakota business owners to make large purchases with lower down payments, many times assisting in moving from renting a space to buying and owning their own building. Murdy has been in financial services for over a decade and with BHFCU for nearly five years.

Ron Collier, CEO of the $2.9 billion, Indianapolis-based Indiana Members Credit Union, was chosen as CEO of the Year by NAFCU during its 2022 Annual Awards Competition at the NAFCU Congressional Caucus, held in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 11-14. This year’s NAFCU Annual Awards Competition honored eight winners in total, who were selected by a committee of credit union leaders. Annual Awards Competition winners will also be profiled in the September-October edition of The NAFCU Journal magazine.

SOUTH

The $993 million Greater Texas Credit Union in Austin hired David Arriola as branch manager. In his new role, he oversees the credit union’s Cedar Park, Texas location, leading branch employees, enhancing branch operations and strengthening member relations. He also leads the branch’s community relations initiative by serving in various civic and charitable organizations, such as the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce, where he is an ambassador. Arriola previously worked at an Alabama Wells Fargo location for six years as a personal banker and also served on the Mississippi Alabama Coast Leadership council.

Gary J. Vien, chief administrative officer for the $15.7 billion, Tampa, Fla.-based Suncoast Credit Union, will retire in September 2022 after serving the credit union for 11 years. Vien began his career in 1973 and served in various leadership roles within human resources. At Suncoast, he has overseen human resources, marketing, facilities and the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. Vien, a Credit Union Development Educator, has also served as a past board chair and board emeritus of the Hillsborough Community College Foundation in Tampa, the Credit Union Legislative Action Committee Trustee for the state of Florida and its executive committee, the finance chair and an executive board member of the Tampa Bay Chamber, board chair of Six Flags Employees Federal Credit Union in California and vice chair of the CUNA Creating Awareness Committee. Vien also published the book “Lead or Get Out of the Way” in 2020.

Terry Wood, Suncoast’s current vice president of human resources, was promoted to SVP of human resources and will assume several of Vien’s previous responsibilities.

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