Partin (right) with Sharonview member Kenny Fortner at a branch groundbreaking event. (Photo: Sharonview FCU)
When asked about his most significant career milestones, retiring credit union CEO Bill Partin didn't name accomplishments, but instead people – people who served as his mentors, opened doors to new opportunities or saw something in him that he didn't yet see in himself. The first was his manager at Lloyds Bank California, where Partin, a Los Angeles area native, began his financial services career in 1980 as a drive-up teller.
After earning his bachelor's degree in finance, he decided he wanted to be a stockbroker and spent three years working for Dean Witter Reynolds, making cold calls and embracing a new wardrobe that included a white shirt, red suspenders and a bright red power tie. But with a wife and two young children to support, he chose to pivot to a role as a discount broker in 1989 at Lockheed Federal Credit Union (now the $9.1 billion, Valencia, Calif.-based Logix Federal Credit Union), which brought not only a more stable income but his second and third milestone introductions.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
