BECU, GFA FCU & Sun East FCU Welcome New C-Suite Leaders

WEST

BECU ($28.9 billion, Tukwila, Wash.) hired Nathan Ramachandran as EVP and chief technology officer. In his new role, Ramachandran is responsible for leading the organization's technology operations, architecture, engineering and business solutions teams. He brings 20 years of technology leadership and execution experience, including senior roles at Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo. Most recently, he led the Data & Applied Intelligence division for Accenture's Financial Services West Market. He holds a master of science in mathematics from Annamalai University in India, as well as a certified cost and management accountant degree from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, an advanced software engineering diploma from the National Centre for Software Technology in India and an Amazon Web Services certification.

EAST

The $666 million, Gardner, Mass.-based GFA Federal Credit Union hired John Knierim as EVP/CFO. Knierim brings four decades of experience, having previously served as a management consultant and as the CFO for several New England credit unions and banks. Throughout his career, he has specialized in strategic planning, accounting and financial reporting, asset-liability management, budgeting and forecasting, financial analysis, deposit and loan growth, enterprise risk management, investments, and working with regulators for credit unions, banks and finance companies.

The $874 million, Aston, Pa.-based Sun East Federal Credit Union hired Zachary Stecher as CFO. Stecher brings more than 18 years of professional finance and accounting experience, having previously served as vice president of finance for TruMark Financial Credit Union ($3 billion, Fort Washington, Pa.). He has served the credit union industry since 2006 and has held multiple roles at various organizations including the Pennsylvania Credit Union League, American Heritage Federal Credit Union ($4.6 billion, Philadelphia) and Keystone Federal Credit Union in West Chester, Pa. Stecher completed his MBA at Penn State University.

The $2.7 billion Chartway Federal Credit Union hired Vanessa Coria as vice president of communications. Coria brings more than two decades of experience in public relations, strategic communication and journalism that extends to new business development and influencer programs, as well as Spanish language skills. In her new role, she is responsible for the company's communication strategy and initiatives to spur growth and enhance brand reputation. Coria most recently served as director of public relations for the Meridian Group. Earlier in her career, she worked as an anchor/reporter for WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Va.

VENDORS

The Memphis, Tenn.-based credit union strategy and technology consulting firm Sievewright and Associates, an SRM Company, hired Steve Langley as managing director, strategic advisory services. In his new role, Langley will focus primarily on client engagements in the strategic planning and merger advisory areas of the company's business. He will also provide thought leadership to credit union leaders as a speaker and panelist at industry events nationwide. Langley brings over 30 years of experience in the credit union industry, having recently retired from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($28.5 billion, Tustin, Calif.), where he served as SVP, member service experience. Langley is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he spent over a decade serving his country in various roles.

First Community Trust, N.A. (FCT), a Dubuque, Iowa-based nationally-chartered trust company offering trust, investment and retirement services primarily through credit unions, appointed Adam Claypool CEO, effective Aug. 1. He will succeed former CEO John Gonner, who announced plans for his retirement earlier this summer after 22 years of service to the company. Claypool brings nearly 30 years of experience in wealth management, investment banking and financial services leadership. He was previously co-founder of Bridgepoint Investment Banking and managing principal of BP Growth Partners, and has served on the FCT board for the past four years. He has also served on numerous boards, including BirdDogHR (nka Arcoro), GCommerce (nka SPS Commerce) and the EveryStep Foundation, and was appointed to the Iowa Innovation Corporation by the Iowa governor.

Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].

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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.