8 Professionals Celebrate New Roles & Accolades

WEST

The $295 million, Monterey, Calif.-based Monterey Credit Union hired Sidney Cooper, Jr. as CFO. Cooper brings over 25 years of accounting and finance experience, including capital market experience as a senior trader for Sumitomo Ltd. and FHLB San Francisco, and as an assistant vice president for Countrywide Capital Markets. For the last 15 years, Cooper has been a part of the credit union movement, serving as a senior analyst for Mission Federal Credit Union ($6.1 billion, San Diego) and vice president of finance, treasurer for Rogue Credit Union ($3.2 billion, Medford, Ore.). He has also developed curriculums for Smart Start in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and served on the board for Court Appointed Support Advocates, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The Cooper Family Foundation for the celebration of Juneteenth. Cooper succeeds James Penprase, who retired after 35 years of service as CFO for Monterey CU.

Winona Nava, president/CEO for the $262 million, Santa Fe, N.M.-based Guadalupe Credit Union, will retire at the end of October after 32 years of service. Nava was the first New Mexican recipient of the National Credit Union Foundation’s Herb Wegner Award. In addition, she earned the James D. Likens Western CUNA Management School Alumni Recognition Award.

Jayde DelGado, branch manager for the $1.9 billion, Lakewood, Wash.-based Harborstone Credit Union, was named the 2023 CUES Emerge winner. DelGado competed with four other finalists, completing a business case and working toward his project idea while a team of judges reviewed finalists’ proposals. On Oct. 4, DelGado and the four other finalists presented their projects live during an online pitch show. DelGado and two runners-up will receive coaching packages from Envision Excellence. Additionally, DelGado earned a scholarship to attend the CUES Advanced Management Program from Cornell University. He’ll also be honored as the 2023 CUES Emerging Leader during the virtual CUES Member Appreciation & Awards Event on Oct. 19. DelGado’s winning business case discussed how credit unions could help their members with Transitional Housing Loans.

Barbara “BJ” Jones, chief diversity and impact officer for the $3.6 billion, Albuquerque, N.M.-based Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, was named a Diversity Champion in Albuquerque Business First’s 2023 Diverse Business Leader Awards. Jones was selected for her leadership in promoting initiatives and resources to advance diversity in the workplace, as well as her community involvement. Jones joined SLFCU in 2014 as vice president of human resources and training following a 30-year career in HR and diversity training with Sandia National Laboratories, and as president of her own consulting firm. She was promoted to SVP of organizational effectiveness in 2018 and named to her current position in October 2022.

EAST

Rick Long, chief information officer for the $8.2 billion, Harrisburg, Pa.-based PSECU, was named the CUNA Professional of the Year at the CUNA Operations and Member Experience Council Conference in Denver on Oct. 5. Long has been with PSECU for 40 years. For 30 of those 40 years, he has led an in-house digital development team responsible for the introduction of digital banking in the early ’90s, which evolved into internet and mobile banking beginning in 2000. He has long served on the board of United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania, including as a past chair; is a past CUES Technology Award winner; and is a member of ISACA, the CUNA Technology Council, the PSCU Advisory Board and the Corelation Advisory Board. He holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and is a designated Certified Information Security Manager.

SOUTH

The $4.8 billion, Raleigh, N.C.-based Coastal Credit Union promoted Patrick Livingston to vice president of tech infrastructure and IT operations. In his new role, Livingston will be responsible for Coastal’s technology infrastructure and providing the organization with technology solutions that are reliable, secure and sustainable. He and his team will ensure that the credit union’s systems support its current and future operations by planning and implementing solutions, and then providing the ongoing monitoring, diagnostics and maintenance of its technology infrastructure. Livingston has more than 23 years of technology and credit union experience, including 20 at Coastal, where he most recently served as vice president of loan operations. Prior to that, he held positions including assistant vice president of systems support, director of strategic projects and network administrator. He holds an MBA in innovation and services management from North Carolina State University. Livingston is also a Credit Union Development Educator, completed Filene Research Institute’s i3 program, and co-founded CUAware, a networking and professional development program that lives on as the Carolinas Credit Union League’s CUxEL emerging leaders program. That work earned him a Cooperative Spirit Award from the National Credit Union Foundation and recognition as a Credit Union Rock Star by Credit Union Magazine.

The $4.7 billion TDECU in Lake Jackson, Texas added Greg Montana to its board of directors. Montana brings over 30 years of executive management experience in the financial services industry, having previously served at Bank of America, PayPal, Lloyds Banking Group and JP Morgan Chase. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and received his six sigma Black Belt Certification from Bank of America. Montana is also a current member and former vice chair of the United Way of Northeast Florida, an active member and former board chair of Jacksonville Catholic Charities, and a member of the advisory board for Metrolina Association for the Blind in Charlotte, N.C.

CUSOS

AVANA Companies, a Glendale, Ariz.-based lending and asset management ecosystem provider, hired Chad Witcher as COO of its CUSO. Witcher previously served at Zions Bank for the past 20 years, where he worked in various capacities, including most recently as SVP and department director of the National Real Estate Group for the past eight years. In his new role, he will develop new and innovative lending products and services, including the rebrand of the company’s CUSO designed to meet the evolving needs of credit unions and their members. Witcher’s focus within the CUSO will be growing the customer base of credit unions and implementing commercial real estate lending best practices.

VENDORS

The Boca Raton, Fla.-based private equity firm Black Dragon Capital named Kirk Kordeleski as its newest industry advisor. Kordeleski is a former CEO of the $13 billion, Bethpage, N.Y.-based Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Following his time at Bethpage, he has provided leadership and advisory services to the industry to help credit unions drive operational efficiencies, build brand prestige, add products and achieve their financial goals. Kordeleski is also a partner and senior executive benefit consultant with PARC Street Partners (formerly OM Financial Group), where he advises credit union executives and board members on C-level retirement strategies. In addition, he has formed leading CUSOs and advised many credit union boards on strategy, leadership and compensation.

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