ValleyStar CU, Workers CU & TDECU Welcome Leaders to the C-Suite

WEST

The $114 million Point West Credit Union in Portland, Ore., promoted Mary Navarrete to director of community impact. Navarrete has been with Point West for nearly two decades, previously serving as community advocate. She has been an instrumental part of Point West’s community development and member service efforts, playing a key role in the credit union’s partnership with the Mexican Consulate of Portland and in securing Point West’s Juntos Avanzamos designation.

BECU ($29.1 billion, Tukwila, Wash.) hired Jason Rudman as EVP and chief member and digital experience officer. In his new role, Rudman will oversee BECU’s member journey across all channels, including its Neighborhood Financial Centers, Contact Centers, ATMs and digital, working to deliver a cohesive experience across all member touchpoints. He will also lead marketing and communications. He brings more than 20 years of financial services experience, including senior roles at USAA, KeyBank and American Express.

Most recently, he served as chief customer officer at Finance of America. He holds an MBA from Baylor University and currently serves as a member of the board of directors of NeighborShare, an organization that partners with local nonprofits to identify pivotal needs that would otherwise go unmet. Rudman also co-founded the Alvin O. McCray and Jason M. Rudman Community College Scholarship in partnership with Point Foundation, the nation’s largest LGBTQ scholarship-granting nonprofit.

EAST

Lindsay Oparowski, assistant vice president of digital member experience and Candice Richards, regional membership development manager for PSECU ($8.1 billion, Harrisburg, Pa.) were named to the Women Making a Difference list by PA Business Central.

Oparowski has held digital leadership roles at various companies in the hospitality, real estate and consumer package goods verticals. She joined the credit union in 2020 and in her current role, she balances the growth vision and long-term digital member experience strategy with near-term execution to create a seamless member experience.

Richards pursued her master’s in business administration at Keller DeVry University and has held several positions in sales, marketing and public relations in the hospitality, food and consumer goods industries. Prior to joining PSECU, Richards directed the marketing and public relations efforts for a Caribbean franchise chain in New York with over 100 stores located across nine states.

The $670 million, Martinsville, Va.-based ValleyStar Credit Union hired Woody Windley as CFO. Windley brings a wealth of experience to ValleyStar, having spent 17 years with Roanoke Valley Community Credit Union ($101 million, Roanoke, Va.), as president/CEO. He has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Virginia since 1995.

The $2.5 billion, Littleton, Mass.-based Workers Credit Union promoted Bob Leger to CFO and treasurer. Leger previously served as SVP of treasury, asset and liability management and investments at the credit union, and most recently served as the interim CFO. He has 25 years of financial experience, and in his new role, he will be responsible for accounting, finance and investments.

Prior to joining Workers, he served at Infinity Federal Credit Union ($336 million, Westbrook, Maine), in CFO roles at Town & Country Federal Credit Union ($551 million, Scarborough, Maine) and York County Federal Credit Union (now the $1.1 billion, South Portland, Maine-based Atlantic Federal Credit Union), as well as controller of Aroma Joe’s Franchising in Maine. Leger serves on the board of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, and is a board member and treasurer for local fishing communities nonprofit 1% for the Fishermen, and for Scarborough Community Thanksgiving.

MIDWEST

The $345 million, Wentzville, Mo.-based Alltru Credit Union promoted Kim Stocks to vice president of lending and deposit operations, effective Nov. 1. Stocks joined Alltru in 2008 and has held various positions within the credit union, starting as a teller and progressing to underwriter, lending manager and most recently director of member operations.

SOUTH

The $4.7 billion, Lake Jackson, Texas-based TDECU announced two new hires.

Aparna Dave was hired as chief legal officer and general counsel. Dave most recently served as SVP and managing counsel for Wells Fargo with an emphasis on brand management, advertising, intellectual property, and emerging marketing and technology initiatives. She brings over two decades of experience in corporate law, complex commercial contracts, consumer lending, social impact and M&A integration. She holds a law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston and an Executive MBA from Texas A&M University. Aparna serves on the boards of STCLH and the National Park Trust.

Ashish Chopra was hired as chief information and technology officer. Chopra is also a Wells Fargo veteran, where he served as SVP – technology COO and digital product leader for Cloud Blueprints. He brings more than 20 years of senior technology executive leadership experience solving complex business challenges by modernizing technology platforms, leading strategic M&As and optimizing international operations. He has also served at IBM Consulting, Target, New York Life Insurance and Sprint-Nextel. Chopra completed leadership development training at Cornell University.

The $2.8 billion, Lake Mary, Fla.-based Addition Financial Credit Union promoted Alex DeJesus to SVP of member experience. In his new role, DeJesus will oversee all aspects of member experience strategy and operations, focusing on delivering exceptional service and enhancing the financial well-being of the credit union’s members.

He will also work closely with the credit union’s executive team to develop and implement strategies to enhance member engagement, satisfaction and loyalty; be responsible for ensuring members have access to a wide range of products and services that empower them on their financial journey; and serve on key internal committees and external community boards. DeJesus has nearly 25 years of banking industry experience and expertise. He has been with Addition Financial for seven years and previously served as branch manager, regional director and vice president of member experience.

CUSOS

Kathy Duvall, president/CEO for the $1.7 billion SF Fire Credit Union, was elected chairperson of the board of directors for higher education financing solutions CUSO CU Student Choice. Duvall joined the board in 2021.

LEAGUES

The Indiana Credit Union League announced seven honors at its annual convention last month.

Kevin Ryan, a past League chairman who retired as CEO of Financial Center First Credit Union ($833 million, Indianapolis) at the end of 2021, received the Indiana Credit Union League’s Global Good Award. In his years on the League board and at the credit union, he maintained a partnership between Financial Center First, the League and Dundalk Credit Union of Dundalk, Ireland; took part in numerous international development projects; and opened his credit union to international visitors whenever the League hosted groups from other countries. Ryan was also recently named to the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ board of directors.

David Abernathy, former League chairman, was inducted into the Indiana Credit Union Hall of Fame. Abernathy’s financial services career has spanned more than half a century. Most recently, he was CEO at Via Credit Union ($544 million, Marion), retiring in 2022. He served for 21 years on the Credit Union Centers’ board of directors, including as board president for seven years; and served credit unions in a multi-year role as Indiana’s Trustee for the Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC), rising to the executive committee of the organization. Abernathy served on the League board from 2016-2022 and was chairman of the board from 2021-2022.

Bob Falk, president/CEO of Purdue Federal Credit Union ($1.9 billion, West Lafayette), received the Indiana Credit Union League’s 2023 Professional Achievement Award. Falk was named president/CEO of Purdue Federal in 2008 and has served on several League committees including governmental affairs, where he has been an active member for more than 15 years. He and two others founded the League’s ignite initiative, which provides a framework for professional development and collaboration. Falk is currently on the board of directors for Co-op Services and previously served on The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, the board of Prime Alliance and CUNA’s Housing Subcommittee. He also held positions on the United Way of Greater Lafayette Board over a six-year period, including the chairmanship.

Tim Yoder, board chairman of Interra Credit Union ($1.7 billion, Goshen) received the 2023 Leadership Achievement Award from the Indiana Credit Union League. He is a lifelong Interra member and joined the Interra board in 2012. Yoder has been Interra Credit Union’s Chairman of the board since 2016 helped establish the Interra Cares Foundation. A licensed mortician, Yoder’s family business, Yoder-Culp Funeral Home, was established thanks to a loan from the credit union.

Amanda Edwards, SVP of operations for Centra Credit Union ($2 billion, Columbus) received the 2023 Emerging Leadership Award from the Indiana Credit Union League. Edwards has been with Centra CU since 2001, starting as a teller and rising to her current position through several roles in account recovery, branch management and deposit operations.

Todd Roach, vice president/controller for ProFed Federal Credit Union ($681 million, Fort Wayne) received the 2023 Emerging Leadership Award from the Indiana Credit Union League. Roach came to the credit union in 2012 as a part-time accounting assistant while completing his undergrad degree, and was promoted several times over a 10-year period. He received his MBA while working at the credit union, and he has also earned the designations of Certified Credit Union Investment Professional, Accredited ACH Professional, Accredited Payments Risk Professional and Certified Credit Union Executive.

Lindsay Wirtz, business services development officer for Everwise Credit Union ($5 billion, South Bend), received the 2023 Emerging Leadership Award from the Indiana Credit Union League. Wirtz has managed several branches in Indianapolis, is a founding member of the credit union’s Diversity Council and has won several awards while at Everwise that recognized her performance and leadership. She completed the League’s ignite program and is the chairman of the Central Chapter of Credit Unions. Additionally, she is on the advisory board of the Franklin Education Foundation.

VENDORS

Credit union core system provider Sharetec hired Laura Szymanski into the newly-created role of chief customer officer. In her new role, Szymanski will work with customer success, professional services and the customer operations teams to help Sharetec provide top-notch service. She brings nearly a decade of experience leading customer and operational projects at United Airlines and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Solution Optimizers, LLC, a Lafayette, La.-based professional services and consulting firm that specializes in document imaging and workflow for credit unions, hired Lynette Chubb as director of process improvement for credit unions. In her new role, Chubb will help credit unions leverage their ECM and workflow solutions to improve operational efficiency and productivity.

She brings 37 years of credit union operations experience, having previously led the records department at Frontwave Credit Union ($1.3 billion, Oceanside, Calif.), and assisted other departments in streamlining processes to boost output and enhance member service.

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