Professionals Step Into New Roles at Metro CU, Navigant CU & Corporate One

EAST

The $3.4 billion, Chelsea, Mass.-based Metro Credit Union announced one new hire and five promotions.

Yamil Baez was hired as assistant vice president regional branch manager. Previously, Baez served as branch manager at Seaside Bank and Trust, and held positions at Wells Fargo and American Momentum Bank. In his new role, Baez will oversee branch operations and service initiatives of the Metro branches in Boston, Chelsea, Dorchester, Framingham, Melrose, Newton and West Roxbury, Mass.

Steve Johnson was promoted to assistant vice president regional branch manager. Johnson joined Metro 21 years ago and has served in several leadership roles, most recently assistant vice president branch manager in Lynn, Mass. In his new role, he oversees branch operations, sales and service initiatives of the Metro branches in his area including Burlington, Lawrence, Lynn, Medford, Peabody, Reading, Salem and Tewksbury, Mass.

Tara Cassese was promoted to assistant vice president financial crimes. Cassese joined Metro in 2016 as part of its Member Service Center and later transitioned to Risk & Compliance, overseeing Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/Anti Money Laundering (AML) compliance. She also serves as the credit union’s BSA officer, and newly added to her department are Metro’s functions around fraud response. In her new role, she oversees both groups and reports to Metro’s COO.

Wafaa Lahmeur was promoted to assistant vice president branch manager at Metro’s Chelsea Main branch, located at its corporate offices. Lahmeur joined Metro in 2011 as a teller and earned several promotions before her appointment as branch manager in 2018.

Karen Berrio was promoted to branch manager for Metro’s Peabody Main Street location in Peabody, Mass. She joined Metro in 2021 as assistant branch manager in the credit union’s Lynn, Mass., branch. Previously, she held positions at Citizens Bank and Santander.

Alexandra Gilberg was promoted to branch manager at Metro’s Peabody Andover Street branch in Peabody. Gilberg joined Metro in 2021 as assistant branch manager in the same location and has nearly 15 years of experience in financial services. Both Berrio and Gilberg are responsible for managing daily operations at their respective branches; supervising, coaching and assisting with staff development; determining individual and team sales goals; and working directly with Metro members to provide financial guidance and education.

The $3.7 billion, Smithfield, R.I.-based Navigant Credit Union announced one new hire and four promotions.

Brian Pereira was hired into the newly-created role of vice president of cash management. Pereira brings more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry. In his new role, he will lead Navigant’s Cash Management & Business Services department, which was created in 2024 to build complimentary financial services business within the credit union’s member base.

Molly Pastore was promoted to first vice president of marketing and member experience. Pastore has more than 15 years of marketing experience and most recently served as vice president of marketing for Navigant. In her new role, Pastore will continue leading Navigant’s growing Marketing Department while overseeing the credit union’s Member Experience function.

Kevin Burns was promoted to vice president/commercial loan portfolio manager. Burns joined Navigant in 2019 and has more than 25 years of experience in commercial lending. In his new role, he will work alongside relationship managers to manage the evaluation, loan structuring and underwriting of complex credit transactions for Navigant’s largest commercial borrowers.

Gidget Grivers was promoted to vice president of concierge banking. Grivers joined Navigant in 2009 as a branch manager. In her new role, she will serve as a single point of contact for Navigant’s members, and will be responsible for fostering more substantial, more robust relationships with members, identifying opportunities to optimize growth, and orchestrating solutions and appropriate connections for Navigant’s more than 150,000 members.

Deborah Drechnowicz was promoted to assistant vice president/mortgage underwriting manager. In her new role, she will serve as the underwriting manager of the residential lending department, overseeing all daily mortgage and equity underwriting activities and ensuring all policies, procedures and guidelines are developed, implemented and monitored for compliance with Navigant’s policies and procedures, as well as secondary market and other industry-related guidelines. Drechnowicz has worked at Navigant for 27 years.

MIDWEST

The $2.9 billion, Muskego, Wis.-based Corporate Central Credit Union hired Mari Sommer as marketing and events coordinator. In her new role, Sommer will shape Corporate Central’s identity through innovative marketing initiatives and seamless event execution. Collaborating closely with the marketing team, she will craft compelling email marketing and social media campaigns tailored to resonate with the credit union’s diverse audience. She previously served as a marketing brand manager for over a year.

Mary Williamson, director of first impressions for the $826 million, Midland, Mich.-based Members First Credit Union, received the Credit Union Spirit Award from the Mid-Michigan Chapter of Credit Unions during the Chapter’s Annual Meeting in Midland on April 18. The Credit Union Spirit Award is a testament to an individual who exemplifies unwavering dedication to credit union principles, and goes above and beyond to promote the philosophy of the credit union movement. Williamson has been with Members First since 2015. She also actively contributes to the Children’s Grief Center and spearheads an annual bake sale for The Pink Fund.

The $343 million, Wentzville, Mo.-based Alltru Credit Union announced three board appointments and one retirement.

Jennifer Coliny was re-elected to the Alltru Board of Directors. She has served on the board for the past six years. Coliny has a background in operations management and strategic planning at Stock Legal.

Lawrence (Larry) Pionke was re-elected to the Board of Directors. Pionke has over 45 years of experience in project management, knowledge management and technology-driven industries, including an extensive career with Boeing and other leading firms, where he gained expertise in customer relationship management, supply chain validation, technology assessment and enterprise standardization.

Stanley Kohn was elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. Kohn has been an active participant in Alltru’s Associate Volunteer program for the past three years. He has a background in finance and extensive experience at Boeing and L E Sauer Machine Company. All board members were elected to a three-year term.

Robert Rutkowski retired after 13 years of volunteer service to the board. Rutkowski is retired from Boeing, where he was an aeronautical engineer for 41 years, and served as a senior commander in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard for 30 years.

SOUTH

Michael Baker, president/CEO for the $1.8 billion, Sumter, S.C.-based SAFE Federal Credit Union, was honored as the Philip L. Edwards Businessperson of the Year by The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented at the Chamber’s Annual Gala held to honor Sumter’s top professionals who demonstrate excellence in their respective fields. Baker has been with SAFE for more than two decades and was named president/CEO in 2020.

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