Affinity Plus FCU, Webster First FCU Appoint New C-Suite Leaders

EAST

Soma Sarkar, EVP/COO for $442 million, Ewing, N.J.-based Credit Union of New Jersey, received the CrossState Credit Union Association’s 2024 William W. Pratt Executive of the Year Award. Sarkar has over 29 years of experience in the credit union space. She started as a branch manager for CU of NJ in 1994, and before joining CU of NJ, she worked for major savings and loan commercial banks. She is certified by the American Institute of Banking in Supervisory Management, Customer Service, Real Estate Banking, Business Administration and Accounting. Sarkar completed the Management Enrichment Training Program through the former New Jersey Credit Union League and is a certified BDS Master Trainer, CUNA Certified Compliance Expert, Certified Credit Union Executive and Predictive Index Analyst. She graduated with the highest honors from the National Credit Union Institute and completed the CEO Institute program from Wharton Business School, Cornell and UVA Darden School of Business. She also belongs to America’s Credit Unions’ (formerly CUNA) Operations, Lending, Marketing and Information Technology Councils, and was on the Professional Advisory Group for the New Jersey Credit Union League for several years.

The $1.4 billion, Worcester, Mass.-based Webster First Federal Credit Union promoted Kerri Kane to CFO, effective June 3, 2024. She succeeds Kim Tonkin, who announced her retirement after more than 40 years of service. Kane most recently served as controller and vice president of finance for Webster First, a position she held since the credit union’s merger with Saugus Federal Credit Union in May 2011. At the time of the merger, she held the position of vice president of accounting and had been with Saugus since April 1998.

Tonkin began working at Webster First in 1983 as a part-time loan servicing clerk and later served as accounting supervisor, controller, vice president of finance/controller and finally CFO beginning in 2014.

MIDWEST

The $2.8 billion, Muskego, Wis.-based Corporate Central Credit Union announced one new hire, one board retirement and one board appointment.

Clare Krupar was hired as accounting and office assistant. In her new role, Krupar will support the tasks and goals of the accounting department, providing essential assistance for organizational tasks and events. Her responsibilities will include providing general accounting support, processing incoming and outgoing mail and packages, offering general office and clerical support, assisting with reception duties and contributing to various projects as needed. She previously worked as a customer service manager.

Eric Chrisinger, president/CEO of Co-op Credit Union ($536 million, Black River Falls, Wis.), has retired from the Corporate Central Board of Directors after 15 years of volunteer service, including serving as chair from 2017 to 2019.

Laurie Butz, president/CEO of Capital Credit Union ($2.4 billion, Green Bay, Wis.), was unanimously appointed by the Corporate Central Board to fill the vacant board position.

The $7.5 billion, Waterloo, Iowa-based Veridian Credit Union announced one promotion and one new hire.

Justice McLemore was promoted to the position of recruiter in northeast Iowa. McLemore has served three years at Veridian, most recently as a loan advisor.

Sara Kies was hired as vice president of marketing. Kies brings over 20 years of strategic marketing leadership experience, including 12 years in the financial industry. She most recently served as assistant director of marketing and brand strategy for the University of Northern Iowa. She received a master’s degree in management information systems and digital marketing from Temple University in Philadelphia.

The $4.2 billion, St. Paul, Minn.-based Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union hired Radha Chavali as chief information officer in May 2024. Chavali brings over two decades of extensive technology experience in IT strategic planning, business process transformation, enterprise program management, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure and security modernization, and IT operation optimization. She has served in various industries and multiple Fortune 500 companies in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, where she managed large technology portfolios, enterprise projects and globally distributed teams. Chavali holds a master’s degree in engineering from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

The $6.5 billion, Columbus, Ohio-based Corporate One Federal Credit Union appointed Tasha Kostick to a one-year term on its Board of Directors, effective May 13, 2024. Kostick is SVP and CFO for the $837 million 1st Northern California Credit Union in Martinez, Calif. She is filling the unexpired term of former Board Chair Lee Powell, who retired in April 2024. Kostick has more than 25 years of experience in the credit union and financial services industries, and is an industry event speaker and author of numerous published articles.

She previously served as partner and credit union practice leader at RSM US, LLP, where she guided credit unions in strengthening their internal controls and processes across accounting, finance, information technology and enterprise risk management. Kostick has served on the Corporate One Supervisory Committee since April 2022 and as that committee’s liaison on the Enterprise Risk Management Committee since 2023. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

TRADES

The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors announced Yolanda Ford retired from the NASCUS Regulator Board of Directors on June 3, 2024. Ford served as the deputy superintendent of the Community and Regional Banks Unit within the New York State Department of Financial Services, which is responsible for the regulatory supervision of community and regional banks and credit unions, since 2016. She has been with the banking sector of DFS for 36 years, joining its bank examiner trainee program in 1985. Before assuming the position of deputy superintendent, Ford was the assistant deputy superintendent, overseeing all DFS examinations of community banks in New York’s Manhattan and Mid-Hudson regions. Additionally, she conducted field examinations as a staff examiner and examiner-in-charge for various banking institutions chartered and supervised by the DFS. Aside from serving on the NASCUS Board, she served on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council State Liaison Committee.

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