CU Talent Appointments Include a Chief Technology Officer at Valley First

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The $5.5 billion, Richland, Wash.-based Gesa Credit Union promoted Blaine Wren to vice president of finance and accounting. In his new role, Wren will help drive Gesa’s financial strategy, oversee the finance and accounting teams, and support the organization toward its goal of reaching $10 billion in assets. He will also continue building on this work by leveraging financial data to drive decision-making, support Gesa’s growth and further strengthen its financial foundation. Since joining Gesa in 2013, Wren has held various roles including financial analyst and finance manager/team leader.

The $1 billion Valley First Credit Union in Modesto, Calif., announced three new hires.

Peggy Pollard was hired as vice president consumer lending and member solutions. Pollard brings more than 25 years of industry experience, including more than 16 years in the credit union space. Most recently, she served at the $285 million, Washington, D.C.-based Department of the Interior Federal Credit Union. In her new role, she will oversee Valley First’s consumer lending operations including indirect, direct and real estate lending, along with overseeing the collections efforts in the member solutions department. Pollard completed Indirect Lending and Collections training through Rex Johnson’s University of Lending program.

Carlos Villapudua was hired as vice president commercial banking. Villapudua brings more than 18 years of banking industry experience, with the majority of that time in the commercial banking space. He spent the past two years at BAC Community Bank as vice president, senior relationship manager. Prior to that, he was with Tri Counties Bank as vice president commercial relationship manager II. He is also bilingual in Spanish and English. In his new role, Villapudua will support businesses through lending and deposit services throughout the Central Valley, with his primary focus being the greater Modesto area.

Chris Dalman was hired as chief technology officer. Dalman brings more than 15 years of experience in technology and information systems, including six years in the credit union space. Most recently, he served as vice president IT operations at the $2.1 billion, Lakewood, Wash.-based Harborstone Credit Union. Prior to that, he was the IT security and operations manager at the $1.1 billion, Seattle-based Salal Credit Union. In his new role, Dalman will oversee Valley First’s technology support, programming, and cybersecurity operation and strategy. He holds an MBA in information technology management from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

CUSOS

Accolade Advisory, a CUSO offering guidance and support through Asset Liability Management (ALM), Investment and Loan Pricing & Profitability Advisories to credit unions nationwide, promoted JD Pisula to president/CEO. He replaces Dave Fearing, who will serve as a consultant to Accolade’s credit union clients as he prepares for retirement at the end of 2025. Pisula has served as Accolade’s vice president of strategic advisory since 2019. Before joining Accolade, he was the director of investments at the Ohio Treasurer of State. Before that, Pisula served in the administration of former Ohio Governor John R. Kasich. He earned his MBA from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and is a CFA charter holder. Founded in 2007, Accolade Advisory is a wholly owned CUSO of the $7.8 billion, Columbus, Ohio-based Corporate One Federal Credit Union.

VENDORS

CU Strategic Planning, a Tacoma, Wash.-based provider of CDFI certification, grant writing, and compliance support for credit unions and a Callahan & Associates company, announced Chief Consulting Officer and former owner Shirley Senn departed the company to launch her own business, Sennergy Solutions. Senn will remain an advisor to CU Strategic Planning, with the company directing credit unions with endangered charters to her. Sennergy Solutions will focus on preserving small credit union charters and establishing new charters that serve distinct community needs. Senn spent 10 years at CU Strategic Planning.

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.