The $2.4 billion, Vancouver, Wash.-based Columbia Credit Union announced two promotions.
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Joe Dunn was promoted to vice president lending operations and underwriting. Dunn has 22 years of experience in banking and joined Columbia CU in 2012.
Angilo Fletcher
Angilo Fletcher was promoted to vice president retail lending. Fletcher was recently recognized as both a 40 Under 40 and Accomplished and Under 40 honoree by the Portland Business Journal and Vancouver Business Journal.
Tommy Hua
The $1 billion Valley First Credit Union in Modesto, Calif., hired Tommy Hua as director of financial planning and analysis. He brings over 14 years of accounting experience in the credit union industry. In his new role, Hua will report directly to the CFO and lead the credit union’s financial analysis and reporting efforts, including profitability, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and cost/benefit analysis. Additionally, he will oversee month-end processes and prepare reports for ALCO, CECL and other finance-related meetings.
Rami Borsheh
Pasadena Federal Credit Union ($364 million, Pasadena, Calif.) hired Rami Borsheh as chief lending officer. In his new role, Borsheh will lead the credit union’s lending strategies, overseeing loan operations and portfolio management while driving innovation to meet members’ financial needs. He brings over 18 years of credit union experience in lending, operations and member services, having previously served as vice president of consumer lending at First Entertainment Credit Union ($2.1 billion, Hollywood, Calif.).
MIDWEST
Justin Quainton
The $1.1 billion LAFCU in Lansing, Mich., hired Justin Quainton as commercial lending officer. Quainton brings over 12 years of experience in the banking industry, having most recently served as assistant vice president, business banking relationship manager at a nationwide bank. He holds expertise in commercial lending, proposing personalized solutions and effective communication. In his new role, Quainton will focus on originating, managing and contributing to the oversight of the credit union’s portfolio of commercial loans. His responsibilities include identifying lending opportunities, structuring customized financial solutions, and building meaningful relationships with both new and existing business members to address their unique challenges and goals.
CUSOS
Chris Kowal
The Farmington Hills, Mich.-based technology CUSO MDT appointed Chris Kowal CEO, effective April 1. He takes over the helm from Larry Nichols, who is retiring. Nichols led the team that established MDT 22 years ago with five investing credit unions that came together to form a CUSO that enabled credit unions to share IT costs.
Kowal has been with MDT for 16 years and currently serves as CFO. In this position, he has played a critical role in strategic planning, corporate financial reporting, strategic partnerships, vendor management, growth projects and more.
VENDORS
Rob Landis
The San Diego, Calif.-based credit union core processor Corelation named Rob Landis CEO. Landis has been with Corelation since its inception in 2009, and most recently spent the last three years as president. Before that, he served as COO for Corelation.
Theresa Benavidez
He succeeds Theresa Benavidez, who served as president/CEO of Corelation for its first dozen years of existence before dividing her title and responsibilities at the outset of 2022 as a part of a succession plan. She will remain with Corelation as CEO Emeritus, an advisory position that will allow her to continue pursuing mentorship and building strong relationships with client and vendor partners.
Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].
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.
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