8 CU Industry Careers Propel Forward as One Concludes

MIDWEST

The $14.5 billion, Caledonia, Mich.-based Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) announced three new hires.

Katie Fullmer was hired as a mortgage loan officer for the credit union’s Southeast Michigan region. Fullmer brings over 10 years of mortgage industry experience. In her new role, she will become an expert in LMCU’s wide variety of mortgage options – from Rural Development and new construction loans to specialty programs for first-time homebuyers – to pair prospective homebuyers with affordable solutions that suit their unique needs.

Jen Aalderink was hired as a mortgage loan officer for the credit union’s Southwest Michigan region. Aalderink brings 20 years of experience in mortgage services. In her new role, she’ll use her industry expertise to pair prospective homeowners with the most affordable lending solution possible from LMCU’s wide variety of specialized mortgage programs.

Kristin Timmer was hired as director of treasury sales and product in West Michigan. Timmer brings decades of experience in banking and treasury management. In her new role, she will use her expertise to enhance LMCU’s suite of treasury management offerings to help businesses optimize their cash flow and improve their efficiencies.

SOUTH

The $1.3 billion WEOKIE Federal Credit Union in Oklahoma City, Okla., announced one retirement and one new hire.

Diane Mach, EVP and COO for WEOKIE, retired after 41 years of service to the credit union. Her journey with WEOKIE began in 1983 as a part-time teller. Throughout her tenure, Mach’s accomplishments included serving as a mentor to employees, helping cultivate a culture of service and excellence within WEOKIE; leading major initiatives; improving operational efficiency; and strengthening the organization’s dedication to providing members with the best financial solutions and experiences possible.

Kyle Sanders was hired as chief delivery officer. In his new role, Sanders will lead efforts to enhance service delivery, optimize member experience and drive operational excellence across WEOKIE’s branch network and digital services. He brings over 20 years of experience leading teams in member service-focused organizations, including spending the past 14 years working with financial institutions, specializing in operational strategy, process improvement and member engagement. Most recently, Sanders served as president of the League of Credit Unions’ Central Florida Chapter. He holds a master’s in organizational leadership from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Ala., is a Certified Credit Union Manager through CUES and holds a certificate in Community Development Finance from the University of New Hampshire. Sanders was also named to the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list in 2022.

The $3.9 billion, Austin, Texas-based UFCU announced two promotions.

Joe Gonzalez was promoted to vice president of enterprise continuous improvement and everyday banking and payments. Gonzalez has been with UFCU for more than 20 years, having held roles in mortgage lending, commercial lending, consumer lending, and, most recently, everyday banking. In his new role, he will continue to lead everyday banking, including deposit accounts, money movement, information governance, and debit and credit cards. He will also spearhead companywide efforts to transform processes that enhance member and employee experiences through a rapid continuous improvement methodology.

Paul Koller was promoted to vice president of finance. In his newly expanded role, Koller will drive UFCU’s growth and member impact while continuing to lead treasury, financial planning and analysis. He will also lead the creation of a capital markets team, diversifying UFCU’s financial activities and opening new revenue streams and investment opportunities, enhancing UFCU’s profitability and financial performance. Koller has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.

VENDORS

The Des Moines, Iowa-based governance, risk and compliance (GRC) management solutions provider ViClarity announced two new hires.

Katie Ferrell was hired as vice president of compliance services. Ferrell began her financial services career as head teller for a Mississippi commercial bank in 2003 and later held a variety of positions within the bank and credit union GRC space, most recently at United Bankers’ Bank in Minnesota. She is a graduate of the Barret Graduate School of Banking and maintains several GRC certifications, including the CRCM, CAMS, CRVPM, CBP and NCCO. In her new role, in addition to leading ViClarity’s Compliance Consulting services, she will direct the firm’s Credit Union League Compliance Support and Audit Services teams.

Koral Hull was hired as vice president of sales and marketing. Hull brings 15 years of experience optimizing processes and working with a variety of teams to make it easier, more efficient and more enjoyable to engage with tech-based products. Most recently, she served as head of operations for Pitchly, and at the beginning of her career, she served as an electromechanical technician in the United States Air Force.

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.