A few credit unions including People’s Credit Union and Redwood Credit Union announced the results of their board elections, and an employee at Eglin Federal Credit Union was honored with the 5-Star Employee Award.
New Hires:
- Coastal Credit Union has hired Anita Marshall as Branch Manager of its location at 1080 N. Winstead Ave in Rocky Mount. In her role, she will be responsible for delivering exceptional member service, relationship management, and community involvement. She will lead the branch team toward achieving the credit union’s goals around membership, loan, and deposit growth.
- LAFCU has announced the appointment of Laura Blanding as vice president of membership growth and development. In this new role, Blanding will lead strategic initiatives to expand LAFCU’s membership while ensuring an engaging and positive experience for members across all touchpoints. She will also identify opportunities for continuous improvement to enhance member satisfaction and loyalty.
- Valley First Credit Union is proud to welcome Patrick Brown as its new Vice President of Commercial Banking. Based in the Fresno area, Brown will lead the Valley First’s efforts to expand and strengthen business banking relationships throughout Valley First’s Southern Region (Kern County up to Merced County), providing tailored lending and deposit solutions for local businesses. He will report directly to the Chief Lending Officer.
Recognitions:
- Eglin Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce Indirect Lending Officer Johna Jones has been selected as the 5-Star Performer of the First Quarter of 2025. Johna has been employed with the Credit Union since August 2017 and currently resides in Gulf Breeze.
- Corporate Central is proud to announce that Stephanie Schmidt, Vice President Member Services, has officially earned the Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) certification—becoming one of only a handful of professionals nationwide to achieve this prestigious designation.
- Eglin Federal Credit Union is pleased to congratulate IRA Assistant Wendy Ellerd for 25 years of service. Wendy currently resides in Fort Walton Beach. “We are incredibly fortunate to have had Wendy as a part of our Credit Union family for the past 25 years. Her dedication, kindness, and exceptional service have made a profound impact on both our team and our members,” said VP Branch Operations Bron Ringstad. “Wendy consistently goes above and beyond, ensuring that every member feels valued and supported. Her commitment to excellence and her genuine care for others have set a remarkable example for all of us. As we celebrate this milestone, we extend our deepest gratitude to Wendy for her outstanding contributions to Eglin FCU. Here’s to many more years of success and inspiration!”
- LAFCU is proud to announce that Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, the credit union’s chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer, has been named Lansing Community College’s (LCC) 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. She will be honored during LCC’s 67th commencement ceremony Friday, May 16.
- PAHO/WHO Federal Credit Union is proud to announce that Vanessa Wong, Vice President of Risk Management, has earned the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation from The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). This internationally recognized certification is a significant professional milestone and reflects Vanessa’s commitment to excellence in the field of internal auditing.
Promotions:
- Greylock Federal Credit Union is proud to announce the promotion of Matt Tekin to Vice President of Operational Risk Management. In his role, Matt oversees the credit union’s enterprise risk management program, implements security measures in compliance with industry standards, manages the NCUA exam process, and provides management support toward the development of the credit union’s business continuity program and incident response program.
- Royal Credit Union (Royal) announces Christy Woods as Collections Manager. In this role, Woods will be responsible for overseeing a variety of loan accounts including consumer, residential, and secondary market loans. With a strong focus on reducing overdue payments and minimizing loan losses, Woods will analyze loan performance patterns and develop strategic plans to mitigate financial risks. Her efforts will support Royal’s organizational goals and ensure the financial well-being of its Members.
- United Federal Credit Union (United) is pleased to announce the promotion of Barbara Berken to the position of Director of Enterprise Projects & Process Excellence. Berken brings over two decades of experience in credit union operations, project management, and process improvement to her new role at United.
- Greater Texas|Aggieland Credit Union has announced the promotion of Sidney Henderson to Senior Vice President of Marketing, recognizing her transformative leadership and strategic vision that has reshaped the credit union’s brand, reach, and impact. Since joining the credit union three years ago, Henderson has led a strategic overhaul of marketing, aligning brand, digital, data, community, and experience with the credit union’s broader business goals. She has repositioned marketing as a core strategic partner, helping to lay the groundwork for long-term growth, member engagement, and innovation.
Appointments:
- At the 103rd Annual Meeting of People’s Credit Union shareholders on April 24, 2025, five members were reelected to the Board of Directors. William L. Douglas, Jr., Steven Kozlowski, Ph.D., and Frank Newsome will serve 3-year terms (2025-2028). Terri Marcucci Fitch was reelected to serve a 2-year term (2025 -2027), and Toni Lynn McGowan was reelected to serve for a 1-year term (2025-2026). The membership also reelected two members of the Supervisory Committee: David J. Fox, Esq, for a 1-year term (2025-2026) as Chair/Secretary and J. Kevin Hyman for a 3-year term (2025-2028). Mr. Fox and Mr. Hyman will join Michelle Freitas, CPA, who currently serves as Vice Chair on the Supervisory Committee.
- Redwood Credit Union recently re-elected volunteer board members Judy Herrerias-James, Lisa Wittke Schaffner, and Rod Dole. RCU’s board of directors sets the credit union’s strategic direction and policies. Because credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives, RCU’s board is comprised of RCU members who serve voluntarily and are elected by the membership.
- Member Access Processing (MAP) welcomes Maggie Prohs, Vice President of Operations at Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union ($1.3 billion in assets located in Columbia, SC), to its Client Advisory Board. MAP’s Client Advisory Board (CAB) is composed of eleven MAP clients, including representation of its six owner credit unions. The CAB meets quarterly with the objective to enhance the payment experience of credit union members by advising MAP senior management on challenges, opportunities, and strategies for success in the payments marketplace.
- Valley First Credit Union is pleased to announce the results of its recent Annual Meeting, where members gathered to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future. The following board members were re-elected:
- Chris Peterson, Chairperson
- Tamra Spade, Director
- Dr. Gary Hall, Director
- Additionally, Emmanuel Escamilla and John Silveria have been re-elected to the Supervisory Committee.