A few credit unions including People’s Credit Union and OnPoint Community Credit Union announced promotions, and employees from Royal Credit Union and Everwise Credit Union were recognized for their achievements.

New Hires

• United Federal Credit Union (United) is strengthening its Small Business Administration team with the addition of six highly experienced lending specialists, furthering the credit union’s commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth across the country. Leading the credit union’s SBA lending team will be Brad Rogers, United’s Commercial Credit Manager. Rogers has over 20 years of SBA lending experience with previous roles as SBA credit officer, underwriting manager, and chief credit officer. His new team will focus specifically on helping small businesses nationwide achieve their financing goals by providing a comprehensive, start-to-finish experience for anyone seeking an SBA loan. SBA Business Development Manager, Scott R. Gilman, will be one of the first faces small business owners meet when choosing United as their lender of choice. Also joining the SBA Lending team and providing vital operational support are Stacey Osborne—SBA Loan Operations Manager, Roxana Rice—SBA Production Manager, Kristina Rozek—SBA Counsel, Cindy Uphold—SBA Closer, and Lisa Jones—SBA Underwriter. Each member of this SBA back-office team has over 20 years of financial services experience, in a variety of small business lending, underwriting, and loan operations positions.

• LAFCU has expanded its team with the addition of two experienced professionals in key roles—Danna Finney joins as compliance officer, and Monica Roark as accounts payable specialist. As compliance officer, Danna Finney ensures LAFCU’s policies and procedures comply with relevant laws and regulations. She analyzes new and pending legislation, recommends adjustments to existing practices, and coordinates with departments to implement necessary changes in a timely manner. As accounts payable specialist, Monica Roark will receive, process, and verify invoices, manage vendor relationships, and ensure timely payments by negotiating terms and resolving disputes. She will also handle administrative tasks within the accounting department, including posting accounting entries, processing mail, authorizing payments, and assisting with general ledger balancing and VISA statements.

• Coastal Credit Union has hired Stacey Daniels as its new VP, Mortgage Operations and Kevin Holton as VP, Mortgage Sales. Daniels will lead the strategic development and execution of Coastal’s mortgage operations, focusing on enhancing operational workflows, improving system efficiencies, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. She will work closely with the mortgage sales and leadership teams to streamline processes, reduce turnaround times, and provide an exceptional experience for credit union members at every stage of their homeownership journey. Holton will play a key role in driving the growth and success of the mortgage division. He will be responsible for overseeing and expanding mortgage sales operations, developing and executing strategic initiatives, and ensuring that Coastal continues to provide exceptional service and innovative mortgage solutions to its membership.

Recognitions

• Royal Credit Union (Royal) Executive Vice President - Chief Experience & Marketing Officer, Pam Haller, has received the YMCA Leadership Award of Excellence. This prestigious honor, presented annually by the YMCA State Alliance of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, celebrates volunteer leaders whose dedication and service have made a profound impact on their local communities.

• On Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, NYC FinTech announced its list of Inspiring Women for 2024. Alex McLeod, CEO and Founder of Parlay Finance, was named to the list in the Company Founders category. NYC FinTech Women’s mission is to connect, empower and promote women in FinTech. The Inspiring FinTech Females list recognizes women in leadership roles who are transforming fintech and advocates for women and gender equity.

• Everwise Credit Union is pleased to announce that Katie Cortes, manager of its Chesterton and Valparaiso South branches, has been selected as the winner of the 2024 David R. Sage Exemplary Leadership and Service Award. Presented annually, the award recognizes Everwise employees who demonstrate the leadership and values of former board chairman David R. Sage, who served in Everwise leadership for nearly four decades. Award winners are nominated by fellow employees and selected by the executive management team.

Promotions

• People’s Credit Union announced the promotion of Christie Jencks to Head of Commercial Lending.  In her expanded role, Christie will be responsible for the overall growth and management of the Credit Union’s commercial loan portfolio, with a focus on prospect and member business development, as well as overseeing all department operational responsibilities such as credit analysis, relationship reviews, and capacity development. 

• OnPoint Community Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of technology and cybersecurity expert Damian Laviolette to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO), after an extensive national talent search. He joins the Executive Team of Oregon's largest credit union, which serves over 576,000 members and manages $9.4 billion in assets.

• Greater Texas|Aggieland Credit Union has named Stephanie Stout to the newly created position of Senior Vice President of Member Experience. In her new role, Stout will focus on creating deeper member connections and increasing engagement of product usage across all touchpoints within the credit union. She’ll be responsible for driving process improvements and strategies to create seamless interactions that enhance member satisfaction and loyalty.