New Hires and Promotions Announced at Nine Credit Unions and CUES

Multiple credit unions announced new hires, four credit unions announced promotions, and Unitus Community Credit Union announced a new addition to their Board of Directors.

New Hires

TBA Credit Union is pleased to announce Dan Galbraith as the new Commercial Relationship Specialist. With a 20-year career in the banking industry, Galbraith brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role, where he will be responsible for fostering and expanding business relationships within the community. Galbraith replaces retiring Mark Guimond, who held this position for the last five years.

Redwood Credit Union has hired Forest de Jong as vice president of insurance services (RCUIS). In his new role, de Jong is responsible for all managerial aspects of RCUIS operations. This includes strategically expanding insurance offerings to provide the best options for North Bay residents and their unique insurance needs, while delivering exceptional service, and driving continuous improvement within the RCUIS team.

CUES is pleased to announce two new leadership positions that will play a critical role as the organization expands products and services to equip its members with the skills, tools, knowledge, and relationships needed to thrive. Chad Helminak has joined CUES as VP of Talent Development Programming. Helminak brings two decades of leadership experience supporting purpose-driven organizations and leaders in the credit union industry. He facilitates experiential training for credit union leaders, leads boards and executive teams through strategic sessions, and drives growth in people, programs, and organizational capabilities. Pixie Gray will join CUES as VP of Organizational Development in May 2024. She brings over a decade of experience in leadership development, coaching, design thinking, and process refinement. Gray is known for merger and acquisition culture alignment and facilitating strategic processes that yield tangible results.

Nathan Hickman has been hired as Numerica Credit Union’s senior vice president of digital experience and engagement. In this role, Hickman will oversee the credit union’s member service center. He is also charged with growing and developing Numerica’s digital service tools and solutions.

Westerra Credit Union announces Brandon Short has joined the Westerra team as its newest Mortgage Loan Officer. Brandon brings over 18 years of experience to providing homeowners with professional and ethical mortgage solutions and embodies a “member-first” mentality. He has developed a respectable reputation in the housing finance community and helped hundreds of families and individuals make their dreams of homeownership come true.

Westerra Credit Union announces Jennifer Kriske has joined the Westerra team as its newest Mortgage Loan Officer. Jennifer brings over 15 years of experience representing mortgage corporations and originating/underwriting residential mortgage and home equity loans. She has also worked in the capacity of Underwriting and financial auditor for very complex modifications.

Promotions

Greylock Federal Credit Union is proud to announce the promotion of Kathie O’Neil to branch manager of its Kellogg Street branch in Pittsfield. In her role, O’Neil manages a staff of eight, and plays an active role in business development. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, originating mortgage and home equity loans, overseeing branch compliance, originating and underwriting consumer loans, and maintaining a wide variety of member accounts.

FORUM Credit Union announces organizational promotions within its retail team. Raine Cole, Angela Crowe, Emily Griffin, and Jamie Laughrey have all been promoted to Branch Manager positions. As branch managers, Cole, Crowe, Griffin, and Laughrey will provide leadership to their teams and within the communities they serve.

OTIS Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce that it recently promoted two of its staff members within the Teller department. Emma Blaisdell was promoted from Assistant Teller Supervisor to Teller Supervisor. Since Emma joined OTIS in 2022, she has taken every opportunity to learn and consistently contributes to a positive team atmosphere. She is known to go out of her way to help her fellow colleagues, always with a smile and welcoming demeanor. She brings enthusiasm with each role she undertakes, from volunteering in the community to helping members with their financial needs. Trent Keene was also recently promoted, moving from a Teller position to Assistant Teller Supervisor within his first two years at OTIS FCU. Trent makes a positive impact daily with his kind and considerate interactions with both members and peers. He is also known for having an outstanding work ethic.

Royal Credit Union (Royal) announces Paul Wilcox as Director of Mortgage Sales. In this position, Wilcox will be responsible for strategic oversight, efficiencies, and growth at Royal and Lake Area Mortgage-A Division of Royal Credit Union, ensuring all aspects of the mortgage origination process—from application to closing—are handled in a timely and efficient manner.

Appointments

Unitus Community Credit Union announces that Denetta Monk has been elected to its Board of Directors. Ms. Monk serves as the Associate Vice President of Programs for Urban League of Portland. With more than 15 years’ experience, Ms. Monk has a history of building a culture of equity and inclusion for students, families, employees, and community members.