A couple of credit unions, including Sun East Federal Credit Union, announced new hires to their leadership teams, and an investment analyst from Corporate Central Credit Union earned the prestigious CCUIP designation.

New Hires

• Sun East Federal Credit Union has selected Chelsey Fu to serve as its new Vice President, Marketing and Growth Strategy. The selection follows an extensive nationwide search facilitated by DDJ Myers, the well-known executive search and leadership development firm. “I am excited to welcome Chelsey Fu to Sun East,” says Debbie Cook, CCE, President of Sun East FCU. “Chelsey is a talented executive with a wealth of marketing expertise who will ensure Sun East achieves its strategic goals. Her dedication to helping members reach their financial dreams is one of her key strengths and her innovative approach and leadership will be invaluable as Sun East continues to grow and expand the impact we make in the communities we serve.”

• Nook is thrilled to announce the appointment of Kirk Drake as its newest Strategic Advisor. With decades of experience in financial technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, Kirk brings a wealth of knowledge to help Nook continue its rapid growth and expansion. In this advisory role, Drake will partner with Nook’s leadership team to harness emerging technologies and craft innovative strategies that help credit unions deepen member relationships and thrive in an evolving financial landscape. With 25 years of experience in digital transformation and technology integration for credit unions, Drake is uniquely qualified to help Nook expand its Niche Experience Platform and enhance its service offerings.

• Labor Credit Union is pleased to announce the appointment of Desiree Hackett as its new Vice President of Lending. With over a decade of experience in the credit union and automobile finance industries, Desiree brings a proven track record of driving growth and innovation in lending.

Recognitions

• Corporate Central is proud to announce that Michael Baumann, MBA, CCUIP, Investment Analyst, recently completed the Investment Certification School through America’s Credit Unions in Chicago and earned the Certified Credit Union Investments Professional (CCUIP) designation. This achievement reflects Baumann’s dedication to advancing his expertise in investment strategies that benefit Corporate Central’s member credit unions. The CCUIP designation equips professionals with advanced knowledge in areas such as portfolio management, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance, ensuring participants can provide sound financial guidance within the unique framework of the credit union industry.

Promotions

• Plinqit is pleased to announce the promotion of Tammy Wilson to Senior Vice President of Product Management. In her new role, Wilson will continue to lead the strategic development and expansion of Plinqit's offerings, furthering the company's mission to provide financial institutions with deposit generation tools that support their customers’ financial wellbeing.

Appointments

• Quantalytix announced that its Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Co-founder, Will Bryant, was elected to the Board for the Association for Financial Technology (AFT), a national association devoted to the advancement of fintech companies and the U.S. financial industry through technology. The volunteer board of directors, which is made up of peer-elected industry executives, elected Bryant to the position during the group's annual Fall Summit in Palm Springs, Calif. In addition to Bryant, Jacob Bouer, director of sales and strategic partnerships for Array, and Lee Farabaugh, president of Monarch, were also elected to AFT’s Board of Trustees during the Fall Summit.