SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is making some big moves on the leadership chessboard.
The credit union just announced a series of promotions and new executive roles—think of it as their way of leveling up the team to tackle whatever comes next.
Leading the charge are two major promotions: Carol Rose is stepping into the chief operating officer role after climbing the ranks from executive vice president of Member Service Operations. She’s got her hands full now, overseeing everything from branches and the Member Contact Center to fraud management, wealth management, and community development. Not bad for someone who started with the credit union back in 2003.
Meanwhile, Jim Phillips is officially taking the title of chief information officer. He’s been running the technology show as an executive vice president, and now he’ll keep steering the ship on tech strategy, infrastructure, and cybersecurity—basically making sure the digital side of things doesn’t fall apart.
Fresh Faces in the C-Suite
But wait, there’s more. SchoolsFirst FCU isn’t just shuffling existing roles—they’re creating new ones to match their ambitions. Here’s the rundown:
Andrea Blais moved up from senior vice president of Real Estate Lending to executive vice president of Lending. She’s now the boss of both Consumer Lending and Real Estate Lending operations.
John Conine landed the role of executive vice president of Member Experience and Transformation. He’s tackling digital transformation head-on, which makes sense considering he’s been with the credit union since 1991. That’s some serious institutional knowledge right there.
Amy Hsu is now executive vice president of Marketing and Payments. She joined back in 2014 and has been making waves in the Payments and Fraud departments. Now she’s expanding her territory to include strategic marketing.
Jessica Jamison stepped up to executive vice president of People and Culture. She’ll keep her focus on belonging and culture while adding HR, talent acquisition, analytics, and learning development to her plate. Like Rose, she’s been part of the SchoolsFirst family since 2003.
Why All the Changes?
“For more than 90 years, SchoolsFirst FCU has evolved to meet the changing needs of our Members while staying true to our purpose,” said Bill Cheney, the credit union’s CEO. Translation? They’re not just rearranging deck chairs—they’re building a stronger deck.
Cheney emphasized that these changes aren’t just about titles. “These leadership changes position us to strengthen how we serve our Members and prepare for future growth,” he explained. The goal is pretty straightforward: keep delivering what they call “World-Class Personal Service” to school employees and their families while gearing up for whatever the future throws their way.
With nearly a century under their belt, SchoolsFirst FCU clearly knows a thing or two about adaptation. These promotions signal they’re not planning to rest on their laurels anytime soon.