Several Credit Unions Announce New Hires; GoWest Announces 2025 Award Winners

Several credit unions, including Loyalty Credit Union and Reliant Credit Union, announced new additions to their teams, and GoWest Credit Union Association announced the recipients of the 2025 GoWest Awards.

New Hires:

• Rachel Rathman has been announced as the vice president of lending for Loyalty Credit Union. Rathman is responsible for oversight of the mortgage and consumer lending departments ensuring the quality and efficiency of the loan origination and servicing processes.
• Reliant Credit Union is pleased to announce the hiring of Maggie Lunger as Mortgage Lending Manager.  Ms. Lunger, who has over 20 years of experience in the credit union industry, most recently served as a Regional Leader at Thrive Mortgage. In her new position, Ms. Lunger will be responsible for leadership of the mortgage department, including achieving defined mortgage production and secondary market sales goals.  She will also be charged with overseeing mortgage-related systems and product development, mortgage regulatory compliance, and training and personnel development.
• Royal Credit Union (Royal) has named Ryan Haasl as Vice President of Information Technology. In this role, Haasl is responsible for leading Royal’s technology teams in aligning systems with the credit union’s business objectives while championing innovative solutions that enhance Member experience, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen data security. 
• Valley First is proud to welcome Mike Oliver as Vice President of Consumer Lending and Member Solutions. In this role, Oliver will oversee the credit union’s consumer lending and member solutions areas, supporting Valley First’s mission to provide exceptional service and innovative financial solutions for its members. He will report directly to the Chief Lending Officer.

Recognitions:

• After a record-breaking number of nominations and a competitive review, GoWest Credit Union Association is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 GoWest Awards.
  • Community Impact Award – Colorado Credit Union (Colorado) 
  • Cooperation in Action Award – Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (Washington)
  • Employee Experience – Rogue Credit Union (Oregon)
  • Member Program – Gesa Credit Union (Washington)
  • Distinguished Director of the Year – Dan Stanton, Trona Valley Federal Credit Union (Wyoming)
  • Young Professional of the Year – Rafael Saucedo, BECU (Washington)
  • Summit Advocate – Brian Rohrbacher, Grand Altitude Federal Credit Union (Wyoming)
  • Summit Icon – Charlotte Nemec, Canopy Credit Union (Washington)
• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) honored five organizations and individuals whose leadership, innovation, and impact are advancing community development finance and expanding economic opportunity nationwide. Additionally, OFN awarded its annual Vanguard Award to two organizations in the Baltimore/D.C. area for their work in housing.
  • Industry Awards 
    • LiftFund, based in San Antonio, TX, was awarded the Outstanding CDFI Award, which recognizes a CDFI that has gone above and beyond within the last 18 months in serving their communities and driving the CDFI industry forward.
    • Northwest Access Fund, based in Shoreline, WA, received the Emerging Growth CDFI Award, which honors a small or emerging CDFI that has demonstrated exceptional growth and service to their community over the last three years.
    • Joe Neri, CEO of IFF, based in Chicago, IL, received the Executive Leadership Award, which celebrates an outstanding executive leader within a CDFI who has demonstrated exceptional vision, perseverance, and leadership in driving capital in low-income communities. 
    • The Adina Abramowitz Impact Award for Organizational Growth and Change was awarded to Latino Community Credit Union, based in High Point, NC. This award honors a CDFI that embodies the transformational growth and change principles championed by Adina, while also honoring her extraordinary legacy of building the capacity of CDFIs for over 30 years.
    • Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Financial Services (ATNI-EDC), based in Portland, OR, received the inauguralNative CDFI Leadership Award. This award recognizes a Native CDFI demonstrating strong leadership in advancing economic opportunity in Native communities.
  • Additionally, OFN presented the Vanguard Award, which is presented each year to an organization based in the conference location whose mission is consistent with OFN’s core purpose of aligning capital with opportunity. In 2025, OFN honored two organizations with an award: The Stop Oppressive Seizures Fund, which prevents home loss and resident displacement in Baltimore, and Homes for Hope, Inc., a Washington, D.C. nonprofit that aims to provide permanent housing and support to people as they transition from homelessness to independence.

Promotions:

• Municipal Credit Union (MCU) announced the promotion of Tracy Helm to Senior Vice President of Operations and Digital Services. The promotion recognizes Helm’s outstanding contributions to the organization and her steadfast focus on both strengthening performance organization-wide and enhancing value for members. 

Appointments:

• Nearly 100 leaders representing member credit unions from Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island convened for the Cooperative Credit Union Association’s (CCUA) Annual Business Meeting.
  • The following board members were elected to serve on the CCUA Board of Directors:
    • Delaware Board Seat: Blanche Jackson, Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union
    • Rhode Island Board Seat: Fred Reinhardt, Greenwood Credit Union
    • At-Large Small Asset Size Board Seat: Thomas Hankard, Beverly Municipal Federal Credit Union
    • To fill the Rhode Island Board Seat vacated by the retirement of Stephen White of Westerly Community Credit Union, the Board appointed Kathleen Orovitz of Navigant Credit Union.
  • The 2025-2026 slate of CCUA board officers was also elected:
    • Chair: Maurice Dawkins, American Spirit Federal Credit Union
    • Vice Chair: David Araujo, Service Credit Union
    • 2^nd Vice Chair: Anabela Grenier, Pioneer Valley Federal Credit Union
    • Treasurer: Eileen Migliozzi, St. Anne’s Credit Union
    • Secretary: Kathleen Orovitz, Navigant Credit Union
• Royal Credit Union (Royal) is proud to announce that its EVP- Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel, Grant Beardsley, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Credit Union Review Board (CURB) by Governor Tony Evers. CURB advises the Office of Credit Unions, reviews its decisions, conducts hearings, and helps guide policy and rulemaking that impact credit unions across the state. In doing so, it plays an important role in ensuring the strength and integrity of Wisconsin’s credit union system.