Sound Credit Union just made a power move that would make any finance geek sit up and take notice.
The Washington-based credit union has brought Matthew Figueroa on board as their new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial & Risk Officer—a title that’s basically the financial equivalent of “person who makes sure we don’t accidentally sail the ship into an iceberg.”
Figueroa isn’t exactly fresh off the boat. He’s bringing nearly 14 years of hard-won experience from the credit union and financial services trenches, which in finance years is like dog years—each one counts for way more than you’d think.
What He’s Bringing to the Table
Think of Figueroa as a Swiss Army knife for financial strategy. His skill set covers the full spectrum: financial planning, budgeting, treasury management, investments, and balance sheet optimization (that’s finance-speak for “making sure the numbers work out in our favor”). Sound is banking on his strategic vision to keep them growing and maintain their reputation as one of Washington state’s financial heavyweights.
Where He’s Coming From
Before joining Sound, Figueroa was calling the shots at Golden 1 Credit Union in Sacramento as Vice President, Treasurer & Investment Officer. And when we say “calling the shots,” we mean it—he was overseeing everything from treasury and investments to derivatives, capital markets, and balance sheet strategy for a $22 billion institution. That’s not pocket change.
He also served as the go-to strategic advisor for Golden 1’s executive team, which means people with “Chief” in their titles were regularly asking for his input on the big decisions.
What the Boss Says
“We are thrilled to welcome Matthew to Sound,” said Don Clark, President and CEO of Sound Credit Union. “His depth of financial expertise, strategic leadership and commitment to member-focused growth will be a tremendous asset to our organization. Matthew will play a critical role in maintaining our financial strength and helping us make sound decisions that support our long-term success.”
See what he did there with “sound decisions”? Nice.
The Credentials
Figueroa earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Riverside, and holds Series 7 and Series 63 licenses—the regulatory tickets you need to play in the big leagues of financial services. Combined with his track record of credit union leadership and laser focus on member needs, he’s positioned to give Sound’s financial strategy some serious muscle.
In short: Sound Credit Union just leveled up their finance game, and members should sleep a little easier knowing someone with this kind of experience is helping chart the course forward.