Two credit unions, including People’s Credit Union, announced new additions to their teams, and the Georgia Credit Union Association honored its 2025 Advocate of the Year.
New Hires:
- Lake Trust Credit Union (Lake Trust) announced the appointment of Drew Jones as Government Affairs Manager. With nearly 15 years of distinguished service in the Michigan Legislature, Jones brings deep institutional knowledge and a proven track record of bipartisan coalition-building to the Lake Trust team. In this strategic role, Jones will lead advocacy efforts in Lansing and Washington, D.C., working to advance policies that strengthen the credit union movement and support financial wellbeing for members across Michigan.
- People’s Credit Union announced the appointment of Eric Schifrine as Head of Finance and Risk, succeeding Patricia Carlin, who announced her retirement this past December. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Schifrine will oversee the Finance, Risk, and Financial Recovery departments. He will provide strategic and operational leadership for the credit union’s financial performance, balance sheet management, and enterprise risk oversight, while partnering with the leadership team to shape the organization’s overall strategic direction.
Recognitions:
- The Georgia Credit Union Association, a subsidiary of The League of Credit Unions, recognized Blake Graham, President and CEO of APCU | Center Parc Credit Union, as the 2025 Advocate of the Year during the Georgia Advocacy Summit, honoring his outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing the credit union movement.
Promotions:
- Western Credit Union Management School (WCMS) is proud to announce an exciting and historic leadership transition. As the premier leadership institution for the credit union movement in the Western United States, the school is entering a new era. Dr. Michael Steinberger has assumed the role of President and Dean, and the WCMS Board of Trustees has named new leadership to guide the school’s future. The new administration is already engaged in formulating the curriculum for the school’s 66th session in July 2026.
- Western Credit Union Management School (WCMS) has appointed Matt Stephenson (2008 graduate) as Associate Dean of Projects. Stephenson, the President and CEO of Rogue Credit Union in Medford, OR, will work with Dr. Steinberger to oversee the school’s between-term Project I and Project II. These intensive student research projects support student development by ensuring students apply their classroom learning back into their own strategic planning at their credit unions.
- Royal Credit Union (Royal) has announced Ana Birtzer as Director of Commercial Loan and Deposit Operations. In this role, Birtzer will be responsible for leading the Business Operations Department, overseeing business lending processing, loan servicing, and enterprise-wide business services to ensure efficient, compliant operations. She will also provide strategic direction and system oversight to support organizational goals, maintain regulatory compliance, and ensure secure, effective management of business loan platforms.
Appointments:
- Effective January 1, 2026, Western Credit Union Management School (WCMS) is pleased to announce new leadership for its Board of Trustees. Bill Cheney, Chief Executive Officer for Schools First Federal Credit Union, will serve as the new WCMS Board Chair. “The Board is confident that our new administrative team is well positioned to carry forward our school’s unique mission,” Cheney said. “WCMS is a catalyst for leadership in our industry, and we are proud to support the next generations of leaders who will define the future of credit unions.” Eric Petracca, President and CEO of iQ Credit Union, is the new WCMS Vice Chair.