Credit unions in the East, Midwest and West were active inmaking new hires and promotions in the first month of year, whilethe trades and vendors elected new board members, honored a youthadvocate and hired new employees. Read more credit union careernews below.

EAST

Tamara Darvish joined the $18.5 billionPentagon Federal Credit Union in Alexandria, Va.,as its EVP of business development and government and communityaffairs. She was most recently employed as EVP of the DARCARSAutomotive Group. She also served as chair of the Washington AreaNew Auto Dealers Association and on the executive committee of theGreater Washington Board of Trade.

Nathan D. Saller was named SVP, strategydevelopment and member experience, for the $1.1 billionWorkers' Credit Union in Fitchburg, Mass. Hepreviously served as vice president of sales and marketing for the$408 million Bellwether Community Credit Union inManchester, N.H.

The $439 million Sunmark Federal Credit Unionin Latham, N.Y., announced recent employee promotions. ToniLeBron was promoted to vice president of memberrelations; Alissa Sykes was promoted to vicepresident of lending; Carole Wands was promoted tovice president of marketing, sales and technology, and Bryan Delehanty was promoted to SVP.

Jessica Revoir was promoted to assistant vicepresident of marketing at the $176 million First FinancialFederal Credit Union. She joined the Wall Township,N.J.-based cooperative in October 2008.

MIDWEST

The $164 million Prospera Credit Union inAppleton, Wis., hired Mike Sanders to serve as itsvice president of commercial lending. He holds more than 20 yearsof experience in commercial lending and 12 years of credit unionexperience.

Matt Daniels joined the $467 millionHeritage Federal Credit Union in Newburgh, Ind. Hepreviously served as vice president/CFO at the $465 millionNotre Dame Federal Credit Union in Notre Dame,Ind., for eight years and as director of accounting and finance atthe $3.2 billion Space Coast Credit Union inMelbourne, Fla., for two years. He also worked as vice president offinance and IT for four years at the $295 million INOVAFederal Credit Union in Elkhart, Ind.

The $144 million Astera Credit Union inLansing, Mich. announced that it promoted AustinAshley to the position of marketing manager. He joined theAstera team two years ago as a marketing assistant and was laterpromoted to digital media coordinator.

WEST

Carrie Foster was appointed CFO for the $691million Pacific Marine Credit Union in Oceanside,Calif. Foster, a CPA, previously served as vice presidentcontroller at Patriot Bank in Texas and holds 12 years ofexperience in financial services industry.

Ty Robbins joined the $1.2 billionOregon Community Credit Union in Eugene, Ore., asits vice president of technology. He has more than 20 years ofexperience in technology infrastructure design and implementation,agile development methodology and project management.

Jack Weldon was hired as vice president ofmarketing for the $7.3 billion First Technology FederalCredit Union in Mountain View, Calif. With more than 25years of experience, he most recently served as senior director ofglobal digital marketing and operations for Visa. Prior to that, healso held executive-level positions with global marketing agenciesand was a co-founder of a marketing consulting firm.

TRADES

Todd Lane, president/CEO of the $1.8 billionCalifornia Coast Credit Union in San Diego, waselected chair of the Richard Myles JohnsonFoundation, the state foundation for credit unions inCalifornia and Nevada. Beth Dooley, president/CEOthe $2.2 billion Educational Employees CreditUnion in Fresno, Calif., was elected vice chair, whileHank Barrett, president/CEO of the $525 millionValley First Credit Union in Modesto, Calif., waselected secretary/treasurer. New members to the board includeRob Greaff, president/CEO of the $32 millionDelta Schools Federal Credit Union in Antioch,Calif; Wally Murray, president/CEO of the $515million Greater Nevada Credit Union in CarsonCity, Nev.; Kevin Posey, president/ CEO of the $68million San Bernardino Schools Employees Federal Credit Union inSan Bernardino, Calif., and Brad Houle,president/CEO of the $132 million CAHP CreditUnion in Sacramento, Calif. Past board chair JimUpdike will remain on the board as member emeritus.

In addition, it was announced that Tena Lozanowas appointed the executive director of the Richard Myles JohnsonFoundation. She previously served as the foundation's executivedirector on a part-time basis while also serving on theCalifornia and Nevada Credit Union Leagues'staff. She holds more than 25 years' experience in the creditunion movement.

The Michigan Credit Union League honoredKelli Ellsworth Etchison, vice president ofcommunity and business development at the $573 millionLAFCU, with the 2014 Credit Union Youth Advocateof the Year award. This achievement recognizes a credit unionemployee for outstanding individual contributions that serveyouths, including promoting or teaching youth financial education,promoting cooperative youth financial resources andparticipating in community outreach efforts for youth development.Etchison's initiatives extended the reach and branding of LAFCU'sexisting financial literacy programs.

VENDORS

Michael Blank was named EVP for corporatedevelopment and strategic planning for the Sheeter GroupLLC in Windermere, Fla. He holds Series 6, 63 and 65FINRA (NASD) licenses and has extensive experience in working withcredit unions and banks.

Credit Union Student Choice, a Wash.-D.C.-basedCUSO, hired Eric Sanchez as its manager ofstrategic partnerships. He most recently worked at the $504 millionGenerations Community Federal Credit Union in SanAntonio and was also employed at Wells Fargo Bank and the U.S.Small Business Administration. Sanchez is based in San Antonio.