COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Chatfield dynasty is alive and well with two of its members winning recent promotions. Danielle Chatfield, vice president of lending at the $290 million KEMBA Financial CU since 2004, has been promoted to chief operating officer and her brother, Mark, left the Texas Credit Union League in February to become vice president of sales for CUNA Mutual Group. He is based in Dallas. "Yes, credit unions remain very much part of the family," said Danielle whose dad, David L. Chatfield, retired in April as president/CEO of the California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues. In addition to her KEMBA duties, Danielle is also chair of CUNA's Hispanic Resource Center Advisory Group and, most recently, joined Filene Research Institute's i3 group. After a time spent with the Ohio Credit Union League working in its call center, she joined KEMBA in October 2004, and was appointed to the lending job. Meanwhile, Mark started work with CUNA Mutual Feb. 13. He previously was chief business officer, in charge of managing profit-making enterprises for a Texas CU League unit. Mark said his devotion to CUs matches Danielle's and during his years in the industry "I can't recall when I did not get a paycheck bearing the credit union name." Danielle recalls that she too "grew up with credit unions and that my parents opened my first credit union account when I was five years old." She said she spent the next decade "being influenced by my father's credit union work as he moved from CUNA Mutual field representative, to credit union senior management, to the NCUA Board, to the Filene Research Institute, and then to president of a league. "That history has to rub off somewhere," she said. "I began my first job as a teller at a small credit union on the campus of a residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities and physical handicaps. We served both the employees and the residents, and that was my first experience with how very unique the credit union purpose and credit union members can be." Mark said for him "it's always been an opportunity to learn just how great credit union people can be." The family, which also includes two other siblings, is planning to get together this summer. Dave Chatfield is building a fishing cabin on the Kenai River in Alaska. His retirement plans include wintering in Kona, Hawaii. "I know for one month he's going to be traveling in that motor home," said Mark. -

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