West

Columbia Credit Union, Vancouver, Wash., announced the hiring of Jeff Taylor as vice president of business services and of Ken Imse as vice president of credit risk. Taylor will focus on growing and managing business loan and deposit relationships for the credit union and assist with commercial lending operations. He most recently served as a vice president and commercial banking officer at a local financial institution, where he was a top producing commercial lender. Imse will use his 25 years of commercial lending experience to oversee all risk management areas of the credit union, including commercial underwriting, loan operations and collections. His responsibilities will include developing policies, procedures and risk modeling for all business lending lines; managing critical projects; and ensuring the development and adherence to the credit union's internal control policies.

Global Credit Union, Spokane, Wash., recently announced the promotion of Marketing Manager Abby Koder to vice president of marketing and strategy. Koder is a 14-year employee of the credit union and has a BA in government/pre-law from Eastern Washington University and an MBA from Whitworth University.

The Golden 1 Credit Union, Sacramento, Calif., hired Charles Goss as its new senior vice president and chief lending officer. Goss has nearly 25 years of experience in consumer, residential real estate and commercial services lending. He was previously the vice president of lending with a highly respected Texas-based credit union and a leader in auto financing.

Mountain America Credit Union, Salt Lake City, has appointed Suzanne Oliver to oversee its governmental affairs. Oliver will be responsible for communicating the credit union's needs and interests to officials at all levels of government and educating credit union employees about legislative impacts. She has been with Mountain America for 20 years.

Redwood Credit Union, Santa Rosa, Calif., has named Bobbi Beehler as executive director of their CUSO, RCU Services Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of RCU. In her new role, Beehler will oversee all aspects of RCUSG, which offers consumer and business insurance through RCU Insurance Services and auto locating and purchasing through RCU Auto Services. She has more than 23 years of experience in finance, business consulting and business development.

Midwest

Educational Community Credit Union, Kalamazoo, Mich., announced the recent promotion of September Kirvan to mortgage loan supervisor. Kirvan's new responsibilities include directing the operations relating to the credit union's mortgage loan activities and personnel. She has worked for ECCU since 2008 and was promoted from mortgage loan officer and financial service representative at the credit union's main office.

Financial Center, Indianapolis, announced Debby Blake as the credit union's new vice president of retail operations. Blake received her Bachelor of Science degree in management at Indiana University. She joined Financial Center as the electronic services manager in 2009, and brings with her more than 10 years of experience in leadership and project management within the financial services industry.

Veridian Credit Union, Waterloo, Iowa, announced that Joshua I. Helgesen has been hired to the position of legal counsel. A native of Centerville, Utah, Helgesen graduated with a law degree from Drake University Law School and earned an English degree from the University of Utah. He was previously employed as a compliance analyst by PolicyWorks.

South

Local Government Federal Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C., announced the election of Maurice Smith to the CUNA board of directors. His three-year term as District 3, Class C director begins on Feb. 28, 2011. A 31-year veteran of the credit union movement, Smith started his career at State Employees' Credit Union in 1979. He joined LGFCU in 1992 as the executive vice president, and was promoted to president in 1999.

Pioneer West Virginia FCU, Charleston, W.Va., announced the hiring of Dan McGowan as its senior vice president/chief financial officer. McGowan came to Pioneer from Envision Credit Union in Tallahassee, Fla. He has won numerous awards, including Credit Union Times' own CFO of the Year award in 2009.

Vendors

CUNA Lending Council, Madison, Wis., announced new executive committee members and officers. Aaron Bresko, vice president of lending at Boeing Employees' CU, Tukwila, Wash., is the new council chair. Bill Vogeney, senior vice president/chief lending officer at Ent FCU, Colorado Springs, Colo., was re-elected to the committee and named vice chair. Jennifer Cowles, vice president of real estate lending at American Eagle CU, East Hartford, Conn., is a new member, as is Dale Frankhouse, director of business services and mortgage lending at Sun FCU, Maumee, Ohio.