Ryan Reffitt joined the $412 million Educational Community Credit Union in Kalamazoo, Mich., as a commercial loan officer. He brings 10 years of commercial lending experience to ECCU. In his new role, Reffitt will work with area businesses for their commercial lending needs, including real estate, equipment and SBA loans as well as credit lines. He also will be responsible for developing new and existing business relationships and increasing product awareness to members.

West

The $2.3 billion Redwood Credit Union in Santa Rosa, Calif., promoted Cynthia Negri to EVP and COO and Ron Felder to EVP and chief lending officer. Negri, a 17-year employee and RCU's previous chief lending officer, now oversees all operational functions for the 237,000-member institution, including branch operations, wealth management, marketing and communications, member experience, member service center, project management and remote delivery. Felder, who joined RCU as SVP of retail lending in 2013, now leads both retail and business lending. He brings 24 years of financial services management experience, most recently as chief credit officer at the $4.1 billion Patelco Credit Union in Pleasanton, Calif. The new executive appointments took effect following the retirement of RCU's previous chief operations officer Anne Benjamin. She served in that position since 2004 as part of a 35-year career in the credit union industry.

Kirk Kordeleski, president/CEO of the $5.6 billion Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Bethpage, N.Y., was appointed to the board of directors of the Ancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based CO-OP Financial Services by a unanimous vote of the 10 other directors. He fills the position formerly held by Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, who retired earlier this summer from the CO-OP board. Kordeleski's term will expire in 2015, at which time he may stand for election for a first three-year term.

The $5.5 billion Alaska USA Federal Credit Union in Anchorage promoted Wayne Bailey to chief lending officer. He joined Alaska USA 20 years ago as a financial analyst and rose through the ranks, holding the positions of vice president of financial planning and analysis, SVP of financial planning and analysis and chief risk.

Trades

Mary Turczyn is Michigan Credit Union League & Affiliates' new league representative for the Downriver, Metro West and Battle Creek chapters, replacing Angela Hall, who moved to another position at the league. Turczyn has been an education and training consultant for CU Solutions Group for the last 14 months. In addition, she has 24 years of credit union experience in human resources, marketing and business development.

Credit union industry leaders and volunteers will be honored at this year's California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues' Annual Meeting and Convention in October.

Vernon Elliot, retired credit union leader whose career spanned more than three decades at seven cooperatives, will receive the Leo H. Shapiro Lifetime Achievement Award, the league's highest honor. Eric Bruen, president/CEO of the $24.9 million Desert Valleys Federal Credit Union in Ridgecrest, Calif., and Joe Schroeder, president/CEO of the $675 million Ventura County Credit Union, in Ventura, Calif., will receive the Distinguished Service Award; Herb Long, board member of the $2.1 billion SAFE Credit Union in North Highlands, Calif., and Grant Mickins of the $910 million San Francisco Federal Credit Union, will be honored with the J. Alvin George Outstanding Volunteer Award; Jason Mertz of the $26.6 million McKesson Employees Federal Credit Union in San Francisco, will be recognized with the Tomorrow's Star Award, and Shon Wellborn, president/CEO of the $66.8 million Community Credit Union of Southern Humboldt in Garberville, Calif., and CU*Northwest in Liberty Lake, Wash., as a CUSO, will both receive the Kim Bannan Eternal Flame Award.

Two Washington credit unions, the $67.7 million Lower Valley Credit Union in Sunnyside, and the $188 million Industrial Credit Union of Whatcom County in Bellingham, were awarded grants by the U.S. Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institution Fund, according to the Northwest Credit Union Association. Lower Valley received a grant of $1.65 million and Industrial received a $1.99 million grant. Industrial will use the grant to invest in the growth of the agriculture sector in their region, while Lower Valley will use the grant money to leverage its lending and investment programs in its surrounding, low-income, predominantly Hispanic communities, the NWCUA reported.