Credit Union Leaders Receive Awards: People

As credit unions prepared for a quickly approaching 2015, they made new hires and promoted from within. Several were also honored with awards, board appointments and other achievements.

EAST

The $638 million Webster First Federal Credit Union in Worcester, Mass., said Executive Vice President/CFO Paul Richard will retire on Dec. 31 after 23 years of service. Kim Tonkin, vice president of finance on Jan. 1, 2015, will replace him. She joined WFFCU in 1983. In addition, the credit union said Kerri Murray, John Thomasian, and Kevin Williamson were each appointed to assistant vice president of finance positions earlier this month.

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James Harper was appointed chief financial officer at the $367 million Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union in Rocky Hill, Conn. He previously worked at the $689 million Sikorsky Financial Credit Union in Stratford and served as its chief financial officer since 2004. Lisa Asadourian was promoted to senior vice president, chief engagement officer. She has worked at Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union for more 15 years. Jeff Levesque was named senior vice president, chief operations officer. He holds more than 25 years of industry experience. Tracie Rodriguez was appointed vice president of human resources, training & development. She joined Nutmeg in 2011 from the $587 million Dade County Federal Credit Union in Doral, Fla.

The $5.7 billion Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Bethpage, N.Y. appointed Douglas Kloos as its mortgage sales manager and the appointments of Daniel Johnson and Ronald Henry as mortgage loan officers. Kloos most recently served as northeast regional manager for Allied Capital in Pennsylvania and held a similar role with Home Savings of America in Little Falls, Minn. Johnson was previously a home mortgage consultant for E Capital Mortgage in West Babylon, N.Y. as well as for Citibank in Queens, N.Y. Henry most recently worked for Citibank as a home lending officer in Brooklyn, N.Y., and held the same role for Amerifund in New York City.

MIDWEST

Mark Spenny, president/CEO of the $4.9 billion Citizens Equity Federal Credit Union in Peoria, Ill., was presented with the Phil Greer Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20^th Annual CUNA Lending Council Conference held last month in San Diego. The award recognizes individuals who exemplify the leadership, passion and commitment Phil Greer brought to the CU lending industry. In accepting the award, Spenny said the honor was particularly gratifying because of his relationship with Phil, noting that he was a key contributor in the development of the lending council.

SOUTH

The $1.6 billion GTE Financial Credit Union in Tampa, Fla., named Debra Plourde as vice president of member home loan programs. She holds more than 32 years of mortgage, consumer lending and banking experience. Prior to joining GTE Financial, Plourde was the vice president of real estate lending and consumer lending for the $1.3 billion American Eagle Federal Credit Union in East Hartford, Conn.

WEST

Steven Devan, president/CEO of the $94 million Grossmont Schools Federal Credit Union in El Cajon, Calif., was appointed to the board of directors of the $2.3 billion, Plano, Texas-based Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union. Devan will fill the unexpired term of Bill Before, who stepped down from the post earlier this month as a result of his impending retirement from $1.9 billion Spokane Teachers Credit Union in Liberty Lake, Wash. Devan began serving on Catalyst Corporate's supervisory committee in 2012.

TRADES

NAFCU promoted Alicia Nealon to director of regulatory affairs from the position of regulatory affairs counsel. She joined NAFCU in December 2013 as regulatory compliance counsel and in February 2014, she was named regulatory affairs counsel. Prior to joining NAFCU, Nealon worked in the Office of General Counsel at NCUA.

Steve Haubner was appointed assistant general counsel at the Illinois Credit Union League in Naperville. Prior to joining the Illinois league, Haubner was an assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division of the Illinois Attorney General's office. He also served as associate attorney for James B. Carroll and Associates and served as assistant state's attorney in the criminal division of Lake County.

CUES honored Howard Williams, former director of the $1.1 billion Fort Knox Federal Credit Union in Radcliff, Ky., with the 2014 Distinguished Director award at the organization's conference held last week in Palm Desert, Calif. During his tenure, the credit union's assets increased ten-fold to more than $1 billion, according to CUES. Williams also was a key contributor to revamping the cooperative's governance model.

The Michigan Credit Union League announced several outstanding credit union advocates as part of its annual awards celebration. Award winners included: Credit Union Professional of the Year: Gary Easterling, president/CEO of the$1.7 billion United Federal Credit Union in St. Joseph;Distinguished Service Award: Drema Isaac, president/CEO of the $172 millionCentral Macomb Community Credit Union in Clinton Township; Credit Union Youth Advocate of the Year: Kelli Ellsworth-Etchison, vice president of community and business development at the$574 million LAFCU in Lansing; Outstanding Credit Union, asset category $400 million plus: $1.5 billion Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union in Clinton Township; Outstanding Credit Union, asset category up to $50 million: the $42 million Limestone Credit Union in Manistique; Credit Union Young Professional of the year: Meagan Peasley, Central Macomb Community Credit Union; Innovation Award: the $585 million Honor Credit Union in St. Joseph, and Chapter Effectiveness Award: Oakland County Chapter of Credit Unions.