April continues to be a busy month for credit unions throughoutthe nations for new hires and executive promotions, as well as newboard members for cooperatives in the East and Midwest.

EAST

The $82 million Inspire Federal Credit Union inBristol, Pa. appointed Karen Walter as senior vicepresident and chief operating officer and LouHyjurick as director of information technology. Walterjoined the credit union with more than 18 years of experience andpreviously served as executive vice president at First NationalBank, director of sales at Susquehanna Patriot Bank, and regionalsales manager at Sovereign Bank. Hyjurick holds more than 28years of experience in the information technology field. Beforejoining Inspire, he was the service manager of LexiconInternational, specializing in IT consulting and data protection.He also served in a leadership role at Bell Atlantic for 18years.

Heidi Wrights was appointed communitymanager for the State College Financial Center inState College, Pa., the $4.2 billion Pennsylvania StateEmployees Credit Union in Harrisburg said. She beganher career with PSECU as an intern in the cooperative's educationcenter while pursuing her Associate's Degree in business andmarketing. She completed completing her Bachelor's and Master'sdegrees in management and organizational leadership at EasternUniversity.

The board of directors at the $1 billion GreylockFederal Credit Union in Pittsfield, Mass. announced theelection of Gerard Burke as chair; AnnDeely as vice chair; Stanley Walczyk assecretary/financial officer and JamieEllenMoncecchi, as assistant secretary. JohnLaw is the newest member elected to the credit union'sboard of directors. He replaced outgoing director FredShogry who retired after serving 19 years of service onthe board.

MIDWEST

Gene Novello was namedsenior vice president and chief lending officer that the$2.6 billion Teachers Credit Union in South Bend, Ind. Hejoined the credit union seven years ago and previously served aspresident of TCU Insurance Agency. Novello has worked in thefinancial services industry for more than 30 years.

The $850 million Credit Union ONE in Ferndale,Mich. announced that NickolasNickolopoulos joined the cooperative's board ofdirectors. Nickolopoulos was board chair of the St. Joseph MercyHospital Pontiac Federal Credit Union, which merged with CreditUnion ONE. He is the director of nursing for medical/surgical andcritical care at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Oakland.

Judd McNally was appointedchief lending officer for the $465 million Notre DameFederal Credit Union in Notre Dame, Ind. Herexperience includes 11 years of commercial banking and financialinstitution experience. The credit union also appointed ShaneWagoner as a branch manager who holds 16 years of experience in theretail banking industry.

The $2.6 billion Veridian Credit Union in Waterloo,Iowa hired Anthony Stefancik as aPC Specialist. He previously served as IT Technician at TerexCranes.

Paul Hensel joinedthe $1.4 billion Indiana Members Credit Union inIndianapolis as a loan officer and relationship manager. He brings22 years of experience in consumer and business lending to thecooperative.

SOUTH

Judy Tharp, president/CEO of the $301 million PiedmontAdvantage Credit Union in Winston-Salem, N.C., wasappointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of the Richmond's CommunityDepository Institutions Advisory Council. The Advisory Counciladvises the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's leaders and Board ofGovernors about the state of local economies, banking conditionsand other issues. With 36 years of experience, Tharp has served aspresident/CEO of Piedmont Advantage CU since 2006.

WEST

Robert D. Ramirez, president/CEO of the$1.4 billion Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, Ariz.,was named professional of the year by the Mountain WestCredit Union Association. The award recognizes industryexecutives who have demonstrated productive service to their creditunion, its association and its subsidiaries, credit unionchapters, CUNA and other organizations. Ramirez began his career atVantage West CU in 1985. Under his leadership, the cooperativeexpanded its original membership at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base toinclude consumers in four counties. The credit union serves morethan 132,000 members.

Shannon Watkins wasnamed consumer-lending manager for the $158 million AventaCredit Union in Colorado Springs, Colo. With more than 20years of experience in the financial services industry, shepreviously worked for UMB Bank as a client relationship manager.She served for five years at the $950 million Meritrust CreditUnion in Wichita, Kan., as a branch manager and director of marketdevelopment.

The $552 million Solarity Credit Union hiredRegan Brown as its human resources manager.

Prior to joining the Yakima, Wash.-based cooperative, Brownworked for more than two years at Allan Brothers as an assistanthuman resources manager. She also served in various roles in humanresources at Tree Top for five years.

David Flood was promotedto vice president of lending at the $2 billion SpokaneTeachers Credit Union in Liberty Lake, Wash. He served asthe credit union's director of consumer lending for three years.Flood joined the credit union as a loan and member service officerin 2000.

VENDORS

SWBC Lending Solutions in San Antonio announcedit hired Kristine Kline as an accountexecutive.

Kline brings more than 23 years of experience to SWBC. Prior tojoining the company, she served as vice president of marketing forCUSO Mortgage Center LC. Kline also worked for Norwest Mortgage asa sales manager.