MIDWEST

Suzette Robinette, member service manager at the $1.1 billion Hiway Federal Credit Union in St. Paul, Minn., was recently named to The International Customer Management Institute's second annual Customer Experience Movers and Shakers list. Robinette oversees the day-to-day operations of the credit union's contact center, which handles nearly a quarter of a million calls per year. Robinette was instrumental in the implementation of Hiway's expanded 24/7 call center service and the upgrading of its systems so the contact center can take overflow calls during normal business hours, thus reducing wait times.

Matt Hillestad

The $4.2 billion Veridian Credit Union in Waterloo, Iowa hired Matt Hillestad as regional manager in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. Hillestad, a resident of Omaha, Neb., recently served as the large branch manager at First National Bank of Omaha. He has 21 years of financial industry experience. Hillestad has a degree in business with a concentration in marketing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

SOUTH

Joshua Brown

The $2.8 billion Keesler Federal Credit Union in Biloxi, Miss., promoted Joshua Brown to vice president of retail operations. Brown will be responsible for the overall management of branch operations, the member contact center and community development activities. He will also provide leadership and guidance to retail directors and other management staff to provide quality service to the credit union membership. Brown is a veteran of the banking and finance sector and has been employed at Keesler for the past nine years.

Robert Gray

The $2.5 billion Truliant Federal Credit Union in Winston-Salem, N.C., named Robert Gray as its new commercial market executive serving business clients and leading the credit union's new Triad Commercial Lending Office in Greensboro, N.C. Gray will be responsible for growing and managing all business loan portfolios in the Triad region, which comprises the greater Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point, N.C., markets. Additionally, he will be instrumental in enhancing brand awareness for business lending and providing strategic direction to the Triad region's commercial lending team.

Carol Lucas

The $2.9 billion Keesler Federal Credit Union in Biloxi, Miss., promoted Carol Lucas to community development manager. In her new role, Lucas will be responsible for community development efforts across all Keesler Federal markets. Lucas has been employed at Keesler Federal for the past four years and previously served as community development officer, overseeing a five-county area. She has extensive experience in sales management, events and personnel training.

VENDORS

LenderClose hired two employees.

Jesse Scott

Jesse Scott was hired as a relationship manager. Scott most recently served as a senior relationship banker for Bank of the West in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he consistently exceeded deposit, lending and referral goals. Scott honed his customer service and sales skills as a teller line leader, creating new opportunities to help visitors to the bank reach their financial ambitions. Scott also has worked as a property manager, giving him a valuable perspective on the real estate industry.

Connor Sorge

Connor Sorge was hired as a sales representative. Sorge recently worked at Northwestern Mutual, where he served as financial representative. He has an excellent track record in financial services sales and client service. Sorge's athletic and academic accomplishments are many. In addition to four years on the dean's list, he is the recipient of the 2018 College Financial Representative of the Year honor and was named a 2018 Outstanding Leader from the Harmon College of Business at the University of Central Missouri, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration.

AGENCIES

The NCUA named Hallie Williams as confidential assistant to NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood. Williams began her duties on Aug. 26. Prior to joining the NCUA, Williams worked in several capacities, including executive assistant and scheduler to Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) in his Washington, D.C., office. While working for Sen. Corker, Williams was on the senator's leadership team. Williams has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee.

Please send your People news items to Tahira Hayes at [email protected].