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MIDWEST
Sumeet Grover The $13.9 billion, Chicago-based Alliant Credit Union hired Sumeet Grover as chief digital and marketing officer. Grover joins Alliant from Citibank and has extensive experience in marketing, digital, analytics, client experience and operation. In his new role, he will oversee enterprise-wide digital and marketing strategies, digital product management, digital innovation and transformation, relationship expansion, marketing, acquisitions, brand, public relations, communications, banking operations, contact center, digital care and member services.
Mark Volz The $3.6 billion Corporate Central Credit Union in Muskego, Wis., promoted Mark Volz to relationship development manager. Volz began his career at Corporate Central in April 2018 as a relationship development officer. He will continue to proactively assess the financial climate and needs of member and future member credit unions, and will recommend Corporate Central financial products/services accordingly. In this new position, Volz will also take on the role of credit union development and education officer, helping all employees gain greater insight into the history of the credit union movement and Corporate Central's role within the movement. Prior to joining Corporate Central, Volz had seven years of experience in the banking industry, including two years as a full-service credit union business lending manager. He serves as president of the Cream City Chapter of Credit Unions and is a former advisory committee member of the Wisconsin Credit Union League's Young Professional group. In November 2018, he became a CUDE through the National Credit Union Foundation. He is currently in year two of Filene's i3 innovation program and is part of the CUES Emerge program.
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EAST
Nicole Fortier The $305.6 million Alltrust Credit Union in Fairhaven, Mass., hired Nicole Fortier as SVP, retail administration. Fortier has over 23 years of experience of retail banking. Her most recent role was with Dean Bank in Franklin, Mass. She is also the president of the Franklin Downtown Partnership, which works to create a positive impact throughout the area by working with the town, business owners, property owners and other groups to stimulate economic development.
SOUTH
David Feldhaus The $3.3 billion, Tullahoma, Tenn.-based Ascend Federal Credit Union promoted David Feldhaus to CFO. Feldhaus, who previously served as vice president of internal audit, succeeds Sandra Gregory, who is retiring after 25 years with the credit union. A licensed certified public accountant, Feldhaus has more than 12 years of accounting experience. Before joining Ascend, he was senior assurance associate at KraftCPAs in Nashville and senior accountant at Edmondson Betzler & Dame in Brentwood, Tenn. Feldhaus earned master's degrees in finance and accounting from Middle Tennessee State University.
Ashley Beach-Reid The $22.3 million, Cayce, S.C.-based 1st Cooperative Federal Credit Union hired Ashley Beach-Reid as COO, effective June 1. She succeeded Jo Ann Burnside, who retired on June 4 following a nearly 20-year career with 1st Cooperative and 39 years in the credit union industry. Beach-Reid comes to 1st Cooperative from the $4.6 billion State Employees Credit Union of Maryland in Linthicum, where she worked for almost 14 years in loan servicing, loan accounting and most recently as the senior manager for lending operations. In her new role, she will lead the daily operations of 1st Cooperative.
Allegacy Federal Credit Union ($1.9 billion, Winston-Salem, N.C.) announced three promotions within its executive management team.
Brian Vannoy Brian Vannoy was promoted to EVP/chief credit and risk officer. Vannoy joined Allegacy and its executive management team in 2015 with over 20 years of lending and credit administration experience in both retail and commercial services. He is responsible for mortgage, commercial business services, corporate real estate, security, enterprise risk management, account management, retail lending, and legal and compliance. He is also leading Allegacy's focus on small business banking and lending needs for members, and is serving as executive sponsor for the credit union's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Vannoy earned the Credit Risk Certification from the Risk Management Association. He is currently a board member for the Northwest North Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Winston-Salem State University Foundation where he also serves on the University Endowment Committee, the Greensboro Chamber and the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership.
Ashley Kohlrus Ashley Kohlrus was promoted to EVP/chief operations and digital officer. Kohlrus has been with Allegacy for over 17 years and an executive team member for almost 11 years. She has leadership responsibility for retail banking, digital banking, contact center operations, private banking, business development, financial education, strategic planning, community development and marketing. Kohlrus is leading Allegacy's focus on digital enhancements and the digital banking experience for members. She has earned certifications as a Certified Innovation Executive, Certified Chief Executive, SHRM-SCP and SPHR. She currently serves on the local boards of the YMCA of NWNC, Trellis Supportive Care and WellQ, along with being co-chair for the 2021 and 2022 Winterlark fundraiser benefiting the Cancer Patient Support Program at Wake Forest Baptist Health's Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem. She also serves on the boards for PSCU's Advisors Plus Steering Council and CUES's Carolinas Council.
Annette Knight Annette Knight was promoted to EVP/chief experience officer. Knight joined Allegacy in 2013 and has been part of the executive management team since 2014. She currently leads key areas of the credit union that include technology, human resources, learning and performance, and two newly formed departments: Analytics and data innovation, and service and support. She earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and is a Society of Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional. She served as chair of the board of directors for the Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Foundation in Winston-Salem from 2019-2020 and most recently, board of directors chair for Allegacy Benefit Solutions.
TRADES
John Janclaes John Janclaes was named a board member for NACUSO. Janclaes has led strategic growth initiatives for financial services organizations for more than 30 years, dedicating much of his career to the credit union movement. He previously served as president/CEO for Partners Federal Credit Union ($2.3 billion, Burbank, Calif.) and on the board of directors for CO-OP Financial Services. He was named president of Nymbus CUSO in 2021 and is on the current board of the CUSO AKUVO.
CUNA announced three promotions in its products and services division, which includes credit union learning programs and news publishing channels.
Michelle Willits Michelle Willits was promoted to publisher for CUNA publications, most notably Credit Union Magazine. Willits will lead strategy for the team and oversee print and digital content, podcast episodes and the newsletter for credit union boards. In her previous role as deputy editor, she oversaw circulation, marketing and operations for CUNA publications, which she will continue to do in her new role. Willits has been with CUNA for 18 years and prior to that was a journalist for local newspapers in Colorado, Illinois, Montana and Nevada.
Willie Benjamin Willie Benjamin was promoted to vice president of meetings and event experiences. In his new role, Benjamin will oversee the strategic management and planning of 70 educational programs as well as CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference. During his tenure as director of meetings and exhibits, he certified his entire team of event managers in virtual event production to best meet the needs of CUNA members amid the global pandemic. Prior to joining CUNA, Benjamin was the director of meetings and education for the International Reading Association, now known as the International Literacy Association.
Jennifer Plager Jennifer Plager was promoted to managing editor for CUNA publications. Plager will serve as the project manager for specialty campaigns, develop and deliver CUNA publications content through integration within Solutions, and continue to produce news products with an emphasis on the board audience. In her previous role as senior editor, she developed and delivered content for Credit Union Magazine, the CUNA News Podcast, Credit Union Directors Newsletter and CUNA News.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
