Russell Rosendal
Russell Rosendal, president/CEO for the $1.1 billion Salal Credit Union, will retire at the end of 2025 following 17 years with the credit union, including the last 13 years as CEO, the Seattle-based credit union announced Thursday.
A nationwide search, led by the Salal Board of Directors with oversight from its Succession Committee and in partnership with executive search firm Smith and Wilkinson, is currently underway for the credit union’s next president/CEO. According to the announcement, both internal and external candidates will be considered and a successor is expected to be named by fall 2025.
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During his tenure as CEO of Salal, Rosendal’s notable achievements have included pioneering banking services for the legal cannabis industry; expanding home improvement and solar lending programs nationwide; overseeing the purchase and renovation of Salal’s new headquarters; developing an organization-wide Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategic plan; and launching the credit union’s 5% Promise community impact program, which has returned more than $1.5 million to the communities Salal serves. The credit union’s assets also grew by nearly $1 billion with Rosendal at the helm.
“Russ has been an extraordinary leader and a tireless advocate for our members, our employees and the communities we serve,” Salal Board Chair Brian Luong said. “His strategic vision and deep commitment to innovation have helped shape Salal into the organization it is today. While we will miss his leadership, we are excited to build on the strong foundation he has created.”
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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.
