Melissa Carpenter was promoted to vice president – director of home loan underwriting. She has 30 years of experience in home loan lending and started her STCU career in 2012.

Chris Knoll was promoted to vice president – director of retail. Knoll started his STCU career in 2023 as a district branch manager, after eight years in leadership positions for Umpqua Bank in Eastern Oregon and North Idaho, and previous management experience in other fields.

Matt Miller was promoted to vice president – director of commercial credit. Miller started his STCU career in 2014, bringing an additional 10 years of experience at Sterling Savings and Umpqua banks. He holds an MBA from Eastern Washington University.

Renee Taylor was promoted to vice president – director of brand marketing. She has 17 years of experience at STCU, most recently as brand marketing manager. Taylor has an MBA from Washington State University Global Campus.

EAST

The $1.9 billion, Dover, N.H.-based Lighthouse Credit Union appointed Adam Wendel as chief strategy officer and simultaneously launched a Transformation Office. In his new role, Wendel will lead Lighthouse’s Corporate Strategy & Insights function while spearheading the Transformation Office, which will serve as a catalyst for precise execution, enabling Lighthouse to balance its strategy with day-to-day operations through structured initiatives, enterprise change management and data-driven performance tracking. Wendel joined Lighthouse in January 2025, bringing over a decade of experience in shaping growth strategies across financial services including retail banking, wealth and insurance. He previously served as an associate partner at McKinsey & Company.

MIDWEST

The $364 million, Wentzville, Mo.-based Alltru Credit Union announced three board appointments. Board members were selected during the credit union’s annual meeting and serve three-year terms.

Dr. Robert (Bob) Cote was re-elected to the board. Cote has served on Alltru’s board since 2019, and is the program director and a teaching professor for the Bachelor of Arts Organizational Leadership Program at the University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL). He is also a certified leadership coach and certified manager with more than 25 years of experience across multiple industries in various management and leadership roles.

Christopher Wood was re-elected to the board. Wood has served on Alltru’s board and supervisory committee for 11 years and currently works for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as executive director of internal audit. He brings prior experience as a treasurer for several organizations and holds credentials as both a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner.

Phyllis Bruemer was newly elected to the board. Bruemer brings over 21 years of experience in the nonprofit health care sector. Since retiring from the health care system Ascension, she has been volunteering with the City of Lake St. Louis Tree Board and Ascension’s Medical Mission at Home program. She has a background in project management, research, analysis and budgeting.

The $7.6 billion, Columbus, Ohio-based Corporate One Credit Union announced four board and committee appointments.

The $1.1 billion, Lansing, Mich.-based LAFCU hired Laura Blanding as vice president of membership growth and development. In her new role, Blanding will lead strategic initiatives to expand LAFCU’s membership while ensuring an engaging and positive experience for members across all touchpoints. She will also identify opportunities for continuous improvement to enhance member satisfaction and loyalty. Blanding brings more than 32 years of credit union experience, having most recently served as SVP of business development at a Lansing-based credit union. Prior to that, she was SVP of lending at another credit union in Lansing. She also held positions at two other area credit unions including vice president of lending, commercial loan officer, indirect lending manager and senior loan officer. She serves on the board of the Capital Area Housing Partnership, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening local communities by promoting affordable housing, financial stability and homeownership opportunities in mid-Michigan.

The $8.3 billion, Peoria, Ill.-based CEFCU recognized Mary Ewell Turner, record center manager, for reaching the career milestone of 50 years of service with the credit union on May 7. Turner now holds the record for the longest tenure in CEFCU’s history. Turner joined CEFCU in 1975 as a high school co-op. She began her career in the member centers, working in a variety of roles including teller, loan interviewer and cashier, and preparing loan documents by hand. Over the years, she has held several positions, such as corporate cashier and project management facilitator, and was eventually selected as a management development program participant. She has served as the corporate research manager, and in her current role as record center manager, she oversees the management of CEFCU’s records and documentation processes. Turner holds an MBA from Bradley University in Peoria.

SOUTH

The board of directors for the $5.1 billion, Winston Salem, N.C.-based Truliant Federal Credit Union elected Gregory T. Johnson chairman for the 2025-26 term. Johnson has been on the Truliant board since 2016, most recently as vice chairman. He replaces James (Jimmy) T. Flythe, Jr., who joined the board in 2011 and has been its chairman since 2019. Flythe will remain on the board. Johnson is the founder and managing director of Orbital Socket, a marketing and branding consultancy in Charlotte, N.C., which he established more than a decade ago. Before that, he was president for Boone Oakley, an advertising agency in Charlotte, and marketing director at Jordan Brand, a division of Nike. He is also president of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media Foundation board and a member of the journalism school’s board of advisors. Additionally, he is a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, volunteered as the director of the Charlotte Collegiate Institute for six years, and was inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame in 2013. He holds a master’s degree in theology from Western Seminary in Portland, Ore.

The $5.7 billion, Raleigh, N.C.-based Coastal Credit Union hired Anita Marshall as branch manager of its location at 1080 N. Winstead Ave. in Rocky Mount, N.C. In her new role, she will be responsible for delivering exceptional member service, relationship management and community involvement. She will lead the branch team toward achieving the credit union’s goals around membership, loan and deposit growth. Marshall brings 20 years of financial services experience, including several roles in branch management, sales and market leadership. She was most recently a financial sales manager for a large regional bank and has past credit union experience at State Employees Credit Union of Maryland ($5.5 billion, Linthicum). 

LEAGUES

TRADES

Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].