Credit: Nuthawut/Adobe Stock
WEST
The $2.3 billion, Bremerton, Wash.-based Kitsap Credit Union hired Jason Pendergist as SVP of credit and lending. Pendergist brings over 25 years of experience in financial services, having most recently served as chief lending officer and head of marketing at the $6.5 billion, Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Kinecta Federal Credit Union. His previous leadership roles have included positions at JPMorgan Chase, Banc of California, Luther Burbank Savings and Security Service Federal Credit Union ($14 billion, San Antonio, Texas). In his new role, Pendergist will oversee all aspects of credit and lending at Kitsap, including consumer, real estate and commercial lending. His leadership will be pivotal in advancing the credit union’s strategic initiatives, enhancing the member experience and expanding lending capabilities across the region. Pendergist holds an MBA in finance from the University of Colorado and previously served on advisory boards for fintechs including Zest AI and Enable.
EAST
The $3.3 billion, Pawtucket, R.I.-based Coastal1 Credit Union announced two promotions and one new hire.
Recommended For You
Jeff Kolarik was promoted to EVP/chief information officer. In his new role, he has overall responsibility for information services at the credit union, including technology, information security, business intelligence, digital banking and Coastal1’s Enterprise Project Management Office. Kolarik has been in the operations and technology field for over 40 years and most recently served as SVP/chief information officer for Coastal1.
Dawn Pinto was hired as vice president/contact center. In her new role, she is responsible for guiding the strategic direction, performance and efficiency of call center operations, including the monitoring of metrics in regard to member experience expectations. Pinto brings nearly 30 years of experience in the banking industry, having most recently served as vice president/contact center development at Santander Bank.
Noemia Monteiro was promoted to assistant vice president/assistant controller. In her new role, she is responsible for the daily operations of the credit union’s accounting department, including general ledger, accounts payable and financial reporting. She has been with the credit union since 2015, most recently serving as assistant controller.
The $3.9 billion, Smithfield, R.I.-based Navigant Credit Union announced two new hires.
David Hart was hired as first vice president, director of accounting. Hart is a Certified Public Accountant and brings more than 20 years of experience across the insurance, audit and corporate finance sectors. He has held senior roles at Amica Mutual Insurance, Acadia Insurance and KPMG, where he led teams responsible for complex financial reporting, forecasting and operational efficiency. In his new role, Hart will provide strategic leadership for the accounting department, overseeing financial reporting and ensuring compliance with all regulatory standards. Hart earned his master’s degree in accountancy at the Keller School of Management in Chicago.
Michael Solomon was hired as a first vice president in the credit union’s commercial lending division. Solomon brings more than 30 years of experience in New England’s banking industry and has held several leadership roles in commercial banking. Most recently, he served as regional president for New England commercial lending at Customers Bank. In his new role, Solomon will oversee Navigant’s commercial lending portfolio, including loan underwriting, business development, and the execution of strategies to grow commercial loans and deposits. Solomon currently serves on the Boards of the Rhode Island Bankers Association and Aurora Civic Association, as well as on the Advisory Council for Roger Williams University Gabelli School of Business. He earned an MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Rhode Island.
SOUTH
The $2.8 billion, Jacksonville, Fla.-based Community First Credit Union of Florida hired Amanda Whitson as chief lending officer. Whitson brings over 20 years of experience in lending and retail operations, having most recently served as SVP of lending at the $2.3 billion, Duluth, Ga.-based Georgia United Credit Union. She was a recipient of the 2022 CUNA Excellence in Lending Award and earned an MBA from Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tenn.
CUSOS
The Portland, Ore.-based business services CUSO CU Business Group (CUBG) announced that Julie Engen, SVP of credit administration, will retire after a decade of service to CUBG. She will officially retire at the end of June 2025, closing out a 41-year career in commercial banking.
Engen joined CUBG in 2015 as vice president/business loan officer. In 2021, she was promoted to SVP of credit administration. As the leader of the credit administration department, she guided the underwriting and management of loans, providing invaluable counsel to CUBG credit union clients on loan structure, pricing and portfolio management.
Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more inforrmation visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
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.
