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WEST

Faye Nabhani

Faye Nabhani, president/CEO for the $4.4 billion, Folsom, Calif.-based SAFE Credit Union, was appointed vice chair of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) Board of Directors. Nabhani has served on the GSEC board since 2023. GSEC is a dynamic public-private partnership of over 55 chief executives and 22 communities with a mission to create growth, prosperity and equity in the Greater Sacramento region.

EAST

Cassandra Compton

The $4.7 billion, Laurel, Md.-based Tower Federal Credit Union hired Cassandra Compton as SVP and chief experience officer. She brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the banking, mortgage and financial services industry, having most recently served as first vice president, head of private and institutional banking at Carver Federal Savings Bank. In her new role, Compton oversees all aspects of Tower’s member experience, including the member services division, e-commerce, digital channels and branch locations, as well as Tower Wealth Management, Tower’s in-house financial planning and investment group. She is a Leadership Howard County graduate.

The $183 million, Freehold, N.J.-based First Financial Federal Credit Union announced one promotion and one new hire.

Julie Brandt-Olivier

Julie Brandt-Olivier was promoted to director of lending. Brandt-Olivier has over a decade of experience in lending expertise and leadership, and has been with First Financial since 2014. She joined the credit union as a financial service consultant at the Toms River, N.J., branch. Just eight months later, she transitioned into the lending department as an assistant processor and junior underwriter. She was later promoted to supervisor and manager roles. In her new role, she will remain hands-on in many aspects of First Financial’s loan operations. She will continue to underwrite consumer and real estate loans, manage mortgage and escrow functions, and work closely with frontline staff to support day-to-day operations while maintaining workflow efficiency.

Josephine DeSucre

Josephine DeSucre was hired as vice president of member experience. DeSucre brings 24 years of experience in the credit union and financial services industry, along with a strong background in operations, compliance and member service. She most recently served as COO at E&G Employees Federal Credit Union ($55.6 million, Hartsdale, N.Y.). In her new role, she will lead key organizational processes across all areas of the credit union and ensure high standards of service, operational efficiency and a strong member experience. She will also play a hands-on role in identifying and implementing improvements that support sales growth, enhance risk management and drive profitability, while staying deeply connected to the needs of members and staff.

MIDWEST

Andy Dunn

The $802 million, Cincinnati, Ohio-based Cinfed Credit Union hired Andy Dunn as chief experience officer. In his new role, Dunn will oversee branch operations, consumer lending, marketing, member development and the contact center for the credit union. He will also be responsible for strategies that create positive and engaging experiences for members by addressing their needs and preferences, ultimately improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. Dunn brings 18 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 16 years of direct experience working for credit unions. His past executive positions included SVP of mortgage services, chief experience officer and chief administrative officer. He is a graduate of the CUES CEO Institute, and was a nominee and national finalist for the CUES Next Top Credit Union Executive program. Dunn is also a Certified Wealth Strategist and holds multiple insurance licenses including property, casualty and life.

Frank Piechorowski

The $5.4 billion, Eau Claire, Wis.-based Royal Credit Union hired Frank Piechorowski as software engineering manager. In his new role, Piechorowski is responsible for building and maintaining a high performing team of software developers. He will oversee the improvement of existing software as well as assist in the development of future systems that will benefit both Royal team members and members. Piechorowski brings over 25 years of technology leadership experience across a variety of industries, including logistics, hospitality and retail. He holds a Certified Scrum Master certification, along with certifications in AI literacy and prompt engineering.

SOUTH

The $14 billion, San Antonio, Texas-based Security Service Federal Credit Union promoted Aaron Leek to EVP, COO. Leek joined the credit union in 2008 and most recently served as SVP, chief retail officer. In that role, he was responsible for operations throughout the 70-branch network in three states, as well as payment services, account services, the member contact center and investment services. He holds a Certified Executive Manager certification through the CUES Advanced Management Program in partnership with Cornell University.

Aaron Leek

Leah Jenkins, vice president – talent development for the $1.3 billion, Baton Rouge, La.-based Neighbors Federal Credit Union, was honored with the SCMS Distinguished Professional of the Year Award upon graduating as a member of the Class of 2025 from Southwest Credit Union Management School (SCMS), held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. This award is presented to a graduating professional over the age of 40 who demonstrates exceptional leadership, active participation in the credit union movement and impactful application of SCMS principles. Jenkins was selected for her outstanding record of mentorship, class engagement and strategic contributions to the credit union industry. She has provided service and leadership in the financial services industry for the past 19 years.

Leah Jenkins

The $2.9 billion, Tampa, Fla.-based GTE Financial promoted Laurie Newman to assistant vice president of general accounting. Newman has been with GTE Financial for 18 years, joining in 2007 as an accounting supervisor. She quickly rose through the ranks, serving as accounting manager and, most recently, senior accounting manager beginning in 2021. In her new role, Newman will continue to oversee the account reconciliation and accounts payable teams, with responsibilities spanning A/P functions, daily settlements, general ledger accounts, monthly accruals, payroll entries and daily cash management. 

Laurie Newman

CUSOS

Kyle Kabara

QuantyPhi, a wholly-owned CUSO of the $2.9 billion, Muskego, Wis.-based Corporate Central Credit Union that specializes in credit union balance sheet optimization, hired Kyle Kabara as director of ALM and investments, effective July 28. Kabara brings more than 17 years of banking and investment experience, along with deep expertise in fixed income trading, asset liability management and portfolio strategy. He spent a decade at Bankers’ Bank, where he supported financial institutions nationwide from the trading desk, specializing in fixed income investments. He then worked with the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Administration, contributing to the issuance of state bonds. Most recently, Kabara served as vice president at First Citizens State Bank, where he oversaw the bank’s bond portfolio, asset liability management strategy and liquidity position. In his new role, he will support credit unions with asset liability management, investment portfolio construction and liquidity planning, continuing QuantyPhi’s mission of delivering tailored solutions that support sound financial management.

VENDORS

The Portland, Ore.-based digital banking provider Tyfone hired Eric Fisher as SVP of sales. Fisher brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services and digital banking. In his new role, he will lead a team responsible for working with prospective customers to evaluate Tyfone’s digital banking solutions and make it easy for them to join the Tyfone family of customers.

Eric Fisher

First Community Trust, N.A. (FCT), a Dubuque, Iowa-based nationally-chartered trust company offering trust, investment and retirement services primarily through credit unions, hired Ryan Bryte as SVP, institutional. Bryte brings more than two decades of experience in the financial services industry, having most recently served as a senior investment consultant at a nationally-recognized retirement services firm. His prior experience also includes a leadership role at a regional financial institution where he oversaw wealth management business development. In his new role, Bryte will lead the continued growth of FCT’s institutional division, with an emphasis on 401(k) retirement plan strategy, fiduciary oversight, benchmarking fees and deepening client engagement. Bryte earned his MBA from Clarke University in Dubuque.

Ryan Bryte

The Atlanta-based digital banking solutions provider Candescent hired Satheesh Ravala as chief technology officer. Ravala brings more than two decades of experience building enterprise-scale platforms and leading global technology teams across fintech and SaaS. In his new role, he will accelerate Candescent’s unified platform strategy, advancing AI-driven digital banking, marketplace integrations and always-on reliability to help banks and credit unions deepen engagement and grow faster. Ravala will work closely with Chief Product Officer Gareth Gaston to fulfill Candescent’s commitment to delivering the best digital banking solutions in the market with a future-ready, extensible platform. Ravala most recently served as chief technology officer at Diligent. He previously held senior leadership roles at Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Mortgage Technology and Ellie Mae, spearheading the Encompass Lending Platform. He was recognized on July 25 as an awardee of the AI100 Awards, a recognition honoring individuals and organizations that have significantly advanced the fields of analytics and AI within enterprises.

Satheesh Ravala

Please send your People news items to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com.

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