2025 CU Times Luminaries Finalists: Innovation in Tech – CTO/CIO of the Year

Bryce Mortensen – AERO Financial

Under the visionary leadership of Bryce Mortensen, AERO Financial has redefined what is possible for a lean IT department by championing the strategic development of custom artificial intelligence. Mortensen and his staff have moved beyond standard tools, building proprietary AI solutions that are deeply integrated into the credit union’s core operations and culture. One of their key achievements was developing an award-winning payment notification system in-house. Furthermore, Mortensen guided his team in creating a custom AI agent that allows staff to query the core database using plain English. By empowering his team to innovate, Mortensen has delivered extraordinary, quantifiable results that position AERO Financial at the vanguard of the industry.

Dale Watkins – MAX Credit Union

CIO Dale Watkins utilizes technological advancements to drive the institution’s success and improve the member experience. Drawing from over 19 years of credit union experience, Watkins has built his career on innovation – finding solutions through programming, streamlining operational processes and creating new products. He is known for integrating modern technologies to develop and expand digital features, ensuring that MAX can offer a convenient and secure suite of services. His philosophy centers on using technology purposefully, with a clear emphasis on enriching the lives of credit union members.

Shree Reddy – PenFed Credit Union

CIO Shree Reddy empowers the organization with a digital-first mindset, fostering innovation that has driven PenFed to revolutionize its digital landscape. A cornerstone of this technology transformation at PenFed has been the design and implementation of the unified omnichannel banking platform – a vision and strategy set forth by Reddy. He has a unique blend of business and technology experience and is a role model for PenFed’s culture. His intimate knowledge of PenFed has allowed for a seamless transition, as he leads PenFed through the next phase of transformation.

John Mason – Digital Federal Credit Union

Over the past year, CTO John Mason led the creation and successful launch of DocVisionAI, an AI-driven platform that has revolutionized DCU’s auto loan processing. But Mason’s vision extended beyond automation – he ensured that DocVisionAI was built with scalable architecture, capable of being integrated into other systems across the credit union. This flexibility not only improves operational efficiency but also frees up more than 72,000 staff hours annually for strategic and member-focused work. His leadership showcases how thoughtful, future-focused technology investments can significantly enhance service delivery, staff engagement, member satisfaction and the credit union’s long-term innovation capabilities across departments.

Anurag Sharma – VyStar Credit Union

With a strategic focus on cloud modernization, DevOps automation and infrastructure scalability, CTO Anurag Sharma has led VyStar through a comprehensive technology evolution that enhances both member experience and operational efficiency. Sharma’s leadership style is rooted in servant leadership and the 3P philosophy: Passion, Purpose and People. His initiatives have improved system availability, reduced costs and accelerated development cycles, positioning VyStar as a forward-thinking financial institution.

Dawn Brummett – ORNL Federal Credit Union

While many in Dawn Brummett’s position come from a purely technical background, her remarkable professional journey includes three decades in member-facing and back-office support roles. From part-time teller to CIO, she has advanced through nearly every area of the credit union, giving her a deep understanding of how technology directly impacts employees and members. Brummett approaches technology as an ecosystem designed to empower employees and enhance member experience. She has reimagined what innovation truly means – aligning immediate needs with long-term vision, integrating systems into a connected ecosystem and keeping people at the heart of every solution.

Garth Pricer – Members 1st Credit Union

CIO Garth Pricer has spent the past year driving some of the most forward-thinking changes at Members 1st by helping reshape how the organization uses technology to serve its members and support associates. Pricer led the successful launch of two large-scale platforms that helped modernize digital banking experiences for members and improve how internal work is managed at the credit union. One of his most significant accomplishments was leading an aggressive, data-driven approach to preventing fraud for members. He also transitioned Members 1st’s infrastructure from a traditional data center to a cloud-first environment and implemented a framework to evaluate the credit union’s use of artificial intelligence responsibly and transparently. What makes Pricer stand out is the way he transforms challenges into thoughtful, lasting solutions that protect members, improve operations and keep Members 1st moving forward.