SOUTH
The $2.6 billion, Birmingham, Ala.-based America's First Credit Union (AmFirst) announced three promotions.
Paul Hoffman was promoted to vice president – strategic initiatives. In this newly-created position, Hoffman will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of AmFirst. With a strong background in auditing and risk management, he will help lead innovative initiatives that enhance services and support member needs. Hoffman joined AmFirst in 2016 and has served in multiple leadership roles, most recently vice president of audit services. He has also been involved for nearly a decade with the Institute of Internal Auditors Birmingham Chapter, where he served as chapter president during the 2022–2023 term.
John Vaughn was promoted to vice president – information technology. Vaughn has been with the credit union for more than 13 years, having begun his career at AmFirst as a network support specialist in 2013 and most recently serving as director of IT services. In his new role, he will focus on enhancing system security, operational efficiency and innovation across the organization.
David O'Dell was promoted to vice president – business intelligence. In his new role, O'Dell will continue spearheading efforts to harness analytics and insights that support informed decision-making across the organization. O'Dell's career at AmFirst spans more than 17 years, beginning as a teller in 2008 and progressing through numerous roles across branch operations and corporate leadership. He most recently served as director of business intelligence.
The $8.9 billion, Atlanta-based Delta Community Credit Union appointed Kiko Harvey to its Audit Committee, a supervisory committee of the Board of Directors responsible for overseeing risk management practices and internal controls to support the credit union's financial health and operational integrity. Harvey's appointment took effect Jan. 1, 2026, as succession for Brad Strothers, who retired after the committee met on Feb. 4, 2026. That meeting also marked Harvey's first as a committee member. In this new role, she will support the credit union's continued compliance with state and industry regulations that govern it as a state-chartered, not-for-profit financial cooperative. She brings more than 40 years of audit, risk management and leadership experience at national and global levels, currently serving as associate SVP of audit services at the University of Southern California, a role she has held for the past five years. Harvey also serves on the Board of Governors of the Gemological Institute of America and is chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. Her career includes top audit leadership roles at large corporations and organizations including Delta Air Lines and Starbucks. She also served as Inspector General of the United Nations World Food Programme. Harvey is a Certified Public Accountant and chartered global management accountant with a certification in risk management assurance. She holds a master's degree in accounting from the University of Southern California.
The $992 million, Hollywood, Fla.-based BrightStar Credit Union hired Stephanie Huddleston as COO. Huddleston brings more than 27 years of executive leadership experience across credit unions and community banks, including First Mountain Bank, Valley Bank and Trust, Premier Members Credit Union ($4 billion, Broomfield, Colo.) and UNIFY Financial Credit Union ($3.5 billion, Torrance, Calif.). Throughout her career, Huddleston has held senior leadership positions including EVP and COO, as well as EVP of lending and retail. In her new role, she will oversee key operational functions, focusing on aligning people, processes and technology to support scalable growth while maintaining regulatory discipline and a consistent, high-quality member experience. Huddleston holds an MBA in finance, graduating magna cum laude.
VENDORS
The Torrance, Calif.-based consumer finance company Happy Money announced two promotions.
John Triggas was promoted to chief capital officer. Triggas has deep capital markets experience from prior roles at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. In his new role, he will continue to lead Happy Money's institutional capital strategy, expanding these relationships while supporting balance sheet flexibility and focused growth. Over his more than six years at Happy Money, Triggas has been instrumental in deepening and diversifying the company's capital base, reinforcing investor confidence through the company's consistent credit performance and transparent governance.
Maria Mosolova was promoted to COO. Mosolova has extensive financial services and strategy expertise, shaped by her work at McKinsey & Company and institutional asset managers. In her new role, she will continue to oversee company-wide operations and strategy, ensuring execution discipline and strategic alignment as Happy Money expands originations, product offerings and capital structures. During her five years at the company, Mosolova has led strategic planning and operational execution, evaluating new growth opportunities, helping scale the personal loan business and leading operations teams.
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