Seven credit unions in five states appoint new CEOs

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Jeremiah Kossen will become chairman and CEO of the $1.3 billion federal Publix Employees credit union on March 14, the Lakeland, Florida-based credit union announced Monday.

He will succeed former chairman/CEO Robert Bregler, who recently retired, and Karen Boccaleri, who served as interim CEO. Boccaleri will resume his duties as COO, PEFCU said in a prepared statement.

Kossen has held several leadership positions in the credit union industry after starting as a problem case officer at NCUA. Most recently, Kossen served as President/CEO of the $637 million Town and Country Credit Union in Minot, ND Prior to that, he was COO of the $11.6 billion Lake Michigan Credit Union in Grand Rapids.

PEFCU’s 249 employees operate seven offices that serve more than 105,000 members, according to NCUA call reports.

The board of directors of the $1.2 billion ELGA credit union in Burton, Mich., has named Terry Katzur as president and CEO.

He succeeds former President and CEO Karen Church who retired at the end of February after 43 years of service.

Katzur started his career at ELGA in 1996 as a co-op student, becoming a full-time cashier before working in the accounting department and then becoming a branch manager, the credit union said in a prepared statement. He also served as vice president of loans and was named executive vice president in 2014.

ELGA’s 243 employees operate 15 offices that serve nearly 84,000 members, according to NCUA Call Reports.

Baltimore’s $603 million Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union has named Keith C. O’Neil Jr. as president and CEO.

He succeeds Michael Mesta.

O’Neil joins JHFCU from the $1.4 billion community credit union UVA in Charlottesville, Va., where he served as chief operating officer since 2016, JHFCU said in a prepared statement. He also previously worked as senior vice president of operations and technology at the $2 billion APGFCU in Edgewood, Maryland, and held senior IT positions at the FCU of the $4 billion tower in Laurel, Maryland, and the $1 billion FCU. Quorum FCU in Purchase, NY

JHFCU’s 90 employees operated four offices that serve more than 42,000 members, according to NCUA call reports.

Stephen Wallace will become president/CEO of the $575 million Maine State Credit Union in Augusta.

He will succeed current chairman and CEO Tucker Cole, who will retire on June 1, the credit union said in a prepared statement.

Prior to joining MSCU in 2017 as Vice President of Lending, Wallace worked as a consultant helping community banks and credit unions develop a customer-centric sales model.

He was promoted to senior vice president of retail in 2020 before becoming executive vice president last year. Wallace began his career in financial services at Fleet Bank and worked at Camden National Bank as Head of Retail Banking.

MSCU’s 96 employees operate three offices that serve more than 32,000 members, according to NCUA Call Reports.

Baltimore’s $519 million Securityplus Federal Credit Union has named Tricia Szurgot as president and CEO.

She succeeds Mike Keener Jr., the credit union’s chief information officer, who served as interim CEO since July 2021, according to a prepared statement.

Szurgot most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the $1 billion First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Her credit union experience also includes working as Director of Marketing and Business Development at the $266 million Riverfront Federal Credit Union in Wyomissing. , Pa., and director of marketing and retail for the $179 million Discovery Federal Credit Union, also based in Wyomissing, Szurgot’s LinkedIn profile says.

Securityplus FCU’s 81 employees operate eight offices serving more than 33,000 members, according to NCUA Call Reports.

The $419 million Tennessee Credit Union in Nashville has named Rafael Rondon as president and CEO.

He succeeds current president and CEO Michael Martin, who is retiring after nearly 40 years of service, the credit union said in a prepared statement.

Rafael joins TCU in early spring from the $163 million Xplore Federal Credit Union in Metairie, Louisiana, where he serves as president and CEO. He also served as vice president of sales and operations at the $1.1 billion Dade County Federal Credit Union in Sweetwater, Florida.

TCU’s 84 employees operate nine offices serving more than 24,000 members, according to NCUA call reports.

The $115 million Trademark Federal Credit Union in Augusta, Maine, has named Peter St. Onge as president/CEO.

He replaced former president and CEO Joann Bisson who became executive vice president of the $271 million Oxford Federal Credit Union in Mexico, Maine, in January, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Prior to joining Trademark FCU, St. Onge served as Director of Branch Experience at the $336 million Infinity Federal Credit Union in Westbrook, Maine. He also served as the credit union’s lender development manager, senior loan manager and director of loan operations, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Trademark’s 24 employees operate three offices serving more than 8,000 members, according to NCUA profile reports.