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CU Direct’s Board welcomes new directors
CUSO’s Board of Directors Appoints BECU’s Benson Porter and Redwood Credit Union’s Brett Martinez
ONTARIO, CANADA (October 15, 2014) — ¾CU Direct, (www.cudirect.com), leading provider of lending technology and automotive solutions, today announced the appointment of two new directors to its board of directors.
Benson Porter, president and CEO of Seattle, Washington-based BECU ($12.7 billion in assets and over 875,000, members), and Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Santa Rosa, California-based Redwood Credit Union ($2.4 billion in assets and over 230,000 members), have been appointed by CU Direct’s board of directors as directors.
Porter has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry, and became the president and CEO of BECU in May 2012. Martinez has more than 25 years’ experience in the credit union industry, serving as Redwood Credit Union’s president and CEO since 2004.
“It’s a privilege to be serving on CU Direct’s board,” noted Porter. “CU Direct provides a critical industry-owned point-of-sale lending channel along with deep auto industry expertise to credit unions.” “I’m honored to be serving on CU Direct’s board of directors,” said Martinez. “I look forward to working with the board and management of CU Direct to continue to develop best-in-class lending technology solutions for credit unions.”
“Benson and Brett bring great industry experience and expertise to the board, leading two of the most successful credit union lending programs in the country,” noted Tony Boutelle, president & CEO of CU Direct. “We’re very fortunate to have Benson and Brett serving on CU Direct’s board, and I look forward to working with them.”
Also serving on CU Direct’s Board of Directors are: chairman, John Lund, CEO of America First Credit Union; vice chairman, Jeff March, CEO, Citadel Federal Credit Union; secretary and treasurer, Nader Moghaddam, president & CEO, Financial Partners Credit Union; Sterling Nielsen, president and CEO, Mountain America Credit Union; Donna Bland, president and CEO,
Golden 1 Credit Union; Keith Sultemeier, president & CEO of Kinecta Federal Credit Union; Jim Laffoon, president of Security Service Federal Credit Union; Chuck Purvis, president and CEO of Coastal Federal Credit Union, associate director; and Joe Brancucci, president and CEO of GTE Financial, ex-officio member of the board.
CU Direct provides a wide range of lending solutions and services to more than 1,000 credit unions and their 45 million members nationwide. CU Direct credit unions collectively have experienced 28% auto loan growth thus far in 2014. As a result, CU Direct partner credit unions, as an aggregate, are the third largest auto lender in the nation in 2014.
About CU Direct Corporation
Established in 1994, CU Direct Corporation has helped the credit union industry fund over $155 billion in loans by being the nation’s leading lending and automotive solutions provider for credit unions. Representing more than 1,070 credit unions, CU Direct specializes in solutions that help credit unions generate loans, manage risk and provide value to members. CU Direct Corp. offers a diverse, extensive library of products and services designed to help credit unions advance their lending programs and achieve overall portfolio success. For more information about CU Direct Corporation visit www.cudirect.com.