McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Chuck Smith as the Chief Lending Officer at Valley Strong Credit Union. Chuck will be charged with overseeing a 72-person team and driving Valley Strong’s overall consumer lending philosophy, overseeing all consumer lending channels: Consumer + Real Estate, Card Services, and the Collections Department.
Chuck brings more than 30 years of consumer lending experience, including serving as the Chief Lending Officer for $3.4 billion Houston-based Texas Dow Employees Credit Union prior to joining Valley Strong Credit Union. Earlier in his career, he spent 17 years with San Antonio Federal Credit Union where he led consumer lending. Chuck earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Houston, and he is a graduate of the Consumer Bankers Association/University of Virginia School of Retail Bank Management.
Valley Strong is the largest member-owned financial institution headquartered in Kern County, with more than 150,000 members and $1.7 billion in assets. The Credit Union provides a full range of financial solutions for consumers and small businesses through 10 branches across the Greater Kern County region and the Central Valley, and over 30,000 co-op ATMs nationwide.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull President Brandon Biegenzahn, Vice President Michelle Davis, and Senior Executive Recruiter Courtney Dorrel.