HOPE CREDIT UNION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
Alan Branson is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Community Credit Union (HOPE), overseeing all HOPE fiscal, IT, data analytics and project management activities. Prior to joining HOPE in 1994, he worked as a commercial banker at Signet Bank, serving small and medium-sized businesses; a consultant to the micro-lending program at the North Carolina Rural Center; a research associate at Harvard Business School; and a developer of extended-stay hotel properties.
Alan earned a B.A. from Oral Roberts University, an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Jackson State University. He has also completed the Southeastern School of Advanced Commercial Lending and additional coursework from the Commercial Finance Association. Mr. Branson serves on the Rural Advisory Committee for LISC, the NMTC Community Advisory Board for Primary Care Development Corporation CDE, the NMTC Community Advisory Board for Mid-Cities CDE, and the Credit Committee for Appalachian Capital Corporation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Deposit Services
As Senior Vice President of Deposit Services, Barbara Jones provides leadership and oversight of the proper settlement of all banking transactions for Hope Federal Credit Union, including general ledger reconciliations, return items, ACH, electronic funds transfer, online banking, bill pay, and mobile banking, as well as subpoena handling and Individual Retirement Accounts. She also manages audit and examination response, departmental budget preparation and problem resolution associated with member accounts. Previous positions held at HOPE include Vice President, Retail Operations Manager and Corporate Teller. In her role as Vice President, Barbara played an integral role on numerous mergers, systems conversions and new product implementation.
With over 30 years of banking experience, prior to joining HOPE, Barbara led Deposit Operations at Colonial Bank in Birmingham, AL, where she was recognized as supervisor of the year. She also managed deposit services at Regions and Union Planters Bank in Memphis, TN and held customer service positions at Sunburst and the Mississippi Bank. Active in the community, Barbara volunteers at Mother Love's Daycare Center, Stew Pot and the Eldercare Home. She is a product of Jackson State University where she studied Business Administration.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President of Information Technology
Bob Carlson is Senior Vice President of Information Technology at HOPE. Bob is responsible for managing all operational aspects of HOPE's Information Technology and Systems and strategic and operational planning in his current role.
Bob joined HOPE in 2007 as Senior Systems Administrator. In 2009, he was promoted to Vice President of Information Technology. During his tenure, Bob successfully led HOPE through numerous credit union systems mergers and the expansion to more than thirty locations across five states.
Bob has more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology. Before his time at HOPE, Bob worked for Hood Packaging Corporation as a Computer Programmer/Systems Analyst. Bob earned a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Millsaps College.
Bob serves on the Parent Advisory board of his children's school, is involved in the Boy Scouts of America, and is a foster parent.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Executive Vice President, Chief Program Officer
Cassandra guides the direction, growth, and continuous improvement of HOPE's Commercial Lending and Community & Economic Development activities. Since joining HOPE in 1999 as a commercial lender in the Mississippi Delta, Cassandra has served as a senior manager in the retail department and most recently as Senior Vice President of Community and Economic Development, where she provided leadership for HOPE's community facilities, health care, and New Markets Tax Credit lending.
She holds a BA and MBA degrees from Delta State University. She has served as an advisor or director for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Memphis CDFI Network, and Blues City Cultural Center.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Community and Economic Development
Based in Arkansas, Charity Hallman is HOPE's new Senior Vice President of Community & Economic Development. In this role, she leads the organization's education lending across a five-state region, including the management of a $20 million U.S. Department of Education Public Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement program, as well as HOPE's commercial lending and community and economic development efforts across the state of Arkansas. Charity has over 15 years of leadership experience in private, public, and non-profit organizations focused on strategic growth, financial management, public policy, advocacy, and human resources, is a 2022 LISC Rubinger Fellow, and serves on the board of the Lower Mississippi River Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Compliance
Crystal Woodard-Smith is HOPE's Senior Vice President of Compliance. In this role, she is responsible for managing a comprehensive compliance program, while overseeing all aspects of the Bank Secrecy Act and Regulatory Compliance.
Woodard-Smith joined HOPE in March 2003 as a Member Services Representative (MSR) and has served in a variety of roles, including Senior MSR, Retail Accounts Manager, Assistant Branch Manager, and Retail Operations Manager. She was promoted to Compliance Officer in September 2010.
Woodard-Smith is a certified Credit Union Compliance Expert (CUCE), Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist (BSACS), and NAFCU Certified Bank Secrecy Officer (NCBSO). She is a 1998 graduate of Tougaloo College and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
Job Titles:
- New Senior Vice President, Commercial Credit Officer
- Senior Vice President, Commercial Credit Officer
Danielle J. Ware is HOPE's new Senior Vice President, Commercial Credit Officer. She will continue to provide leadership and strategic direction to the Commercial Lending team with added responsibilities of Portfolio Management and Special Assets. Danielle has over 20 years of progressive experience in the banking and lending industry with a focus on commercial lending, mortgage lending, underwriting and operations. She has a substantiated history of managing multi-million dollar portfolios, leading teams, collaboration and executive problem solving.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Executive Vice President of Policy and Communications for Hope Enterprise Corporation / Hope Credit Union
- Executive Vice President, Chief Policy & Communications Officer
Ed Sivak is the Executive Vice President of Policy and Communications for Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Credit Union (HOPE). As a member of HOPE's executive team, Sivak leads the teams that drive the organization's policy and advocacy agenda; and its communications with members, community partners, investors, media and other stakeholders. Since joining HOPE in 2001, the credit union has grown from a financial institution of $1 million in assets serving 1,200 people a year to one of the largest Black and women-owned financial institutions in America with $500 million in assets serving 38,000 members. He is also the co-founder of the Hope Policy Institute. During the pandemic, the Institute's research was used to successfully advocate for changes to the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program to make it more accessible to borrowers of color and to inform the design of $12 billion in community development programs structured to meet the needs of low-income, rural and diverse communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As a result of this work, HOPE was recognized as one of Fast Company's 10 most innovative companies reflecting current events in 2022. Earlier in his career, Sivak managed numerous community development initiatives including a $4.5 million collaborative to support the recovery of over 500 small businesses in post-Katrina New Orleans and a $5 million partnership to expand economic opportunity in the Mississippi Delta. Sivak has testified numerous times before the Mississippi Legislature on issues affecting people living in economic distress and has served as a subject matter expert on financial inclusion before the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Sivak currently serves on the executive committee of the board for Inclusiv, the national trade association for Community Development Credit Unions and chairs the Government Affairs Committee. He is also the Board Chair for One Voice, a social justice organization dedicated to lift the voices of marginalized communities in the Deep South. He is a former member of the Federal Reserve Board Consumer Advisory Council where he chaired the Community Affairs and Housing Subcommittee. In November 2017, he was appointed to the Jackson Public School Board and the Better Together Commission as part of a successful effort to prevent a takeover of the school district by the state of Mississippi. He continues to serve on the school board as its President.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President of Retail Operations
Felicia Lyles is HOPE's Senior Vice President of Retail Operations. In her current role, Felicia is responsible for guiding the direction, growth and financial soundness of Retail Operations. She plays a central role in furthering HOPE's goal of ensuring full access to affordable and responsibly structured financial services that promote financial inclusion and increase economic mobility.
Felicia joined HOPE in 2006 as a Branch Manager responsible for operations, production and community development of the Central MS branch locations. In 2009, she was promoted to Vice President and Regional Branch Administrator, responsible for overseeing branch operations, growth and business development for the Central-, Delta-, North-Mississippi markets. During this time, Felicia successfully lead efforts to ensure access to affordable financial services in communities that were considered bank deserts.
Felicia has over 22 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining HOPE, she was Vice President, Branch Manager at Regions Bank. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with a minor concentration in computer science from Delta State University, where she also played basketball for the Lady Statesmen.
Felicia serves on the Board of Directors for Mississippi Food Network and past Chairman (2018-2019). She is currently Secretary and Past President of the South Hinds County Rotary Club and a former ambassador of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce. Felicia is an Annie E. Casey Foundation, CDFI Leadership Learning Network Cohort.
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President of Fiscal
Felicia Myers is Senior Vice President of Fiscal. In this role, Felicia is responsible for the supervision and control of the general accounting area, design of internal control systems, and for financial statements and reporting. This includes the general ledger, payables, payroll, property and budget reporting.
Felicia joined Hope in January 2006 as a Staff Accountant. She was then promoted to Assistant Controller in 2010 and VP, Controller in 2017.
Felicia started her banking career while a freshman in college. She has over 24 years of banking and accounting experience from various financial institutions. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from The University of Southern Mississippi.
Job Titles:
- Retired Educator, Foundation Executive
Job Titles:
- Retired Nonprofit Executive
Job Titles:
- Retired Statesman, Educator & Journalist
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President, Talent Management
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President, Mortgage Lending
Job Titles:
- Loutre Land and Timber Company
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Chief Mortgage Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Executive Vice President, Chief Human Assets Officer
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Data Analytics
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Small Business and Consumer Lending
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Community and Economic Development
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Community and Economic Development
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Senior Vice President, Corporate Administration
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Founding CEO
Bill Bynum is the founding CEO of HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute), a family of organizations dedicated to strengthening the financial health and wealth of people in under resourced communities across the Deep South. Since 1994, HOPE has generated nearly $4 billion in financing that has benefitted more than 2.6 million people throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, while shaping policies and practices that have improved conditions in opportunity deserts nationwide. Bill began his professional career in North Carolina by helping to establish Self-Help, a pioneer in the development finance industry, and later built nationally recognized programs at the NC Rural Economic Development Center.
A member of the U.S. Academy of Arts & Sciences, alumnus of the Henry Crown Fellowship, Emerson Collective Dial Fellowship and Salzburg Global Fellowship, Bynum serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta - New Orleans branch, Aspen Institute, NAACP Legal & Education Defense Fund, Black Vision Fund, Deep South Today, Churchill Capital IV, on the U.S. Treasury Department's Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, and as an advisor to Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and E Pluribus Unum.
Bill is a recipient of the Myrlie & Medgar Evers Voices of Courage & Justice Award, John W. Gardner Leadership Award, Heinz Award, McNulty Prize and University of North Carolina Distinguished Alumnus Award, he previously chaired the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Advisory Board, Treasury Department Community Development Advisory Board, served as a member of the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team, the U.S. Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, and as a Towsley Policymaker in Residence at the University of Michigan Gerald Ford School of Public Policy.