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ESL Announces Series of Senior Leadership Promotions

Rochester, NY — ESL Federal Credit Union recently announced 11 senior-level promotions to position the credit union for ongoing success and drive future growth.

“We’re pleased to elevate these 11 individuals from our ESL team to their new roles on our exceptional senior management team,” said president & CEO, Faheem Masood, ESL Federal Credit Union. “These changes allow ESL to more efficiently manage a growing organization and position us to deliver on our Purpose to help our community thrive and prosper. They each have and will continue to play a vital role in effectively leading our organization as we continue to evolve and deliver on providing quality financial services to the Greater Rochester community.”

Five current members of the ESL senior management team were elevated to the role of executive vice president, including:

  • Joe Buscaglia, executive vice president/director, chief information officer, systems & technology. Buscaglia first started at ESL in 1993, and has held roles of systems analyst, member interface technology manager, and vice president. In his current role, Buscaglia oversees all information technology departments for the credit union. He received his bachelors in information systems management from SUNY Buffalo and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.
  • Celeste Kier, executive vice president/director, marketing & customer experience. Kier began her career at ESL in 1988, and has held a number of positions including marketing director, customer experience director, vice president and senior vice president. Her current role includes responsibility for advertising and marketing communications, corporate communications, and customer experience strategies for the organization. Kier earned her bachelor’s and MBA from the University of Rochester, William E. Simon Graduate School of Business.
  • Tom Rogers, executive vice president/director, chief financial officer and director, marketplace. ESL welcomed Rogers to the ESL team in 2013 and in his current role is responsible for oversight of accounting, treasury, and product development functions for the organization. He also oversees retail banking, business banking, wealth management, mortgage, and banking services operations teams. Rogers holds a bachelor’s in accounting from SUNY Buffalo and earned an MBA from the University of Rochester, William E. Simon Graduate School of Business.
  • Arline Santiago, executive vice president/director, chief administrative officer and general counsel. Santiago joined ESL in 2008 as senior vice president/general council and assumed executive vice president and chief administrative officer in 2022. She is responsible for oversight of the organization’s strategic process, operations, real estate and legal and regulatory affairs. Santiago holds a bachelor of arts degree in history from Yale University and a juris doctor degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School.
  • Maureen Wolfe, executive vice president/director, human resources & community impact. Wolfe came to ESL in 2005 and has worked as talent management manager, vice president/director, human resources, and most recently served as senior vice president/director, human resource & community impact. She earned an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology after receiving a bachelor’s in communications from SUNY Geneseo.

Jennifer Shoemaker was promoted to senior vice president/director, corporate strategy & analytics and will continue to oversee the corporate strategy, market and business intelligence teams at ESL, and also adds management of the business methods function. Shoemaker previously held the roles of vice president, and manager, business product portfolio and market intelligence. She holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Nazareth College.

An additional five individuals were promoted to vice president:

  • Julie Ahrens, vice president/director, organizational development. Ahrens most recently served as organizational development manager and brings more than 28 years’ experience in banking and learning & development functions. As vice president/director, organizational development, Ahrens leads initiatives to enhance the capacity of ESL teams, leaders, and individuals to further position the organization for success. This includes identifying areas of opportunity within ESL’s talent infrastructure, change management, learning, leadership, and career development programs. Ahrens earned a bachelor’s in telecommunications management from Ithaca College.
  • Matt Davis, vice president/director, chief information security officer. Davis is responsible for management of the governance, architectural design, implementation, and support of information security best practices across the organization. He holds a bachelors’ degree in cybersecurity and information assurance from Utica College and a master’s in cyber security from Southern New Hampshire University.
  • Nada Debbaghi, vice president/director, controller. Debbaghi joined ESL in 2019 and most recently served as controller. She provides leadership to accounting operations and financial functions for the credit union. Debbaghi holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management information systems from Wright State University.
  • Rich Pulvino, vice president/director, corporate communications. Pulvino most recently served as corporate communications & social media manager for ESL and brings more than a decade of communications expertise to the position. He will oversee the development, management, and execution of ESL corporate communications strategy including content for traditional and new media channels. Pulvino holds dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Communication from SUNY Geneseo, and a master’s in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
  • Brian Walsh, vice president/director, assistant treasurer. Walsh’s responsibilities in this new role include oversight of the formulation and governance of the credit union’s balance sheet. This includes managing a team responsible for guiding ESL’s fixed income portfolio strategy, liquidity, and interest rate risk program. Walsh is a SUNY Fredonia graduate holding his bachelor’s in concentration finance.

About ESL Federal Credit Union

With more than 100 years of locally owned history, ESL Federal Credit Union serves as a full-service financial institution to more than 394,000 members and 14,700 businesses. Founded in 1920, the company provides personal banking, business banking, mortgage services and wealth management services through its locally based 23-branch network; telephone, mobile and online banking; and live chat center.

The Rochester-based financial institution employs approximately 900 people in the Greater Rochester area and holds more than $9.2 billion in assets. Since 1996, ESL has paid out 27 consecutive Owners’ Dividends to its members, totaling more than $241 million. Since the creation of its Community Impact initiative in 2018, ESL has reinvested more than $70 million in grants throughout the community. The company has appeared on the Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list for 11 years, since 2010. ESL Federal Credit Union is headquartered at 225 Chestnut Street, in Rochester and can be found online at www.esl.org.

Connect with ESL on Twitter (@ESLFCU) and Facebook.com/ESLFCU.

For more information, contact:

Rich Pulvino, APR
VP/Director, Marketing
rpulvino@esl.org
585.336.1009