Affinity Federal Credit Union Welcomes New VP, 2 Directors

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Affinity Federal Credit Union (“Affinity”) announces the addition of Heather Direnzo, Vice President of Contact Center Operations; Michael Oualid, Director of Product Management (CRM); and Odalis Tejada, Director of Infrastructure (Information Technologies).

Direnzo brings over 12 years of management experience in both banking and credit union contact center operations, an integral part of the organization’s operations. Her expertise is rooted in defining positive member experiences and increasing member loyalty through exceptional service. At Affinity, Direnzo is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction and overall operations of the call center, with a specific focus on creating authentic member experiences and ensuring call center agents have the proper technology and tools to assist any member need. Prior to joining Affinity, Direnzo was the Contact Center Director at Consumers Credit Union (Illinois) and held multiple leadership roles oriented around member care.

Oualid has been a leader in product development, management and operations for nearly 23 years. At Affinity, Oualid is responsible for providing superior digital capabilities that amplify member acquisition, engagement and experience. He also works closely with internal teams to provide the right tools necessary for operational efficiency, enhanced experience across departments and reinforced workforce productivity. Before coming to Affinity, Oualid served as the Director of Product Management and Operations (Enterprise Platforms) at American Express.

As Affinity’s Director of Infrastructure, Tejada supports the credit union’s information services infrastructure to enable the consistent delivery of IT and business services to all members and partners. With over 20 years in the industry, he brings strong expertise in infrastructure services and IT management as well as cybersecurity and business continuity. Prior to his current role, Tejada was the Director of Technical Services at Covanta Energy.

“We are excited to welcome Heather, Michael and Odalis to Affinity’s leadership team,” said Kevin Brauer, President & CEO of Affinity. “Their expertise and enthusiasm have made them strong assets to our organization already, and we look forward to the positive growth they will achieve alongside their respective departments.”

About Affinity Federal Credit Union

Affinity Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, member-owned and community-focused, with a mission to nurture your financial wellbeing. With more than 20 branches across the tri-state area, Affinity is the largest credit union headquartered in the state of New Jersey, proudly ranking in the top 2% of all credit unions in terms of asset size.¹ The Affinity difference is about people helping people on a deeper level and understanding what YOU need to make your unique dreams a reality. For more information, please visit www.affinityfcu.com.

¹ Source: NCUA.gov. Using the “Credit Union and Corporate Call Report Data” found here: https://www.ncua.gov/analysis/credit-union-corporate-call-report-data