Matt Stephenson
President/CEO
Education – Matt earned a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems, and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He also completed Western CUNA Management School (WCMS), where he graduated with Highest Honor and received the prestigious Charlie Clark Memorial Award. Matt is a Leadership Breakthrough One graduate of Rapport Leadership International and has completed the Jackson County Chamber Leadership Program. He recently earned his Certified Chief Executive (CCE) designation by successfully completing the Credit Union Executives Society (CUES) CEO Institute’s 3-year program.
Rogue Experience – Matt was initially hired by Rogue in January of 2004 to manage the Information Services Department. He was quickly promoted to Vice President of Sales and Operations in 2005, and then appointed as the Chief Operations Officer in 2007. In August of 2008, Matt moved to the finance side of the Credit Union by transitioning into the Chief Financial Officer position. In 2011, Matt assumed the role of Executive Vice President (EVP). In 2017, he was recognized with the title of EVP/Chief Operating Officer.
Financial Institution Experience – Prior to joining Rogue, Matt worked for Clark County Credit Union in Las Vegas, Nevada. There he served as an Information Systems Specialist, Accounting Specialist, and Information Systems Project Manager.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Currently, Matt is serving on the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County Board and is a member of the Greater Medford Rotary Club. He most recently served on Medford School District’s Facilities Optimization Committee, was a member of the NWCUA Federal Charter Work Group and was Chair for the Rogue Community College (RCC) District Budget Committee in 2019. He has also served on the Central Point City Council and the WCMS Alumni Board. He is an active Project Reader for WCMS and spends two weeks each summer teaching classes at the campus in Pomona, California. He served on the Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Incorporated (SOREDI) Board for 12 years, including two years as Board President. He continues to serve on the SOREDI Foundation Board. Matt is involved in youth education through his church and with the Boy Scouts of America; he is also an Eagle Scout. Matt won the President’s Award at the 2005 annual employee awards banquet for his first year of service with Rogue. He was honored by the Credit Union Association of Oregon (CUAO) in 2006 with the Young Credit Union Professional of the Year Award for his contributions to Rogue and the credit union movement. In 2008, he was recognized again by the CUAO with the Heidemann Scholar Award for his efforts in continuing his education. In 2017, Matt was selected as one of the top Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Credit Union Rock Stars.
Blake Thurman
Chief Financial Officer
Education – Blake received his Masters of Accountancy from Brigham Young University. He received his CPA designation in 2001.
Rogue Experience – Blake joined Rogue in 2013 as the Vice President of Finance. In 2014, Blake assumed the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Financial Institution Experience – Blake has over 23 years of financial services experience, including auditing community financial institutions while with Price Waterhouse Coopers and Deloitte. He also held positions as Controller for six years and Treasurer for two years at two different community banks.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Blake oversees the Investment Services and Finance/Accounting departments, which include investments, asset-liability management, and business analysis functions of the credit union. Blake has served on the board of an organization that ran a homeless shelter for women and children. This also included working with the United Way on a joint program designed to help clients of the shelter save monies in an effort to stabilize their lives. He has also been involved with Junior Achievement, the Boy Scouts of America, and served as the treasurer of a local youth soccer club. Blake currently serves on the board of Dogs for Better Lives.
Chad Heese
Chief Lending Officer
Education – Chad received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Washington State University. He is also a graduate of the CUES Certified Chief Executive program and has completed courses with M.I.T. in Innovation and through Hipereon’s School of Commercial Lending.
Rogue Experience – Chad Joined Rogue in June of 2016 as the Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer, and then moved into the Chief Lending Officer position in April 2017.
Financial Institution Experience – Chad has over 25 years of experience working in financial services, including working with companies like Wells Fargo, Nevada State Bank, and Clark County Credit Union (CCCU). Starting with CCCU as a Database Administrator gave him the experience and ability to query and locate data with ease. Chad later became a Lending Sales Manager, driving sales in the credit union to record highs. After several years in that role, he became General Manager of the credit union’s failing credit union service organization (CUSO), a used car dealer and broker. With Chad’s leadership, the CUSO quickly became the largest single source of auto loans to the credit union and a solid contributor to the bottom line. Focusing on the members’ experience, he instilled a vision of selling high-quality cars to members, at a fair price, in roughly an hour. After becoming the Chief Operations Officer, Chad supervised all branch and consumer lending operations.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Chad oversees the credit union’s Lending departments, as well as Enterprise Analytics and Enterprise Risk Management. With over 21 years’ experience and holding senior-level positions in Lending, Information Services, and Operations, he is a well-qualified (and well-rounded) member of Rogue’s Executive Team. Chad also volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) within Jackson County, advocating for children as they become wards of the court. Chad also serves on an asset committee for the affordable housing organization NeighborWorks Umpqua.
Jeanne Pickens
Chief Operations Officer
Education – Jeanne received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration, with a certificate in Finance and Economics, from Southern Oregon University, and her Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Washington State University. She graduated from Western CUNA Management School (WCMS) in 2012 with Honors and from the Chamber Leadership Program in 2005.
Rogue Experience – Jeanne joined Rogue in 2000 when she started as a Teller. She worked in a variety of branch roles until she moved to the Marketing Department in 2003. Jeanne was promoted to Manager of the Ashland Branch in October of 2005, then Marketing Manager in 2007, Marketing Director in 2008, Vice President of Marketing in 2011, and Senior Vice President of Marketing in 2013. In 2014, her role expanded to include Loyalty, when she was named Senior Vice President of Marketing and Loyalty. In 2015, Jeanne was promoted to Chief Operations Officer.
Financial Institution Experience – Jeanne has over 24 years of experience in financial services. She worked at US Bank as a Teller before coming to Rogue.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Jeanne oversees the credit union’s Branch Delivery, Remote Delivery, Facilities, Loyalty, Employee Services, Employee Development, and Marketing teams. In 2007, Jeanne was selected to serve a three-year term on i³ with the Filene Research Institute. She was chosen to return as a Graduate Assistant at WCMS in 2013. Jeanne is a recipient of Rogue’s Leadership Focus Award and the Marketing Department Team Award. Jeanne currently serves on the Northwest Credit Union Association (NWCUA) Strategic Market Share Taskforce and stays involved with the community by coaching youth sports and volunteering her time with a variety of local community service organizations. She has served on the Kid Time Board, the Crime Stoppers Board, and currently serves on the Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI) Board since 2018 and the La Clinica Board since 2021.
Jeff Roberson
Chief Information Officer
Education – Jeff received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Indiana University. He also graduated from Western CUNA Management School (WCMS) with High Honors and is listed on the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Academic Hall of Fame
Rogue Experience – Jeff Joined Rogue in May of 2015 as the Chief Information Officer.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Jeff oversees the Credit Union’s Project Management Department, Operations Payment Services Department as well as Information Services, which includes Support, Infrastructure, Software Development, Systems Administration, and Information Security. Jeff has over 27 years of experience in senior Information Technology (IT) leadership positions. He started his career with Fortune 50 companies in the Financial and Manufacturing industries, holding positions in Computer Operations and Software Development. Transitioning into the Pharmaceutical Drug Industry as a Programmer/Analyst, Jeff rose through the ranks and became the Senior Vice President of Information Technology for a Fortune 200 company. Then, following a major merger, he held a senior IT leadership position with the newly formed Fortune 50 company. From there, Jeff entered the eCommerce Industry, spending the next ten years holding senior leadership positions covering all aspects of Information Technology. Finally, before joining Rogue Credit Union, he worked in the Aviation and Manufacturing industry for a leading company providing helicopter services to a global clientele base. Through all of this, Jeff has gained a broad and deep skill set, spanning all aspects of IT, cyber security, and project management; dealing with various regulatory agencies and requirements, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sarbanes-Oxley, Department of Defense (DOD), Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Processing Card Industry (PCI), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC).
Laura Hansen
Senior Vice President of Loyalty & Employee Experience
Education – Laura studied Political Science at the University of Oregon. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Innovation and Leadership from Southern Oregon University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Laura is a Net Promoter Certified Associate through the Satmetrix Net Promoter Score (NPS) Loyalty Certification Program. She graduated from Western CUNA Management School (WCMS) in 2021.
Rogue Experience – Laura joined Rogue as the Mortgage Delivery Supervisor in 2012, prior to being promoted to Mortgage Delivery Manager that same year. In 2014, she was promoted to Vice President of Loyalty. In 2017, Laura’s role was expanded to Vice President of Employee Development & Loyalty. In 2021, her role was further expanded to Vice President of Loyalty & Employee Experience. At the end of 2021, Laura was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as the SVP of Loyalty and Employee Experience.
Financial Institution Experience – Prior to Rogue, Laura was a Home Mortgage Consultant for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage for over five years. She led her team in customer satisfaction scores and assisted in team training and mentoring of new mortgage loan officers as well as a junior loan officer.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – In conjunction with the Leadership Team, Laura inspires a passion for the credit union’s vision, mission, guiding values and service promises. She leads the Employee Services, Employee Development and Loyalty divisions of Rogue to ensure the disciplined execution of organizational objectives. The Most Loyal Members in the Nation! Laura’s role is focused on setting the strategy for the organization’s overall employee experience under Rogue’s talent management program. She leads the passionate pursuit of exceptional member and team member service to achieve Rogue’s vision of
Laura serves on the executive board for the “Miss Oregon Volunteer” state scholarship pageant. She recently served on the Craterian Performances Board. She was recognized with the Leader FOCUS Award in 2014 and again in 2018, serving on the CEO Advisory Council. In 2019, the Employee Development and Loyalty teams received the 212 Degree FOCUS Award.
Laura assists in leading Rogue’s Government Affairs. She participates in the GoWest Credit Union Association’s efforts to raise awareness on the importance of credit unions with legislators in Oregon, Idaho and Washington, D.C. She also worked as an intern for a U.S. Senator on Capitol Hill in D.C. Laura volunteers her time teaching Rogue Management School classes, participating in community events, and teaching personal finance classes for Junior Achievement, and is a member of Soroptimist International.
Rob Overton
Senior Vice President of Consumer & Mortgage Lending
Education – Rob earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Western Governors University in 2018. He is also a 2017 graduate of Western CUNA Management School (WCMS).
Rogue Experience – Rob joined the Rogue team in July 2013 as the Dealer Relationship Manager. In 2014, he was promoted to Consumer Loan Center Manager before earning the Vice President of Consumer Lending title in 2015. At the end of 2021, Rob was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as the SVP of Consumer and Mortgage Lending.
Financial Institution Experience – Rob has over 30 years of experience in financial services. He has owned and managed a real estate acquisition company and a mortgage company for more than 20 years collectively. Prior to joining Rogue, Rob was with Premier West Bank as the Consumer Lending Underwriting Manager. He had also worked at Premier Finance as Branch Manager.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Rob currently oversees the following areas: Consumer Lending and Underwriting. Lending Services, Asset Protection/Member Solutions, Indirect Dealer Center and Mortgage. In 2013 the Dealer Center, led by Rob, was recognized with the 212 Degree Award for its efforts in record-breaking loan growth. Rob is also the recipient of the 2015 Leader Focus Award. His volunteer efforts include activities and events with Junior Achievement of Southern Oregon.
Scott Mulkins
Senior Vice President of Enterprise Insights
Education – Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Portland State University, as well as a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Business Analytics from Southern Oregon University. He also earned a graduate certificate in Financial and Executive Management through the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business in 2016.
Scott has obtained education and training specific to Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) through various conferences, networking, and educational opportunities, and was certified as a Credit Union Enterprise Risk Management Expert through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in partnership with the Rochdale Group in 2014. He earned the NAFCU Certified Risk Manager (NCRM) designation in August of 2018 from the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU). Scott also holds certifications in project management (Certified Scrum Master) and RSA’s Enterprise Governance Risk and Compliance Solution.
Rogue Experience – Scott joined Rogue in April of 2015 as Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management. In 2019, he assumed a leadership role over the credit union’s Business Intelligence (BI) function in addition to the ERM function, leading to the title of Vice President of Enterprise Insights. At the end of 2021, Scott was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as SVP of Enterprise Insights.
Financial Institution Experience – Scott has served in various roles since May of 2002 at one of the largest credit unions in the United States. Those roles included Contact Center Representative, Electronic Response Representative, Business Analyst, Risk Analyst, Enterprise Solutions Manager, Risk Management Manager, and Director of Risk Management, overseeing the credit union’s team of business analysts, in addition to Enterprise Risk Management functions.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Scott oversees the credit union’s Enterprise Analytics function (formerly known as BI) as well as the Enterprise Risk Management Department, which consists of Risk Management, Vendor Risk Management, Business Continuity, Security, BSA, Compliance, Fraud and Internal Audit.
Krista Jantzer
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Facilities
Education – Krista has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, with a minor in Math Education, from Southern Oregon University (SOU).
Rogue Experience – Krista joined Rogue in August 2015 to lead the credit union’s Marketing Department. At the end of 2021, she was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as the SVP of Marketing and Facilities. She enjoys leading her teams and belonging to an organization that is a cornerstone in the local community she calls home.
Financial Institution Experience – Krista’s financial industry experience began here at Rogue.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Prior to joining Rogue, Krista spent over nine years in Direct Marketing, working for local brands including Jackson & Perkins, Musician’s Friend and Harry & David. During this time she gained a wide range of marketing experience in digital and print marketing, outbound telemarketing, radio, TV, and the reporting and analytics that accompany each marketing channel.
In 2010, Krista received the Employee of the Year Award for Service at Musician’s Friend. She also graduated from the Chamber of Medford & Jackson County’s Leadership Program in 2017. In 2018, Krista received the President’s Award from Rogue.
Krista is currently enrolled in her second year of Western CUNA Management School (WCMS). She has previously been involved with several local organizations including volunteering on the Oregon Wine Experience Marketing Committee, serving as finance chair for The Young Professionals Network and volunteering with the Providence Festival of Trees. She also assists in teaching Management School at Rogue.
Mike Snyder
Senior Vice President of Strategic Execution
Education – Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma and an MBA from Indiana State University.
Rogue Experience – Mike joined Rogue in May 2016, overseeing the credit union’s Project Management Team. At the end of 2021, he was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as SVP of Strategic Execution. In 2022 Mike’s role was expanded to include overseeing the credit union’s Operations and Payments department.
Financial Institution Experience – Joining Rogue marked the beginning of Mike’s experience in the financial industry.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Mike has 20+ years of professional experience, including 16 years in a project/portfolio management role. He spent nine years with the Weyerhaeuser Company Information Technology department before moving on to strategic planning and management roles in Higher Education at Indiana State University.
Mike works closely with highly visible leaders and major stakeholders to understand requirements that drive strategic execution at an organizational level. In his current role, he sets and implements the strategic vision for the Strategic Execution Department and the Payments and Operations Department, including the functions of project analysis, project planning, project management, internal support, payments and operations.
Ben Davol
Senior Vice President of Information Technology Services
Education – Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, with a minor in Psychology, from Southern Oregon University.
Rogue Experience – Ben joined Rogue in January of 2018 to lead the credit union’s Software Development team. At the end of 2021, Ben was promoted to VP of Software and Data Engineering and in March of 2023 he was promoted to Rogue’s Leadership Team as the SVP of Information Technology Services.
Financial Institution Experience – Ben’s experience in the financial industry began when he joined the credit union.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Ben has 20+ years of professional software and technology industry experience, including 5 years within software companies building Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant payment systems. Prior to joining Rogue, he spent 10+ years at Southern Oregon ESD, most recently as the head of IT, helping to support the technology and internet infrastructure for the 85 k-12 schools across Southern Oregon.
In his current role, Ben oversees the operations of all functional areas of the credit union’s Information Technology Services, which includes Support, Network, Infrastructure, Software Engineering, Data Engineering and Systems Administration. Ben is also currently enrolled in his second year of Western CUNA Management School (WCMS). In 2021, Ben received the President’s Award from Rogue.
Kellie England
Senior Vice President of Member Experience
Education – Kellie received a Bachelor of Science in Business and Sociology from the University of Oregon. She graduated from Pacific Coast Banking School in 2012 and the Sacramento Metro Chamber Leadership Program in 2007.
Rogue Experience – Kellie joined Rogue in September 2021 as the Senior Vice President of Member Experience.
Financial Institution Experience – Kellie has over 30 years of experience in financial services. She worked at Umpqua Bank as SVP, Retail Region Director, for 20 years. Before that, she started in branch banking and worked in retail support departments, including operations, training and compliance. Her role included leading the California/Nevada branch network and countless mergers and acquisitions. Before moving to community banking, she worked in several large national banks, including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Key Bank.
Key Roles and Accomplishments – Kellie leads the Member Experience channels at Rogue, including the branches, contact center, remote delivery and online and phone loans. These channels focus on providing exceptional member experiences through personalized and seamless interactions, value and building trust. She recently joined the Rogue Valley Mentoring Board of directors and previously was the board president for a Sacramento nonprofit, Women’s Empowerment, which focuses on job readiness for homeless women. At Umpqua, she received several key awards, including the President’s Award (for work done during a merger) and Connected Award (for outstanding volunteerism).