UMassFive recently named the Best Credit Union in the Valley Advocate’s Reader Poll for the eighteenth consecutive year, has announced new leadership for their Board of Directors. Jacqui Watrous has been elected as UMassFive’s Board Chair, Ruth Yanka as Board Vice Chair, and Jeremy Bentley as Board Secretary.
Jacqui Watrous has served on the UMassFive Board of Directors for over seven years, including most recently as Board Vice Chair. Stepping into the Board Chair role, Jacqui notes “I remain as ever passionate about the continued success of the Credit Union in achieving its financial goals and meeting member needs.” Watrous holds a BBA in finance and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst. Now retired, she previously worked at UMass Amherst for over 30 years, having held a variety of positions in the finance and systems fields, including most recently the role of Executive Director of Administrative Systems in Finance.
Ruth Yanka has volunteered on UMassFive’s Board for over 12 years, serving in many capacities including Board Member and Secretary. Serving once again as UMassFive’s Board Vice Chair, she is committed to the Credit Union’s mission of always putting members first, making a positive impact on their financial well-being, and practicing and promoting the cooperative values. Yanka holds a master’s degree in program administration from UMass Amherst, and has served on the board of many non-profit organizations in a variety of positions; from member, to treasurer, to president. Yanka’s work history responsibilities have always included operations, budget, and personnel. She currently holds the role of Executive Director, A&F Operations in Administration and Finance at UMass Amherst.
Jeremy Bentley first joined the UMassFive Board of Directors in 2022, having previously served as a volunteer on the Credit Union’s Asset and Liability Management Committee when he moved to the area after completing his Ph.D. in accounting from Cornell University. As Board Secretary, Bentley will continue to use his expertise to help the Credit Union grow in a responsible way that benefits members and the local community. He currently serves as a research foundation director for the Institute of Management Accountants, and in multiple positions with the American Accounting Association. Bentley is also the Richard Dieter & Susan Dieter Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor at UMass Amherst, where he teaches financial and managerial accounting and examines how accounting systems change the way people think about and report on their performance.
Harrison Continues to Serve UMassFive Members
With this transition in Board Leadership, Robert Harrison ends a decade-long tenure in the role of UMassFive Board Chair, but his dedication to the institution remains steadfast. Harrison will continue serving as a Board Member of the Credit Union.
During his time as Board Chair, Harrison led the Credit Union on many major milestones and project implementations. This includes a change in Executive Leadership in 2017, when longtime CEO/President Kathy Hutchinson retired, and then-COO Rich Kump stepped into the role where he presently resides. Most noteworthy is Harrison’s passion and vision for building a UMassFive Commercial Services department to support the local business community with financial advice and products.
In addition, Harrison oversaw several Credit Union expansions, which included a relocation of the Northampton Branch to a standalone facility on King St., as well as the mergers of CUPS Federal Credit Union at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield and Northampton VAF Federal Credit Union in Leeds. Harrison also held the Board Chair role as UMassFive became a leader in solar and green energy financing in the state of Massachusetts, and further committed its support of local agriculture with a 10-year, $100,000 commitment to Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA).
At the start of his Board Chair tenure, UMassFive’s assets and membership stood at $385 million and 32,000, respectively. Today, the Credit Union boasts over $700 million in assets, and nearly 50,000 members. UMassFive is extremely grateful for Robert Harrison’s leadership and ongoing dedication to the Credit Union’s mission.
