SEATTLE--BECU, Washington state’s largest credit union, has named Melba Bartels as its new chief financial officer (CFO), effective May 1, 2017. She will oversee BECU’s accounting and treasury teams.
“Melba’s deep knowledge and experience within the financial industry, paired with her thoughtful leadership style, made her the right choice to join our executive team as CFO,” said Benson Porter, CEO of BECU. “She will be a key contributor to our business strategy, which is focused on enhancing the member experience and reinforcing the unique culture that sets BECU apart.”
Bartels currently serves as CFO and senior executive vice president at HomeStreet Bank, based in Seattle. Since 2015, she has been responsible for all aspects of financial management within HomeStreet Bank with an asset base of more than $6 billion.
Before Homestreet Bank, Bartels spent six years at JPMorgan Chase, serving as CFO of the Auto Finance and Student Lending Division, and senior vice president and finance director for the Auto Finance Division. She held numerous financial leadership positions during 20 years of service at Washington Mutual Bank, overseeing corporate financial strategy, planning and analysis, mergers and acquisitions, business development, finance technology and treasury. Additionally, she spent two years at Ragen Mackenzie Group, Inc., where she served as a sell side equity analyst.
Bartels graduated from the University of Washington with an MBA and a Bachelor of Arts in finance.