Announces Anneliese Elrod as COO and Kirk Leverington as SVP of Strategy and Performance Excellence
Marking a milestone in its growth, Westerra Credit Union (Westerra) expanded its executive leadership team, welcoming Anneliese Elrod as chief operating officer and Kirk Leverington as senior vice president of strategy and performance excellence. Elrod will oversee the credit union’s day-to-day operations, ensuring they align with Westerra’s mission, strategic goals and regulatory requirements. Working closely with Elrod, Steve Schmidle, Westerra’s president and CEO, and the entire executive team, Leverington will shape the long-term vision and direction of the credit union, ensuring the cohesive execution of strategic priorities.
Bringing over 20 years of financial experience to her new role, Elrod will manage Westerra’s operational functions and budgets at its nine branches, collaborating with the organization’s executive team and board of directors to shape its future. Elrod holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX); additionally, she is a Certified Credit Union Executive and Credit Union Development Educator and is a graduate of the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) Management School. Elrod has demonstrated her dedication to the community through her past service as board president of the Arnia Foundation and as a member of Casa Esperanza’s board of directors.
A Certified Management Consultant with an MBA from Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC), Leverington brings two decades of experience with the Canadian credit union system to his new role. Before joining Westerra, Leverington worked as Verizon Wireless’s senior manager of business strategy, honing his ability to spearhead operational and marketing tactics for sustained growth. As part of his new role, Leverington will use data analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of the credit union’s strategic initiatives, ensuring goals are met.
“Anneliese and Kirk’s leadership styles are rooted in trust, collaboration and growth, making them both a perfect fit for Westerra’s executive team,” said Schmidle. “Anneliese has an exceptional track record in supporting processes in high-growth, member-focused organizations and Kirk is committed to leveraging his diverse perspectives to drive innovative solutions. I look forward to seeing their impact on our team and members.”
For more information on Westerra’s leadership team, visit www.westerracu.com/about/
About Westerra Credit Union:
Since its founding by eight schoolteachers in 1934, Westerra Credit Union has remained committed to helping individuals, families and businesses throughout Colorado’s Front Range thrive by “teaching one another to prosper”. With over 110,000 members among nine branches, Westerra serves the community through its various offerings, financial literacy initiatives and grants programs, contributing more than $500,000 to regional education foundations and school districts annually since 2010. As one of only three credit unions recognized by Newsweek’s “Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions” in 2024, Westerra is a modern financial community where everyone belongs. For more information, visit www.westerracu.com or follow Westerra on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (Twitter). Federally insured by NCUA.
