Freedom Credit Union announces promotions

Date: 11/13/2013

GREATER SPRINGFIELD – Barry F. Crosby, president and CEO of Freedom Credit Union, announced the promotion of one officer within the credit union and the appointment of two officers to the Management Team.

Patricia Carbee of Douglas, Freedom’s assistant vice president of Internal Auditing has been promoted to vice president and director of Enterprise Risk Management. In this new venture with the credit union, she manages risk management, the development of a risk-based culture throughout all products lines, and oversees the Compliance Department, loan litigation matters, and business continuity. She will continue to provide her auditing functions to ensure that the credit union is operating effectively and efficiently.

Carbee has more than 33 years of experience in the finance industry, including expertise in regulatory auditing, compliance auditing, lending and management. She has held a number of senior positions throughout her career. Most recently, she was an auditor with New England Credit Union Services, LLC, a division of the Massachusetts Credit Union League, for 12 years.

Carbee earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Nichols College and graduated Cum Laude. She is also member of the Association of Credit Union Internal Auditors and the Massachusetts Bankers Internal Auditors Association.

Jeffrey Smith, of Northampton, has joined Freedom as chief lending officer where he manages the commercial, mortgage and consumer lending activities for the credit union. He has 30 years of lending experience in the financial services industry and has held several senior management positions throughout his career, including his most recent position as vice president at Florence Savings Bank.

Smith earned his Bachelor’s degree from University of Maine at Orono and has earned his MBA in Finance from Western New England University.

He is currently president of the Northampton Rotary Club and is a member of the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. Smith has also been an instructor for the Center for Financial Training since 1994, teaching courses on subjects such as real estate finance, marketing, accounting and analyzing financial statements.

Nora Braska of Springfield was recently named Freedom’s Training and Development officer. She is responsible for managing employee training of Freedom’s staff and overseeing their professional development. Braska has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including her most recent position as assistant vice president, Training Officer at Hampden Bank.

She is a Board member of the Center Financial Training – Springfield Regional Council, and is a member of the Professional Women’s Chamber of Western Massachusetts.

Freedom Credit Union was chartered in 1922 and anyone who lives or works in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties can become a member. Freedom now consists of nine convenient branches throughout the Pioneer Valley in Chicopee, Downtown Springfield, Easthampton, Feeding Hills, Greenfield, Ludlow, Northampton, Sixteen Acres in Springfield, and Turners Falls.