OCCU adds associate board members, board director

OCCU has appointed two associate members to its board of directors: Jefferson Curl and Dena Putnam-Gilchrist. In addition, Justin Freeman has been elected as a new director.

Curl and Putnam-Gilchrist have joined OCCU’s board as part of the credit union’s associate board member program. This initiative seeks to identify and train potential board directors and supplement the knowledge and experience of the board.

Freeman replaces longtime director Jeanine Jensen, who retired on May 31. He has also served as chair of the credit union’s supervisory committee since January 2023.

Curl joins the board with extensive experience in B2B services and regulatory compliance. He is co-owner and CFO of United ACA Solutions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. Curl also serves as treasurer for the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Ground Search and Rescue organization.

Freeman is a founding partner of Juniper Rim Partners, where he provides organizational culture consulting and leadership coaching for companies and nonprofits throughout Oregon. He is a lifelong credit union member and joined OCCU in 2013. Freeman holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and is a consulting industry thought leader who has delivered more than 70 workshops, seminars and keynote addresses across the country.

Putnam-Gilchrist has been a registered nurse for 35 years throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is now CEO of KeiperSpine, a position she began in October 2023. Putnam-Gilchrist has been an OCCU member for more than 30 years and holds an MBA from Colorado State University as well as degrees from Lane Community College, Western Governors University and Bushnell University.

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