Meet your Business Banking Team

Kent was born and raised in Whatcom County. After graduating with an economics degree from the University of Washington in 1996, he returned to Bellingham where he began his career in banking. He spent nearly 10 years as a Commercial Loan Officer with Key Bank. He then joined WECU in 2008 to oversee the development and growth of Business Banking.

Grant was born and raised in Whatcom County. He grew up on a dairy farm in Everson and graduated from Lynden Christian High School. He received a finance degree from Western Washington University in 2006 and has been with WECU ever since. Grant loves the fact that WECU has local decision making, processing, and can think outside of the box, leading to better service and faster turnaround times.

Dustin was born and raised in Whatcom County. After completing a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance he returned to Bellingham and began his career at WECU. He loves serving WECU’s members with their Business & Commercial Real Estate Lending needs and is thankful for the opportunity to live, work, and raise a family in this community.

Originally from Arizona, Ron moved to Bellingham in January 2013. He spent 12 years with Wells Fargo Business Banking both in Bellingham and Arizona, and in having made the move to WECU in September 2017, he is thrilled to finally be able to provide the true community lending experience he’s always dreamed of.

A Seattle native who made Whatcom County home following graduation from WWU, Ed worked in Commercial Lending and Private Banking for 28 years.  He is a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Wealth Strategist and enjoys helping business owners and real estate investors with their financing needs.

Julie was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, and moved to the Pacific Northwest at a young age. Prior to joining the WECU Business Banking team, she served as the Executive Director for The Homax Group where she worked for 17 years. Julie is excited to be working with WECU in a position where she continues to apply her many talents for the benefit of our Business Members.

Tyson was born and raised in the Seattle area. He has lived in Whatcom County since attending WWU where he studied business administration and entrepreneurship. He has been with WECU since 2004 and joined the Business Banking Team in 2005. He enjoys helping WECU members with their small business financing needs.

Brenden is the first addition to WECU's team in Skagit County. Originally from Ocean Shores, Washington, he started his banking career as a part-time teller in 2007. He has progressed through retail, finance, management, and commercial lending. This experience helps him prepare businesses to navigate nearly all facets of banking. He believes that every borrower deserves tailored solutions and transparency throughout the credit process. When not at work, he's adventuring with his wife and son or turning wrenches on a classic car. Brenden is eager to help businesses reach their financial goals and to make meaningful impact for the community.

Alina has 20 years of experience as a lender in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. She is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, the premier national graduate school of banking, and Washington Bankers Association Executive Development Program. Alina enjoys meeting business owners in the community to learn about the opportunities and challenges they are facing and helping them meet their financial goals.

Patrick came to Bellingham to go to Western. After graduating in 2002, he didn’t want to leave. For over the past 15 years Patrick has been working in Commercial Lending serving the Whatcom and Skagit markets. Patrick has been with WECU since 2012.

Holly was raised in Ferndale, WA. After graduating from Ferndale High School, she moved to Oregon, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree with a double major in Economics and International Studies from Southern Oregon University. Upon graduating, she joined the non-profit lending world as the Program Manager for Habitat for Humanity of the Rogue Valley. Missing her family, Holly moved back to Ferndale in 2015 when she started working in WECU’s Real Estate department. Since then, she has held multiple Real Estate roles in sales and operations at WECU, Bank of the Pacific, and HomeBridge Financial Services. In the spring of 2023, Holly returned to WECU and is extremely excited to bring her wealth of lending knowledge to the team. When not at work, you can find her smoking brisket or rotisserie chicken, playing with her dog, or working on various home projects with her significant other.

Deanna was born and raised in Whatcom County. She started at WECU as a part-time high school employee and has worked in a variety of roles and departments over her time at WECU. Outside of work, Deanna and her husband love traveling, camping, and hiking on weekends.

As a lifelong resident of Whatcom County, Jennie is very community focused and driven. She comes to Business Banking with 22 years of experience working in Retail Banking, where she developed a passion for building strong cohesive relationships with her business members. Jennie is committed to being a trusted adviser and enthusiastic partner for your business through all economic cycles.

Kristen was born in Seattle and raised in Spokane, WA. She came to Bellingham to attend WWU with a golf scholarship, studying economics, psychology, and business administration. Kristen also remained involved in WWU's athletic programs as both an athlete and a coach. She comes from a family of credit union employees and is passionate about both the credit union culture and the Whatcom County community. Outside of work, Kristen enjoys sports, trying new foods, the outdoors, and staying active.

Born in the Midwest, Dan moved to Bellingham at a young age, where he has lived since 2007. He comes to Business Banking with a degree from WWU and years of experience in WECU's Retail Department, where he developed a passion for finding unique solutions to meet the financial needs of our membership. Dan is excited to use his experience and enthusiasm to tackle challenges with an outside-the-box mindset and develop lasting relationships with business owners in the community. When not working, he enjoys cooking, exploring the outdoors, and painting miniatures.

Jennifer is delighted to work with businesses that positively impact their communities. Creating jobs and promoting economic vitality benefits us all. She is a natural collaborator and creative problem-solver who always strives for win-win solutions. Jennifer takes great pride in the credit union model, where members are the only shareholders. It’s a model that truly puts people first. For nearly 20 years, Jennifer has had a fulfilling career in banking and finance in Whatcom County. She started as a part-time flex teller and loan processor while attending college. She has since held various roles such as Mortgage Loan Assistant, Mortgage Loan Officer, Retail Administration, Marketing Manager, and Business Experience Officer!