April 25, 2023
FirstLight Federal Credit Union, a leading financial institution in the El Paso and Las Cruces region, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new executives to its senior leadership team. Effective immediately, Mr. Tim Vilter will join the Credit Union as its new Chief Financial Officer, and Mr. Juan Gonzalez will assume the role of Chief Information Officer.
Mr. Vilter brings 28 years of financial services experience to his new role. An alum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Vilter will be playing a critical role driving organizational strategy-focusing on financial planning, investments, and risk management. He will work closely with the executive team to drive the overall financial performance in a progressive, safe, and viable manner, while also ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Mr. Gonzalez is an accomplished technology executive with over 25 years of experience in the information services industry. He previously served as the Asst. Chief Information Officer at El Paso Water Utilities, where he led the technology strategy and oversaw the implementation of key systems and applications. Mr. Gonzalez is a certified information systems professional and holds an MBA in from the University of Texas at El Paso.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tim and Juan to the FirstLight team," said Margie Salazar, President, and CEO of FirstLight Federal Credit Union. "Their expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow and expand our services to meet the needs of our members."
As CFO, Mr. Vilter will be responsible for managing the Credit Union’s financial operations, including accounting, investments, and financial reporting. As CIO, Mr. Gonzalez will lead the development and implementation of the Credit Union’s technology strategy, ensuring that its systems and applications meet the needs of members and staff.
"I am excited to join FirstLight and work with such a talented team," said Mr. Vilter. "I look forward to leveraging my financial expertise to help the Credit Union achieve its strategic goals."
"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the technology team at FirstLight," said Mr. Gonzalez. "I am committed to ensuring that our technology infrastructure supports the Credit Union’s mission of providing exceptional service to our members."
About FirstLight Federal Credit Union
FirstLight Federal Credit Union is a local financial cooperative serving over 109,000 members in the El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Las Cruces communities. Founded in 1955 by nine pioneers to help military and civilian personnel, the credit union has grown to $1.5 billion in assets serving El Paso, TX and Doña Ana, NM counties. Since 2018, the FirstLight Community Foundation has donated $100,000 in student scholarships while providing funds to local food banks to mitigate food insecurity. For more information about FirstLight or our Community Foundation, visit www.firstlightfcu.org.
