Executives

William Hayes, President/CEO

"You can get financial services anywhere. It's the faces and voices that make Verity truly special."

Bill began his career at Verity in 1979 after spending several years working as a certified public accountant. He has served as president of the credit union since 1990. In his role, he manages the operations of the credit union while working closely with the Board of Directors to develop and implement policies and strategic plans. He also shepherds Verity's distinctive culture, explaining "Who we hire has a major impact on members. By creating a great work environment, we attract people who truly care about service." Bill is a "hometown" sports fan, cheering on the Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, and the University of Washington Huskies (his alma mater). His educational background includes a BA in Business Administration as well as an MBA.

John Zmolek, Executive Vice President & Chief Lending Officer

"We're nimble because we're local. We can change to meet members' needs quickly."

John Zmolek began his association with Verity as a board member in 1986, taking the vice president position after it was vacated by Verity's now-CEO William Hayes. John currently is the chief lending officer of Verity. In this role he also is president of CU Home Mortgage Solutions, which provides quality mortgage services to Verity members and other Washington credit unions. Plans for the future include developing a more robust commercial lending offering for our members. John received his BS in Economics from Iowa State University and his MS from University of California- Davis. He currently serves on the regional board of the Credit Union Executives Council. He has a habit of volunteering his time on the boards of various non-profit organizations. With a new electric plug-in car and a love of bicycling, he is working on reducing his carbon footprint.

Sherry Steckly, Chief Operations Officer

"I represent the voice of members to the executive team."

Sherry Steckly is one of Verity's longest-serving employees, with more than 31 years. "It's really the culture that has kept me here. For example, we value lifelong learning and provide education opportunities for both staff and Verity members." Sherry is a NAFCU-certified regulatory compliance officer and a 2008 graduate of the Executive Development Program, University of Washington. Today, Sherry is responsible for branch and call center operations as well as continuous member feedback through surveys and direct contact. "Our goal is to make the branches conducive to their communities they're in rather than making them all identical," she explains. Originally from Canada, Sherry is a devoted patron of Seattle Arts and Lecture, Meany Theater World Dance and the Edmonds Sno-Isle Public Library.

Shari Storm, Senior Vice President

"I'm so thankful for the opportunities Verity has given me."

Shari began her career at Verity after deciding to stop working for financial institutions. "But then I met the great team. I've been here ever since--more than 13 years." Responsible for several award-winning marketing initiatives, Shari also oversees Verity's IT department. Shari earned her undergraduate degree at University of Washington and her MBA from Seattle University. She is active on the King County Chapter of Credit Unions board of directors and is a member of Filene's prestigious i3 international think tank. She is a mother of three as well as a popular blogger and author of the book Motherhood is the New MBA.

Greg Bruns, Chief Financial Officer

"We try to be good listeners, first of all."

Greg came to Verity with a finance background serving as a CFO at another local credit union for 20 years and began his career with Verity as the director of internal audit. When it became clear that he combined a head for numbers with an ear for listening to members, he moved into the chief lending officer role and eventually came full circle back to his current position as CFO. A true local, Greg attended Lynnwood High School and received his B.A. degree in Business & Economics from Western Washington University, where he also played his collegiate basketball. Greg has continued his passion for basketball serving as the girl's head basketball coach at Skyline High School, plays on a softball team that competes around the country, and enjoys boating and golfing with his family at Lake Chelan.

Justin Martin, Chief Human Resources Officer

"We strive to provide an experience that focuses on professional growth with a balance between work and home."

Justin started his long career at Verity as a summer intern. After leaving to pursue a degree in human resource management at Western Washington University, he returned to what he describes as "one of the strongest environments I have seen in terms of focus on their employees." During his time here, Verity has been recognized with multiple awards ranging from employee development initiatives to overall work environment. Justin holds an MBA from Seattle University along with being an honors graduate from Western CUNA Management School and a certified Credit Union Development Educator.

Sarah Slonsky, Vice President of Lending Solutions

"We want Verity to be top of mind when our members have a need to borrow."

Sarah has worked in the financial services industry for over 15 years and began her career with Verity Credit Union in 2003 as the Manager of the Alderwood Branch. Over the years she has led several departments including Internal Audit and Consumer Lending. In her current role Sarah is responsible for ensuring the credit union continues to meet its member' financing needs while minimizing losses to the credit union and its members. Her goal is for "Verity to be top of mind when our members have a need to borrow or when they pull out a credit card to make a purchase." Sarah holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from City University. Away from work she enjoys spending time with her husband and four daughters.