The Annual Meeting of FirstLight Federal Credit Union is scheduled for May 19th, 2021.
The following slate of candidates was selected by the Nominating Committee for three open positions on the Board of Directors for 2021. Under credit union bylaws, nominations for the Board of Directors may also be made by petition signed by one percent of the members or a maximum of 500 members. In order to serve on the Board of Directors, you must be 18 years of age, a FirstLight Federal Credit Union member, and not a current employee of FirstLight Federal Credit Union. The deadline for nominations by petition is by close of business February 15, 2021. Interested persons may call Pat Aguilera at 915.562.1172, or email at paguilera@firstlightfcu.org, for more information. Ballot and voting information will be mailed to members on April 14, 2021.
RENEE JIMENEZ
I became a member of Fort Bliss Federal Credit Union, now FirstLight, when I was in the 1st grade and as a personal and business member, I have a stake in seeing that the Credit Union continues to do well for its membership. With my business acumen and background in having served in a fiduciary capacity on various community organizations, I will ensure that the Credit Union’s objectives are aligned with the best interests of the members. I am a native El Pasoan, proudly hailing from Andress High School and later obtaining a BA in Environmental Design from Texas A&M. I am a licensed architect in Texas and Arizona, practicing Architecture for over 20 years. I began my professional work with our City through my ownership of MNK Architects. I have successfully managed multimillion-dollar projects, including El Paso’s very own Chihuahua Stadium, and I am confident that I can help in the ongoing success of our Credit Union.
ENRIQUE (RICK) BERNAL III
I am an El Paso Electric Information Security Manager, I manage and execute the overall corporate strategies for data protection, systems and application security, and threat and vulnerability management. I have been with El Paso Electric since June 2012 and held various positions, including IT Operations Manager and Sr. IT Consultant. Prior to joining El Paso Electric, l served as Director of Network Services at Varay Systems and prior to that as Vice President of Information Technology at FirstLight Federal Credit Union. I hold a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. I hold the professional designations of Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). I am a native of El Paso, TX.
BARBARA WALKER
An alumnus from UTEP with a BBA Accounting, I currently work with Cisco Systems. Active in the community, I volunteer and/or participate in the St. Luke’s School, Loretto Academy, EPAPA, Center for Volunteerism & Non-profit Management, El Paso Collaborative for Community & Economic Development, Paso del Norte Group, FBI Infragard, Cornudas Mountain Foundation, Council of International Visitors, Fablab, Executive Forum, Leadership Texas, and the El Paso Creative Cities Leadership project. My service has been recognized at the congressional level, as well as induction to the BizTech Hall of Fame, Texas Governor's Commission Women’s Hall of Fame, Borderplex Hall of Fame. I have been published in the El Paso Times and El Paso Inc. and featured in Tech Talk TV. I am working on a COVID-19 project to assist the homeless, the Connect Community Wireless to close the digital divide.
JAIME MEDINA
With over a decade of experience in management I offer a unique blend of leadership, vision, and knowledge. I currently serve as a full-time project engineer for a primary support services contractor under the Department of Defense. I devote my voluntary time supporting First Light Federal Credit Union by holding a position as a Supervisory Committee Member and FirstLight Community Foundation. My primary commitment is to advance and promote the overall success of FirstLight and in improving the overall convenience in visiting First Light Credit Union. I have been happily married for thirty-nine years with two sons. I have lived all my life in El Paso, Texas and I am a devoted men’s ministry leader of the Del Sol Church Northeast. I enjoy believing I can play golf and support community involvement. I always remember that no one’s perfect but always forgiven.
MARCIA HELLER
I am a small business owner and a long-time member of the credit union. I am the President of Associated Properties, a property management company. I serve on the City’s Zoning Board of Adjustment and I am a board member of the Texas Apartment Association. I have served as Treasurer for several non-profit organizations including the Northeast El Paso Rotary Club and the National Association of Women in Construction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was part of a team that innovated the way the El Paso Apartment Association conducted daily operations. New technologies such as remote video conferencing, digital signatures, and a cloud-based board management platform were some of the changes I pushed for. I value the role that credit unions play in our local economy. The Credit Union has been vital to my success and I believe I have an obligation to serve the community and help foster the next generation of entrepreneurs in El Paso.
JAIME BARCELEAU
I first joined FirstLight Federal Credit Union in 1973 and I have been a volunteer since 2006 when I was appointed to the Supervisory Committee. I am interested in the success of FirstLight because it has been my primary financial institution for 47 years. I have volunteered on the Supervisory Committee, the CUSO and Foundation boards and on FirstLight Board of Directors. I have been elected by the Board to serve as its Secretary, Vice Chair, and currently as Board Chair. I have exceeded all training requirements and I am a CUNA certified Board Member. I am active in strategic planning and setting policies. Retired military officer (LTC) with 31 years of service, a retired non-profit CEO and an active community volunteer with Community en Accion, the Boys and Girls Club Foundation, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and FirstLight.
RUBEN GARCIA
As a longtime member of FirstLight, I am passionate about our growth and success. That means taking care of employees as they take care of members. I feel I have contributed heavily as an Advisory Board Member at FirstLight for over two years now. I want to do more and humbly request your vote to do so. I bring a diverse set of skills to the table. My law enforcement background and courtroom experience instilled a strong sense of duty and integrity. I treat everyone with respect and dignity while I stand up for those who can’t. As a Commercial Realtor for fourteen years, I am very familiar with financial statements. I also own a digital marketing company and understand the evolution of business and where we need to go with technologies and integration tools. I look forward to serving our members further, thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary, Board of Directors FirstLight Federal Credit Union
