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June 26, 2024Hudson Valley Credit Union Announces New Branch Managers
Hudson Valley Credit Union is excited to welcome Courtney Thayer, Elaine Aybar, and Kyle Richardson to their team of Branch Managers. Additionally, Chris Galayda has been promoted to Newburgh Branch Manager. These individuals are responsible for the engagement and development of staff, oversight of risk and operations, and driving growth among new members.
Chris Galayda joined HVCU in 2022 as a Commercial Loan Officer and brings more than 18 years of banking leadership experience to his new role as Senior Branch Manager in Newburgh. He has demonstrated leadership skills in team development, mentoring and coaching as a former branch leader at TD Bank, PCSB Bank, Citibank and KeyBank. Chris also has 12 years of experience as a real estate professional in the Hudson Valley.
Courtney Thayer joins HVCU as their Latham Branch Manager, the credit union’s first Capital Region Branch*. She previously served at Berkshire Bank as a Financial Center Manager where she orchestrated the day-to-day operations of the bank, ensuring that all processes ran smoothly and managed the hiring, training, and coaching of bank staff to ensure that continuity among tasks and service excellence. Courtney also brings extensive experience in retail store management where she demonstrated exceptional service delivery and sales growth. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Castleton University.
Elaine Aybar brings more than 20 years of experience to her new role as Chester Senior Branch Manager. She most recently held the role of Vice President and Branch Manager for Citibank, where she excelled in all aspects of retail banking over two decades. Elaine brings her passion for sales and service coaching, leadership development and managing the various aspects of risk and operational controls to the role.
Kyle Richardson brings 15 years of experience in financial services to his new role as a Senior Branch Manager in Arlington. He most recently served as Assistant Vice President of Sales & Service for TEG Federal Credit Union where he played a key role in market oversight, as well as branch and call center 
management. Kyle will play an integral role in strengthening and retaining member and employee relations with his strong passion for people and serving the community. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Economics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
