Our story.
Our history as a credit union began in 1939 when four neighbours came together to fund a loan for a neighbour's washing machine. The first loan was done at their house in Bridgeland which is also where we opened our first branch. For more than 80 years, we've celebrated some great milestones in Albertans' financial journeys - from supporting local business owners build their dreams to farmers feeding the nation and more. Today we have more than 40 branches across central and southern Alberta with a mission to make money make a difference and to do what’s right for every member.
Credit unions prioritize their members over profits and have been innovative over the years in offering new services before traditional banks, including the below:
1903
1961
1977
2013
2022
We're your friends and neighbours.
And we're all connected through our shared experience as Albertans.
connectFirst is a force for good. Through good times and bad, helping Albertans is our purpose, our history, our DNA. We’re a true credit union, born out of the collective legacies of four others that came before: First Calgary Financial, Chinook Financial, Mountain View Financial, Legacy Financial and SPARK the Energy Credit Union.
Let's bank on a
brighter future
Together.
From community involvement to investment in local businesses; being a member of a Credit Union means you’re a part of the very fabric of our communities. It also means you can rest easy knowing your money is safe and 100% protected by the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation (CUDGC.)
What makes us different:
- Personalized service
- 100% Deposit Guarantee*
- Community-focused
- Member-owned
- Fee-free ATM access all over Canada
Full-service banking partner
Whether you're an individual, business owner, or agri-business owner, we'll make sure you have the tools to spend, save, invest, and borrow, however works best for you. Learn more.
100% Deposit Guarantee
Rest easy knowing your money is safe and secure. Thanks to the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation, deposits in Alberta credit unions are 100% guaranteed. Learn more.
Community-focused
We work and live in the communities we serve. The best investments we can make are the ones that support our local economies to enrich the overall quality of life in our communities. Learn more.
Our members are owners
When you become a member, you also become a part-owner through your investment in common shares. This means you can have your say in the future of our credit union. Learn more.
Fee-Free ATMs across Canada
The Ding-Free ATM network offers members convenient access to their funds (and no withdrawal fees) at thousands of ATMs across Canada, saving time and money. Find an ATM.
Let's start the conversation.
*All principal and interest is 100% guaranteed by the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation, excluding common shares, investment shares, and mutual funds.
Meet the leadership team
at connectFirst.
Perry Dooley
Board Chair
Andrew Eberl
Board Vice Chair
Adil Lalani
Amy Corrigan
Carey Taubert
Danielle Ghai
Darlene Harris
Doug Bristow
Greg Nakonechny
Kelso Brennan
Shannon Rennie
Shawn Eltom
Perry Dooley is a successful entrepreneur and governance professional with over 30 years’ experience in business, financial services and board governance. He believes in organizational purpose, culture and diversity with passion for corporate strategy, leadership and organizational sustainability. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and holder of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) Designation.
Adil is passionate about growing and nurturing local businesses and communities. He founded his own business consulting and investment firm and has built organizations with increased diversity, strong governance and ESG principles. He has a Bachelor of Commerce, a Master’s of Business Administration, and a Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Amy Corrigan is the working owner and director of The Coverall Shop Ltd. She is an experienced credit union director and has served on the Community Credit Union and Red Deer Chamber of Commerce boards. She graduated from the Institute of Corporate Directors/Rotman School of Business Director Education Program
Danielle Ghai is a legal and policy expert with passion for community and social justice. She holds degrees in law, honours English and a certification in immigration laws and policies. She brings to the board table a strong foundation in reading, writing, critical analysis, understanding of law and policy.
A credit union member of 30+ years and Shell Canada retiree with extensive merger and acquisition experience, Darlene is a director on three boards: connectFirst Credit Union, Alberta Central Credit Union, and Topaz Energy. She has a Chartered Professional Accounting designation and has completed Level B of the Credit Union Director accreditation program.
Doug Bristow brings 15 years of experience working with financial institutions, where he has served in senior roles, including chief of internal audit, assistant vice president of finance, vice president and controller to the board. Doug is a partner at the David Aplin Group and a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Greg Nakonechny is a lawyer with expertise in financial institutions, regulatory compliance and corporate governance. Greg has expertise in corporate law, consumer financing, regulatory compliance of financial institutions and corporate governance of private and public enterprises. He was also a legal advisor to many businesses in Edmonton and Calgary.
Kelso Brennan brings knowledge of the credit union system, business administration, and strategic planning to the table. Kelso is the General Manager of a group of architectural signage and wayfinding companies in Alberta. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and a Project Management Professional designation.
Shannon has over 15 years of experience in credit unions, serving as General Counsel for Alberta Central, and is now VP of Legal at H&R Block Canada. She has extensive knowledge of credit union governance and legislation gained from 12+ years of experience.
Shawn Eltom is a long-time credit union member with board and retail leadership experience. He served on the Safeway Employees Credit Union board for five years, where he chaired the Nominating Committee and was vice chair of the Audit and Finance Committee.
Kendra Holland
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Catherine Boynton
Chief Technology Officer
Bob Webb
Chief Brand, People & Culture Officer
Muhammad Shalwani
Chief Financial Officer
Kathleen Hurtubise
Chief Member Experience Officer
Barry Hensch
Executive Vice President, Amplified Experience
James Shore
Interim Chief Risk & Administration Officer
Kendra Holland
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Kendra brings 25 years of experience in financial services and leadership. She draws from her extensive experience in strategy, commercial and agriculture business development and credit, operational controls, and compliance to challenge existing processes and translate leading-edge conceptual thinking into practical actions to serve the interests of our members.
A self-confessed risk enthusiast, Kendra is especially passionate about transforming risk management into risk optimization by taking a prospective – instead of retrospective - view of risk and opportunity. She holds a Certified Chief Executive designation, as well as a Masters Certificate in Risk Management.
Kendra is a true collaborator with expertise in business refinement on every level; she leads with confidence while demonstrating humility as an innovator. Through mentorship, she helps people draw on their innate talents to perform, collaborate and lead better. Nothing brings her more pride than an empowered, proactive, and cohesive team.
Catherine Boynton
Chief Technology Officer
As Chief Technology Officer for Connect First Credit Union, Catherine is an experienced Information Technology leader with expertise in aligning technology with business goals.
Catherine’s career in financial services spans 30-years, the majority of which has been dedicated to technology. Catherine’s passionate focus is leveraging technology to making banking something our members do, not somewhere they have to go.
Catherine is a volunteer advocate in her community and devoted to giving back to those in need.
Bob Webb
Chief Brand, People & Culture Officer
As Chief People and Culture Officer at Connect First Credit Union, Bob provides leadership to the Human Resources and Talent Management teams in their work supporting and developing an engaged, knowledgeable and productive workforce of over 700 employees. He also champions the preservation and growth of Connect First’s organizational culture.
Bob’s career includes over 20 years in the credit union sector, with most of that time spent in various human resources related roles. His educational background includes a Bachelor Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, as well as a Communications Diploma from Mount Royal College. Bob holds the designation of Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR).
He enjoys contributing to his community with a special interest and passion for facilitating various Junior Achievement programs in local schools.
Muhammad Shalwani, CPA, CFA
Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Financial Officer at connectFirst Credit Union, Muhammad takes on the critical role of guiding the ongoing growth of our credit union through strategic financial leadership, with unique insights on liquidity and capital resiliency.
Muhammad has over fourteen years of experience within the financial services sector, including holding senior leadership positions within the credit union system over the past eight years. He is passionate about the success of the credit union system. He is excited to contribute to the vision of connectFirst to support the financial strength of our members.
Muhammad completed his post-secondary education at McGill University and holds the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Kathleen Hurtubise
Chief Member Experience Officer
With over 30 years in the Canadian Credit Union landscape and two decades in wealth management, Kathleen is a values-driven leader, passionate about creating corporate strategies that foster engagement, human connection, performance, and accelerated business growth. As a top-level executive in banking, wealth management and insurance, Kathleen leads with heart and humility in an industry driven by numbers and data. She leads by cultivating the wisdom in the room and making space for individual contributors to bring their brains and their voices, ensuring the business never loses sight of the humans that power it nor of the individuals, families, and business owners they work in service of. A life-long learner and current Oxford post-graduate student in Strategy & Innovation, Kathleen is constantly striving to challenge her own perspectives in business by learning from global thought leaders. She holds a master’s in Leadership from Royal Roads University and numerous financial service industry designations, accreditations, and certificates. She is a passionate people and business leader, board executive, community builder and public speaker.
Barry Hensch
Executive Vice President, Amplified Experience
With over 20 years’ experience in leading information technology systems teams, Barry brings a passion for business and technology transformation to his role at connectFirst. As a born and raised Calgarian, Barry spent time in the oil and gas sector, as well as the telecommunications and utility industries as he transitioned his career from accounting to IT consulting and business leadership. He joined the financial services industry in 2015 where he further refined his business transformation skills. Barry is inspired by relationships that are powered by technology and believes that connectFirst can help their members’ money make a difference in new and exciting ways.
Barry holds a business administration diploma from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), a bachelor’s degree in advanced accounting from the University of Lethbridge, a masters of business administration from Royal Roads University, and an Institute of Corporate Directors Designation (ICD.D). He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Convention Centre Authority.
James Shore
Interim Chief Risk & Administration Officer
Jim brings 20 years' experience in the financial industry to his leadership role at connectFirst. He’s spent time in both general banking and credit union systems. He’s held member-facing roles as well as corporate leadership roles, which include commercial account and branch manager, and credit and commercial leadership.
Jim holds two Masters of Business Administration from Cornell and Queen’s universities. He firmly believes that leadership is a service role to an organization, to support others in achieving their own individual goals and objectives.
As a strong credit union advocate, Jim sees financial co-operatives as an important grass-roots alternative to banks, where value creation stays within the community as opposed to being diverted to institutional investors.
In his personal time, Jim is passionate about spending time with his family, hiking, skiing, and camping in Alberta’s vast outdoors.
Policies, bylaws and financial results.
Trust is built through decades of communication and transparency.