Edge Announces New Senior Consultants Joining Firm

​Edge Consultancy, LLC, a new strategic consulting firm aimed at credit unions and community banks, announced the addition of several more consultants to the firm.

“We are excited to continue to source leaders in the credit union and community banking space, who are eager to share the wisdom of their experience with community-based financial institutions,” said Joe Dugan, Edge’s President. “Our collective depth of knowledge can bring insight to the many challenges community FI’s are facing today.”

Similar to the Uber model, Edge is garnering former C-level executives from the community bank and credit union sectors, and affordably matching their specific skill sets with the various consulting needs of the community bank or credit union. 

Edge’s approach is already paying dividends. “We’ve been in business for slightly over a month, and we have engaged already with several credit unions, CUSOs and trade associations who are seeking improved service, speed to market, increased skills and expense savings through shared services and shared technology projects or through new digital strategies including data analytics, market place lending and core system utilization,” remarked Kirk Kordeleski, Edge’s Chief Executive Officer. “The need for alternative revenue streams, expense management and omnichannel optimization is significant given continued margin compression and regulatory cost constraints. We are delighted to have the talent we have to bring strategic solutions forward to our community oriented colleagues.”

Joining Edge Consultancy are Michele Dean, Herman Klinger, Jeff Meyer and Steve Winninger. Michele Dean is known as an entrepreneurial minded executive, who has spent the last several years helping CEO’s, boards and leadership teams identify strategic opportunities in the lending marketplace.  Previously, Dean spent 20 years at Bethpage Federal Credit Union where she was responsible for the commercial, consumer and mortgage lending and servicing functions, as well as leading the secondary markets, investments and insurance divisions.

Herman Klinger brings over 33 years of experience to Edge, with the last 18 years spent as chief information officer for Atlantic Coast Bank. Herman has a reputation for technological innovation accomplished within the context of regulatory requirements.

Jeff Meyer is currently the CEO of Dakota West Credit Union, one of the largest financial cooperatives in the upper Midwest. Previously, Jeff served as CEO of 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, where he was the principal architect and chief instigator in establishing 3Rivers’ reputation as one of the most progressive and well respected financial institutions in the Midwest. By consistently questioning and challenging the status quo, he was able to create an environment where individual development was expected, change was embraced and profitable growth was a requirement.

Steve Winninger has been advising boards and CEOs on leadership through better governance practices since retiring from Lake Trust Credit Union, in 2011, where he served as CEO for 20 years. Since retiring from Lake Trust, Steve has served as interim CEO of 3 other credit unions. Additionally, Steve is past Board Member and past Chairman of Mortgage Center, LLC, a CUSO serving 80 Michigan credit unions in mortgage origination and servicing. And, he is a past member of the Administrative Board of the Filene Research Institute, an organization that provides consumer based research for credit unions.

“Thought leadership will be key to be successful in today’s banking paradigm,’ said Dugan. “These folks, along with Juli Anne Callis, Steve Post, Ken Joyce and Kirk, collectively, represent literally hundreds of years of experience that community based FI’s can use as a resource.”

About Edge Consultancy

Edge Consultancy, LLC, is headquartered in Miami Beach, Florida and currently has 12 top consultants onboard.  It plans to expand to over 25 consultants in the coming months with the ultimate goal of having over 100 consultants engaged by the end of 2018. For a list of Edge’s consultants and consulting services, go to edgeconsultancyllc.com