Notre Dame, IN – May 18, 2021 – Notre Dame Federal Credit Union (Notre Dame FCU) recently announced the summer 2021 opening of its first branch in Lake County located at the Illiana building on 119^th Street in Whiting, IN. Today, Notre Dame FCU President and CEO Tom Gryp announced hometown resident and current Chief Retail Officer, John Wilkening, will assume the additional role of NW Indiana Market President.

Raised in the Goose Island neighborhood of Whiting, Indiana, Wilkening graduated from Whiting High School in 1986 and Indiana State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Public Relations. With over 25 years of banking experience, Wilkening joined Notre Dame FCU as Chief Retail Officer in 2015. In 2019, he was named Executive of the Year by NAFCU, a leading credit union industry trade association.

Notre Dame FCU President/CEO and 2012 NAFCU CEO of the Year, Tom Gryp, said, “The impact of John’s leadership has been instrumental in the current growth and mission of Notre Dame FCU. With a growing network of active members in NW Indiana, John and his team will hit the ground running to bring much-needed personalized service to the area.”

Wilkening is leading a team of seasoned professionals, all with strong ties to NW Indiana.

Enrique Magallanes, Senior Manager of Business Development, has spent his career in banking, including in Chicago, as well as Lake, Porter and St. Joseph Counties in Indiana. Magallanes graduated from Morgan Park High School in Chicago and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from Robert Morris College. Magallanes will additionally serve as Branch Manager of the Notre Dame FCU Branch in Whiting, Indiana.

Jesse Hunt, Senior Commercial Loan Officer and graduate of George Rogers Clark High School, specializes in commercial lending, SBA 504 lending and business banking. Hunt has over 15 years of experience in banking and currently serves on the Advisory Board and Finance Committee for the Salvation Army of Lake County.

Daniel Rodriguez, Business Development Representative and George Rogers Clark High School graduate, has more than 15 years of banking and wealth management experience, most recently in the Private Banking Sector for Cook, Lake, and Porter Counties. Rodriguez holds annuity, health, and life insurance licenses and has Series 63 and Series 6 finance designations.

Shellie Zaberdac Dell, Business Development Representative, has served NW Indiana for many years by working with non-profit organizations in both volunteer and professional capacities. Dell is a Region Native, raised in Crown Point and a Crown Point High School graduate. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Indiana University Northwest and is currently pursuing a Masters of Non-Profit Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

Martin Oddo, Mortgage Loan Originator, has spent over 25 years serving the community through his work in the housing industry. After graduating from Main South High School in Park Ridge, a Chicago suburb, Oddo went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from North Park College. Oddo has also served the community for the past 25 years as a Minister for the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.

Wilkening concluded, “I am honored to lead such a strong team of seasoned, local bankers who are all dedicated to ‘Change a Life a Day’ for our hard-working neighbors of NW Indiana.  The mission of Notre Dame FCU is to help and financially empower people and that is what we plan to do”.

Get in Touch
Visit NotreDameFCU.com/LakeCounty to learn more about the Lake County Team and Whiting Branch or to schedule a phone or virtual appointment with a representative.

About Notre Dame Federal Credit Union
Notre Dame Federal Credit Union (Notre Dame FCU) is a full-service not-for-profit financial cooperative serving member-owners and their communities nationwide. With assets exceeding $800 million and more than 57,000 members worldwide, Notre Dame FCU’s dedicated partners (employees), coupled with a wide array of financial services, provide members a personalized experience through the credit union’s nine convenient branch locations, its virtual branch (Shamrock Center), and through its robust online banking platform and mobile apps. Founded in 1941, Notre Dame FCU has grown from its origins in the Administration Building at the University of Notre Dame, and today serves over 900 affiliated groups. Notre Dame FCU is independent of the University. Visit us at www.NotreDameFCU.com. Insured by NCUA.