PenFed Credit Union has completed its fourth prime auto loan securitisation, issuing $354 million in fixed-rate, asset-backed notes through PenFed Auto Receivables Owner Trust 2026-A. The transaction closed on 22 June. The private placement offering, available only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A, was structured in five senior tranches and three subordinate tranches, rated by S&P and Fitch. J.P. Morgan Securities served as structuring lead, with Goldman Sachs as joint lead and CIBC World Markets as co-manager. PenFed President and CEO James Schenck said the securitisation diversifies funding, increases liquidity and strengthens net worth. The credit union, which serves 2.8 million members with $29 billion in assets, plans to remain a programmatic issuer using securitisation to expand funding options.

It's your business has Lisa Wu, Tyrone Wilkens and Dana B. Weaver. Topeka Capital-Journal June 6, 2026, 4:01 a.m. CT Hires. FHLBank Topeka announced Lisa Wu as its new chief risk officer starting June 15, 2026. Wu was selected as part of a nationwide search for the position. "As a trusted partner to our member financial institutions, it was essential to bring in someone with a strong risk management background," said FHLBank Topeka president and CEO Jeff Kuzbel. "Lisa's broad risk management experience and extensive first-line balance sheet management, analytical and modeling capabilities in the financial services industry will be a tremendous asset to our cooperative and the members we serve." Wu most recently served as senior vice president, Enterprise Risk Office, at PenFed Credit Union, in McLean, Virginia, where she oversaw enterprise risk strategy and frameworks, financial and non-financial risk management, model risk management, AI risk management and data governance functions. Prior to PenFed, she spent nearly 13 years at Capital One and before that Fannie Mae and Honeywell International. Wu has a master's of information and data science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA in finance from the University of Maryland. Vicki Anderson and Michele Hillrichs, formerly of Studio 1 Hair Salon, have relocated to i.h.s. salon, also known as Indian Hills Styling Salon, 5642 SW 29th St., in the Barrington Village Shopping Center as full-time stylists. Anderson is a graduate of Stephen's Academy of Beauty Culture, Peoria, Illinois, has been a stylist for over 40 years and also has an associate's degree in business. She is also former owner of Image Elite Salon. Hillrichs is a graduate of Sydney's School of Cosmetology, Hutchinson, and has been a stylist for 40 years. Anderson and Hillrichs are former owners of Stylin' Salon, Topeka, and have attended continuing education classes throughout their careers. Having received advanced training and certification in blonding techniques, they specialize in foil placement for high and lowlights. They are also certified in the application and removal of hair extensions. Both stylists also offer coloring, perming, facial waxing and haircutting for men, women and children. Hillrichs, also a nail technician, is certified as a CND Shellac Nail Design Master, offering spa & gel manicures. Promotions. The Congregational Home Inc. Board of Directors has appointed Tyrone Wilkens as president and chief executive officer of Brewster Place, effective July 1. Wilkens brings nearly 20 years of experience in adult care and has served as administrator of the Brewster Place Health Center since November 2025. In that role, he has quickly developed a strong understanding of Brewster Place's mission, values and nationally recognized programs. Wilkens is a graduate of Kansas State University, where he earned a bachelor of science in social services. Throughout his career, he has remained focused on advancing quality care and fostering strong community relationships in senior living and health care. Wilkens and his wife, Amy, live in St. George and will celebrate 27 years of marriage this year. They have three children: Cadence, Calier and Camry. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as camping, fishing and golfing. "I look forward to collaborating with our dedicated staff and residents as we continue to build on Brewster Place's outstanding legacy of compassionate service and excellence," said Wilkens. Achievement. Building on years of helping women entrepreneurs and executives discover their authentic leadership styles, business owner and Topeka native Dana B. Weaver has published her first book. The work, titled "Magnetic Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs," is a reflective leadership guide designed to help readers overcome the hurdles holding them back, by learning to lead themselves first. Released May 21, "Magnetic Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs: The Essential Framework to Lead Yourself First, Speak with Conviction, and Build a Purposeful Business" draws from Weaver's personal and professional journey, as well as the leadership coaching strategies she has developed as founder and CEO of Weaver Solutions LLC. In "Magnetic Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs," Weaver offers direction for how to examine one's inner world, how to lead according to your values, and how to ask better questions, starting with yourself. "We are living in a time when it can be difficult to know what's real - from artificial intelligence and deepfakes, to curated online identities and the pressure to fit others' definitions of success," said Weaver, who hopes her book creates space for readers to be seen, inspired and empowered. "Magnetic Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs" is available now in paperback and Kindle editions through Amazon. She will have a book signing from 2-4 p.m. June 7 at The Dillon House in downtown Topeka. Topeka-area hirings, promotions, retirements and other announcements can be emailed to [email protected].

Leading financial institutions partner to address Military Spouse Employment crisis. Navy Federal Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union, and USAA join forces with Blue Star Families and IVMF to release findings of three-year longitudinal study. Military spouse unemployment has remained stubbornly above 20% for more than a decade - several times higher than the national average, despite years of public and private sector efforts. It is a staggering plateau considering 43% of military spouses hold advanced degrees, more than three times the national average, yet many remain overqualified and underpaid. New research released today shows this challenge is systemic, shaped by structural barriers like frequent moves, limited workplace flexibility, and cumulative career interruptions across the military life cycle. Navy Federal Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union, and USAA, in partnership with Blue Star Families (BSF) and the D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), released findings today from a three-year longitudinal study while convening senior leaders at the Milken Institute in Washington, D.C. for the Military Spouse Employment Summit. The research provides one of the clearest pictures to date of how military spouse careers evolve over time and why, despite years of attention, outcomes have not meaningfully improved. "One of the most persistent challenges facing military families is military spouse employment, and for more than a decade, Blue Star Families has worked to spotlight just how deeply military life disrupts spouse careers," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "Together with our partners at Navy Federal Credit Union, PenFed, and USAA, we're moving beyond defining the problem and towards evidence-based solutions. This research identifies policies and practices with the potential to make a great difference. When military spouses have access to careers that can adapt to military life, it strengthens not just families, but force readiness and communities as well." As part of the Blue Star Families Military Spouse Employment Initiative, the study followed the same military spouses over three years, documenting how employment challenges and opportunities shift across different stages of military and family life. The findings show that barriers are not isolated - they build and compound over time, shaping long-term career and financial outcomes. The research also identifies factors that most strongly support long-term employment stability, like mentorship, work flexibility, and career portability. These factors, not demographic or military-branch specific, were the strongest predictors of sustained employment over time. In a collective commitment to military families, this coalition also produced a Corporate Employer Playbook, offering actionable, evidence-based strategies for organizations committed to hiring and retaining military spouse talent. It provides organizations with concrete strategies to implement employment stability and create inclusive hiring practices that recognize military spouse talent, while also building retention strategies that account for military life realities. The collaboration demonstrates that lasting solutions to military spouse employment require collective action across sectors. When competitors come together around shared values, they create momentum for systemic change. "Military spouses bring resilience, adaptability, and high-impact talent to the workforce," said Britt Bloch, VP of Talent Acquisition Strategy and Recruiting at Navy Federal Credit Union. "By removing barriers tied to permanent change of station moves, employers unlock sustained contributions from top talent and meet military spouses where they are, geographically and professionally. We've seen tremendous value in designing meaningful career pathways for military spouse employment." "This partnership reflects a shared responsibility to the financial and professional stability of military families," said Maura Watson, PenFed Credit Union Executive Vice President, Risk, Infosec, and Talent. "The findings are clear, and the solutions are actionable - PenFed has implemented many of these findings and will continue to support military spouses." "This three-year longitudinal study provides a critical, evidence-backed foundation for solutions that can be scaled across the private sector," said Tami Cabaniss, Chief Human Resources Officer at USAA. "By understanding the systemic nature of these challenges, we can more effectively deliver on our Honor Through Action commitment. We aren't just looking at data; we are using these insights to drive measurable change that bolsters the financial security and well-being of the military families we serve." "Too often, the challenges that limit military spouses' careers are treated as a series of isolated setbacks," said Dr. Stacy Hawkins, Managing Director for Research and Evaluation at the D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). "By tracking spouses over three years and translating the evidence into a resource guidebook, we are equipping employers and policymakers with the insights and tools needed to build durable, portable careers for those who serve alongside our nation's servicemembers." Building on the evidence-based recommendations from this research, the coalition is also working to grow an ecosystem of change, stewarding more employers, policymakers, and community partners to take action on military spouse employment. Organizations are invited to adopt these practices and sign on to the 4+1 Commitment, presented by Blue Star Families and Hiring Our Heroes, a shared pledge to implement the solutions that make careers more portable, flexible, and sustainable for military spouses over the long term. [To share your insights with us, please write to [email protected]]