Amplify Credit Union CEO Paul Trylko to retire; Kendall Garrison named as successor

As Amplify Credit Union enters its 53rd year in 2020, it will do so with a new chief executive officer as current CEO Paul Trylko retires and Executive Vice President Kendall Garrison assumes the role. The changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

Amplify Board Chair Willie Everett explained, “Paul has served Amplify incredibly well over his 30 years with the credit union. We’ve grown exponentially under his leadership and are poised for further growth, which is the strongest legacy a leader can leave. A champion of Amplify’s culture and dedicated developer of talent, Paul is a shining example of the adage that you should leave things better than you found them, and we wish him every success in his future endeavors.”

Trylko joined the credit union in 1989 as executive vice president, after previously serving as a vice president at another Austin-area credit union for 10 years. He was named CEO in 1998 when Amplify had $154 million in assets and 44 employees. Under his leadership, the credit union has grown to more than 200 employees, almost $1 billion in assets on its balance sheet, a total of approximately $1.3 billion in assets under management, a rebranding, and an expansion to a statewide field of membership.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to serve alongside the employees and volunteers who serve Amplify’s members every day,” said Trylko. “I’m a firm believer in the positive role credit unions play in the lives of members and in the cooperative principles that have been the foundation of Amplify for more than 50 years. Knowing I’m leaving that mission in the capable hands of a strong leadership team gives me confidence our members will continue to be well served and our drive to bring the credit union advantage to more Texans will endure.”

About the new CEO
Garrison joined Amplify in 2010 on the lending team and served as senior vice president of lending until 2015, when he was named executive vice president. Since then, he’s been responsible for spearheading the credit union’s growth strategy and overseeing operations. In that time, Amplify has expanded real estate lending, more than doubling the size of its real estate loan portfolio to almost $350 million and adding a portfolio of loans servicing for others of more than $300 million.

In addition, Amplify has taken a leadership position among credit unions for digital innovation, acquiring and serving the largest share of its members through remote channels, and quadrupling the size of its commercial lending portfolio to more than $100 million, becoming the second-largest locally based SBA lender in Austin.

“The future is bright for credit unions, but only for those who recognize the future will not look like the past,” said Everett. “Kendall has grasped that reality since he joined Amplify almost 10 years ago, and he’s been a staunch advocate for a growth strategy that ensures we can continue to deliver the credit union difference far into the future. Working hand-in-hand with Paul and the board, he’s already made a lot of progress in that direction, and we’re excited to continue that work together.”

Prior to joining Amplify, Garrison had a 30-year career in mortgage banking with institutions including Franklin Bank, Extraco Bank, and others. He was recently named the president of the board of managers for the Alliance of Austin Credit Unions, which is a collaboration of 16 Austin-area credit unions. In addition, he was board chair for CU Business Solutions, which was owned by seven local credit unions, and board chair for Communities United for Fair Lending, a nonprofit organization providing affordable short-term loans to people in need as an alternative to payday lending.

“One thing my time at Amplify has taught me so far is that if you bring together great people united by a worthy mission, anything is possible,” said Garrison.” Paul has done that over decades, and it’s an honor to earn the trust of the organization to carry that forward. “As we cross the threshold of $1 billion on our balance sheet, we have a great team that will carry us forward to our next stage of growth.”

Garrison will be leading Amplify’s executive team, which has been evolving as part of its succession plan. Chief Operating Officer Nancy Ballman announced her retirement earlier this year, concluding 29 years with the credit union following a successful core conversion, and her responsibilities have been divided among Chief Experience Officer Stacy Armijo and Chief Information Officer Charlotte Morrison. In addition, the credit union recently centralized the risk management function under Chief Risk Officer Alan Hansford.

About Amplify Credit Union
Established in 1967, Amplify Credit Union’s more than 200 employees serve more than 60,000 members and steward almost $1 billion in assets. Offering a full suite of services for mortgage lending, consumer banking, wealth management, and commercial lending, Amplify Credit Union provides a safe home for members’ money and great loans for their homes to fuel its work in the community.

Sources: Amplify Credit Union and CU today