Lancaster-based nonprofit lender Community First Fund has filled a pair of C-suite roles.
- Elizabeth Bennett has been named the lender’s CFO, while Ed Gallagher has been named chief credit officer.
- Bennett worked most recently as CFO for Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster and has also held finance roles at Lancaster Theological Seminary and Ephrata-based D&E Communications.
- Bennett succeeds Lloyd Shields, who had been Community First’s acting CFO following the departure of CFO Anthony Pappion in April, according to a spokesperson.
- Shields, who had been a financial consultant to Community First, is now financial consultant to Community First’s president and CEO, Dan Betancourt.
- Gallagher worked most recently as senior vice president of corporate banking for Univest Bank and Trust in Souderton.
- Gallagher also has worked for Phoenixville Federal Bank and Trust and the former CoreStates, which is now part of Wells Fargo.
- Gallagher succeeds Mike Carper, who retired last year. Joan Brodhead, Community First’s chief strategic initiatives officer, filled in during the interim.
The background: Community First focuses on lending to people and businesses in underserved communities throughout Central and southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as the Lehigh Valley.
- The nonprofit launched a credit union in 2022.
- As of June 30, the organization had assets of $158.3 million, up from $145.8 million a year earlier, according to its annual report.
