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Seattle-based WaFd Bank promotes New Mexico executive to lead business banking across six states
Joshua Smith
Published
Modified
The head of WaFd Bank New Mexico’s operations will now oversee business banking across six states.
WaFd’s Regional President of New Mexico, Michelle Coons, will serve as the executive director of business banking for New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Idaho, Nevada and Utah, according to a news release. Coons previously oversaw the bank’s New Mexico division for more than seven years as the regional president, a WaFd spokesperson said.
Joshua Smith will replace Coons as the new regional president of New Mexico. Smith was the commercial banking manager for WaFd Bank New Mexico for eight years before his promotion, and is the president of the New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation.
In her new role, Coons will oversee small business loans, treasury management, credit products and deposit services for business and consumer clients, the bank said in a news release.
In an April 2024 interview with the Journal, Coons said her banking career began 42 years ago after she started working at a bank while in school at the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management. She applied for the bank’s management training program and went on to become one of the few women in commercial lending at the time, she said.
WaFd Bank, based out of Seattle, serves nine Western states. WaFd is one of the largest banks in New Mexico, with 18 branches across the state.
