TAMPA, Fla. — GTE Financial Credit Union has announced two new senior leadership roles, naming Mike Bernas as vice president, commercial credit manager, and Bibiana Gomez VP-business anking & retail operations.
The appointments reflect the credit union’s continued focus on strengthening its commercial lending capabilities, enhancing member experience and supporting small business growth across the Tampa Bay region, GTE Financial said.
Bernas brings nearly two decades of commercial banking experience to his new role. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in international business from the University of Florida. Over the course of his career, Bernas has held roles in sales, special assets, portfolio management and credit leadership across multiple financial institutions.
In his role, Bernas oversees commercial credit review process for all business lending at GTE Financial, managing a team of underwriters who evaluate opportunities ranging from small business credit cards to multimillion-dollar commercial real estate loans. He also leads ongoing portfolio monitoring, collaborates with sales teams on credit structures and serves as a key liaison with external regulators.
Gomez brings more than 20 years of banking leadership experience, including 21 years at Regions Bank, where she held roles across retail banking, commercial banking, operations, learning and development and corporate strategy. In her new position, she leads business banking operations, GTE Title and branch banking operations.
Gomez’s role focuses on strengthening operational effectiveness, supporting frontline teams and ensuring a consistent, high-quality member experience, while advancing services for small businesses throughout the region.
“These promotions reflect the strength of our leadership team and our commitment to investing in people who embody our mission,” said Manny Aguilar, chief experience officer at GTE Financial. “Mike and Bibiana each bring a deep level of expertise, integrity and passion for serving others. They understand that at the heart of everything we do is people helping people, and they lead in a way that builds trust, empowers teams and strengthens the communities we serve.”
GTE Financial said it continues to demonstrate strong growth and momentum across its business banking operations, adding 1,549 new business checking accounts and increasing average monthly balances by more than $813,000. The credit union also grew average account balances by $3,322, reflecting deeper member engagement and expanded relationships with small businesses across the Tampa Bay region.
