Five Questions With: Brian Azar

BRIAN AZAR is chief lending officer at Navigant Credit Union. / COURTESY NAVIGANT CREDIT UNION
BRIAN AZAR is chief lending officer at Navigant Credit Union. / COURTESY NAVIGANT CREDIT UNION

Brian Azar was recently hired as chief lending officer at Navigant Credit Union. Azar, a veteran banker, previously worked at People’s United Bank in Worcester, Mass., and served as executive vice president, region president of the Providence market at Santander Bank. He talks with Providence Business News about moving to a credit union, the Rhode Island lending market and how it compares to Massachusetts.

PBN: Congratulations on the new job, what will you be doing at Navigant?

AZAR: As Navigant Credit Union’s chief lending officer, I will oversee the credit union’s commercial, consumer and mortgage lending groups, and manage day-to-day loan servicing operations and collections departments. I’ll also serve on Navigant Credit Union’s senior leadership team. I look forward to working with a great group of colleagues to ensure Navigant Credit Union continues moving forward.

PBN: What made you want to move from a bank to a credit union?

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AZAR: This opportunity at Navigant Credit Union was attractive to me because I am very familiar with the organization’s reputation and history in Rhode Island. Navigant Credit Union is well known around the state as being 100 percent committed to its members. Plus, it’s been around for 100 years, growing from a local Central Falls shop worth around $20,000 in assets to the $1.8 billion financial institution it is today. That history of growth and success says a lot about a company, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

PBN: What’s your take on the lending market in Rhode Island?

AZAR: I’m optimistic. Businesses that, just a few years ago, were cautious about growth are now beginning to invest heavily in their futures. Residential construction is on the rise, and housing values are steadily increasing. While I anticipate interest rates to increase, I am still comfortable projecting another year of growth for Navigant Credit Union’s lending portfolios.

PBN: How does it compare – activity-wise – to the Massachusetts market?

AZAR: The lending market in Massachusetts is a bit busier and includes larger loans and more activity – but, again, I’m very optimistic about Rhode Island’s future. The perks of our state – from our beaches to restaurants to affordable housing – are starting to catch on, and we’re seeing more businesses and more individuals relocating here and investing in the state.

PBN: What about your professional history will help you succeed in Rhode Island?

AZAR: I was born in Central Falls, graduated from Bryant University and have lived in Rhode Island my whole life. My career took me around New England – including stops in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Now, I’m thrilled to be back home, working with a group of wonderful, dedicated colleagues at a company that cares about Rhode Island as much as I do. My goal is to use my 30-plus years of professional experience to help Navigant Credit Union continue to expand and provide its members with the efficient, personalized service they’ve grown to expect. Navigant Credit Union has been a staple of Rhode Island’s business community for more than a century, and I am proud to be a part of its next chapter.

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