CUSO welcomes Chris Watkins and recognizes Kevin Spear ahead of retirement

St. Petersburg, Fla. (March 19, 2025) – Velera – formerly PSCU/Co-op Solutions, the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider – today announced Chris Watkins has been named senior vice president of Client Service Delivery. In this role, Watkins will oversee the design and implementation of innovative service models, initiatives and procedures to ultimately deliver Velera financial institutions with exceptional, quality services and solutions.

For more than 20 years, Watkins has focused on providing seamless client experiences and driving client success across the financial services and market research industries. Watkins most recently served as senior vice president, Client Success and Experience at Global Payments Inc., where he drove global client-centricity to maximize client value, empower success and deliver differentiated experiences. Prior to his time there, he spent 16 years with client experience and market research company MaritzCX, where he ultimately served as Client Success practice leader, focusing on Emerging Growth. Watkins earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Bradley University.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Chris to our team,” said Dean Young, executive vice president, chief service officer, Velera. “With his strong background in client experience and success, we are confident he will propel Velera to continue elevating and enhancing the client experience for our credit unions, driving further growth.”

Watkins will replace Kevin Spear, who is retiring from Velera at the end of March. Spear joined Velera in 2006, serving as senior vice president of Client Relations and Service until 2012. He rejoined Velera in 2019 as senior vice president of Client Service Delivery, where he has been responsible for shaping strategic direction, continuous improvement and operational effectiveness across the client service organization.

“We are extremely grateful to Kevin for guiding the Client Service Delivery team with passion and unwavering dedication during his time with Velera, allowing us to deliver personalized and exceptional service to credit unions nationwide,” said Young. “On behalf of our entire organization, I want to thank Kevin for the lasting impact and difference he made during his tenure and wish him the best in retirement.”

About Velera

Velera, formerly PSCU/Co-op Solutions, is the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider. With over four decades of industry experience and a commitment to service excellence and innovation, the company serves more than 4,000 financial institutions throughout North America, operating with velocity to help its clients keep pace with the rapid momentum of change and fuel growth in the new era of financial services. Velera leverages its expertise and resources on behalf of credit unions and their members, offering an end-to-end product portfolio that includes payment processing, fraud and risk management, data and analytics, digital banking, instant payments, strategic consulting, collections, ATM and POS networks, shared branching and 24/7/365 member support via its contact centers. For more information, visit velera.com.