ERIE – With 13 years of experience in financial services, TJ Hesch has been named regional senior vice president, controller, for the Trust Services division of Northwest Bank, a full-service financial institution offering a complete line of business and personal banking solutions.
In his role, Hesch is responsible for the oversight and performance of all accounting processes and procedures for Trust Services.
Prior to joining Northwest, Hesch served as vice president of finance at NewFi Lending headquartered in Emeryville, California.
“We are pleased to have TJ join our team,” said Michele Cavalier, senior vice president and senior trust executive. “His successful background of career experience, demonstrated commitment to clients, along with his positive impact in the community, make TJ a welcome addition to our Northwest team.”
Of his role, Hesch said, “I am thrilled to be a part of the Northwest Trust Services team, which has a demonstrated history of serving their clients with the highest level of customer service and loyalty. This level of customer service, loyalty and commitment is something I feel strongly about myself and because of this, I feel well-positioned to serve in my role as controller. I am eager to contribute to the success of the Trust Services division in helping their clients attain financial goals, improve their quality of life and achieve a lifetime of financial success.”
Hesch is a graduate of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance with a minor in Accounting. Hesch is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association and Wharton School of Business, Graduate School of Banking. He holds the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis (CSCA) designations.
Active in his community, Hesch has served on numerous boards and committees. Currently, he serves as treasurer for Grace Church in Erie, Pennsylvania. Hesch also volunteers for a variety of organizations throughout the area, including the Junior Achievement Center’s JA in a Day program, ServErie summer projects and coaching children’s T-ball and basketball teams.
Also joining the Northwest Trust Services team are Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager Corey Piel and Trust Officers Kristen Testa and Jena Lugo.
As senior portfolio manager, Piel is responsible for the development, implementation and ongoing management of investment portfolios for individuals and not-for-profits. He works with clients to make sure their investments match their goals, objectives and time horizon. Also in his role, Piel is a member of Northwest’s Trust Investment Committee and its Investment Strategy Committee, which are responsible for the development of investment strategy, policy and procedures.
Piel comes to Northwest with 15 years of experience in the financial industry, most recently serving as a relationship manager at PNC Private Bank. Piel is a graduate of Westminster College, where he earned his degree in history.
Kristen Testa brings over 10 years of experience to Northwest, most recently serving as partner of Nesper, Ferber DiGiacomo and Grimm, LLP, where she concentrated her legal practice in trusts and estates.
As trust officer, Testa will work with individuals, families and charitable organizations to provide trust administrative services. She will be based in Northwest’s office located in Amherst, New York.
Testa earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and policy studies from Syracuse University. Kristen earned her juris doctor from SUNY at Buffalo Law School and was admitted to the New York State Bar.
She is a member of the Bar Association of Erie County (NY) and the Western New York chapter of the Woman’s Bar Association of the State of New York. She has served as coach to local basketball, floor hockey, and soccer Special Olympics teams.
Jena Lugo brings 15 years of trust experience to Northwest, most recently serving as trust officer for TrustBank in Phoenix, Arizona. Through this experience, she is adept in administering multiple personal trusts and has expertise in special needs trusts, conservatorships and estates. She is also steeped in a knowledge of acting in a fiduciary capacity and working in accordance with state and federal laws.
Lugo will serve Trust clients from Northwest’s office located at Bellevue in Pittsburgh.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Rasmussen College. She is also a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) and has attended Cannon Financial Trust School.
Northwest Bancshares, Inc (Nasdaq: NWBI) is a $14 billion asset financial services company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and the parent company of Northwest Bank, a Pennsylvania chartered savings bank headquartered in Warren, Pennsylvania. The Company serves consumers, small businesses, corporations, and municipalities with a diverse offering of banking, lending, payments, and wealth management solutions. As of September 30, 2022, Northwest Bank operates 142 full-service branches across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Indiana and provides customers fee-free access to more than 55,000 ATMs across the United States.
