21 Apr Unison Bank Marks Leadership Transition as Chief Credit Officer Sharon Miller Retires After 15 Years
Unison Bank Marks Leadership Transition as Chief Credit Officer Sharon Miller Retires After 15 Years
After 15 years with Unison Bank, Arizona Market President / Chief Credit Officer Sharon Miller is retiring, marking the close of a leadership chapter that helped define the bank’s credit culture and guide its lending strategy through a period of steady growth.
During her tenure, Miller helped establish the disciplined credit practices that remain a cornerstone of the bank’s operations today. Her leadership enabled thoughtful, responsible expansion while maintaining a strong focus on risk management and long-term stability.
Her impact, however, reached far beyond credit policy.
Miller was widely known for her investment in people, mentoring emerging leaders and creating opportunities for growth across the organization. Colleagues credit her with helping shape not only how the bank lends, but how it leads.
“Sharon’s leadership and dedication have left a lasting mark on our organization,” bank leaders said in a statement. “Her commitment to excellence and the way she developed people helped position Unison for continued success.”
As Miller steps away, Unison is transitioning credit leadership responsibilities to a team that developed under her guidance.
Christofer Yacoub, Arizona Market President, will take on expanded responsibilities helping guide credit strategy across the organization. Yacoub began his banking career in 2011 and has held leadership roles across retail, community, business and private wealth banking, with experience in Illinois, Las Vegas, Dallas and Austin before settling in Phoenix.
A graduate of Arizona State University, where he studied organizational leadership, Yacoub said his academic focus on leadership styles and workplace culture continues to influence his approach today.
“My time in Phoenix before Unison was a search for a place where my personal values aligned with the organization’s culture,” Yacoub said. “From my very first interview with Sharon, I knew I had found that place.”
He credits Miller’s leadership as a defining influence on his career.
“Her approach to leadership and her dedication to excellence have been the most influential part of my career to date,” Yacoub said. “I’m honored to help continue what she helped build and to be part of shaping what comes next.”
Joining Yacoub in expanded responsibilities is Austin Dickman, Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending. Dickman began his career at Unison in 2016 as a credit analyst and credits Miller with giving him his first opportunity in banking shortly after graduating from college.
“Sharon gave me my first shot in the industry,” Dickman said. “She pushed people to be their best while giving them the opportunity to grow beyond their current skill set.”
Dickman later transitioned into commercial lending and now helps lead the bank’s commercial and consumer lending teams.
“Unison has been a major part of my life for nearly 10 years,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a place where people stay, grow and build careers together. That says a lot about the culture Sharon helped create and her commitment to the people around her.”
Bank leaders say the transition comes as Unison continues strengthening relationships with businesses and entrepreneurs across the Phoenix market.
With a strong credit foundation in place and a new generation of leadership stepping forward, the bank remains focused on supporting local businesses, investing in its people and continuing to build on the momentum of the past decade.
LEARN MORE:
