Latest news with #Rena
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Savings Bank of Mendocino County Appoints Rena Macapagal as Chief Banking Officer
UKIAH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Savings Bank of Mendocino County is pleased to announce the appointment of Rena Macapagal as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. With over 20 years of experience in retail banking, strategic development, and community-focused financial services, Macapagal brings a strong commitment to innovation, growth, and the Bank's longstanding mission of serving customers and communities throughout Northern California. 'Rena's leadership and expertise in people management, community development, and overall strategy make her an ideal fit for our community-focused organization,' said Stacy Starkey, CEO of Savings Bank of Mendocino County. Share In her new role, Macapagal oversees the Bank's retail banking, consumer and commercial lending, residential real estate, and marketing divisions. She collaborates closely with the executive leadership team to drive strategic planning, product development, and delivery channel expansion—ensuring the Bank remains responsive to the evolving financial needs of its customers. 'Rena's leadership and expertise in people management, community development, and overall strategy make her an ideal fit for our community-focused organization,' said Stacy Starkey, CEO of Savings Bank of Mendocino County. 'We are thrilled to welcome her as we continue building on our tradition of personal service, strong relationships, and thoughtful growth.' Prior to joining Savings Bank of Mendocino County in November 2024, Macapagal served as Head of Retail at San Francisco Federal Credit Union, where she led digital banking initiatives, core system conversions, and community programs, including partnerships with San Francisco City Hall and MyPath. Notably, she helped launch POPPYLOAN, a zero-down mortgage program that expanded access to homeownership across the Bay Area. Macapagal also held leadership roles at Bank of Marin, where she led regional branch realignment and managed the integration of American River Bank following its merger. Earlier in her career at Comerica Bank, she worked in the Technology & Life Sciences Division, supporting innovation-driven clients in venture banking. Macapagal's broad background across commercial, retail, and credit union banking brings a multidimensional approach to supporting customers and communities. 'I am honored to join Savings Bank of Mendocino County, an institution known for its deep local roots and exceptional customer service,' said Macapagal. 'I look forward to working with a dedicated team to build on the Bank's strong foundation and help lead it into its next chapter of growth and impact.' About Savings Bank of Mendocino County Founded in 1903, Savings Bank of Mendocino County is a locally owned and operated community bank headquartered in Ukiah, California. With a longstanding commitment to integrity, personal service, and local decision-making, the Bank provides a full range of personal, commercial, and business banking solutions to customers across Northern California.
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘I felt like the atmosphere was quite hostile'
Occupation Communications director Voting record Michael, originally from Australia, voted mainly for the centre-right Liberal party there. In the Isle of Man, where he has lived since 2011, he was a member of the Liberal Vannin party, but left 'since they've become more leftist in their orientation' Amuse bouche In Australia, he helped prove fraud was taking place in online poker, and was part of the inspiration for the movie Runner Runner starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake Occupation Social media, in fashion Voting record Describes herself as left Labour and a socialist. Big fan of Jeremy Corbyn, 'massively disappointed in Starmer. Too much of a continuation of what we had before and trying way too hard to appeal to Daily Mail readers' Amuse bouche Rena once drove a London Underground train from Brixton to King's Cross. Her tube-driver friend invited her into the cab and let her push the buttons to operate the doors and make the train go Michael At first I thought Rena was very nervous, but over the course of the hour or so she opened up. I had a chicken burger and drank just water. Rena On the way there I was wondering if he'd be wearing a gilet. And he was! I had a cauliflower steak – he probably thought I was such a stereotype – and a tonic water. Rena He said, 'Let's start with the least emotional issue: net zero.' Actually I find the topic of the environment quite emotional. We're facing mass extinction. The planet will survive, but life on Earth, certainly humanity, won't. Unless we radically change what we're doing. Michael I think of myself as a pretty mainstream sort of guy; I believe in the scientific consensus around climate change. We should reduce our emissions but we probably do not need to have governments take control of the means of production. We talked about the fork on the table: if we produce it in Sunderland or Coventry, that creates carbon emissions that are accounted for in the UK carbon emissions budget. However, if you produce that fork in Mumbai or Beijing, that reduces the carbon emissions of the UK, but not the overall global carbon emissions. Rena I talked about what a huge impact the fashion industry has on the world. We have enough to clothe not just everyone on Earth, but the next six generations. We need to leave the fossil fuels in the ground and stop producing so much. Michael She was talking about introducing rationing for clothing. I think the idea is absurd. We need to have a genuine commitment to reducing emissions, rather than this accounting trickery of net zero. It's great that Elon Musk and big business are coming up with solutions. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Michael I think we both liked the chocolate-chip ice-cream. Rena We knew someone in common, a fashion designer on the Isle of Man. Michael We also spoke about affirmative action. The person hired should be whoever is the best able, best capable, to do the job. To me, the dismantling of DEI in America is actually compliant with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Previous administrations have gone along with it because they don't want a fight, whereas Trump obviously isn't afraid to have one. Rena What is happening in America is outrageous, and a distraction tactic – about turning people against each other. I think we should be doing a lot more than affirmative action to radically reshape society and bring people more on a level. Michael In a culture dominated by progressive/left-liberal views, it is normal for people to challenge me on mine. Whereas I don't think anyone's ever done the same for Rena. She is a nice and well-meaning person, but she needs to be more sceptical of everything she reads on the internet. It felt like I was chatting to a 19-year-old undergraduate hard‑left Trotskyist. Rena As a socialist I always look for common ground with people. But he seemed more interested in focusing on the difference – at best point-scoring and at worst ridiculing what I had to say. I felt like the atmosphere was quite hostile from his end. Michael We did not swap numbers. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Michael and Rena ate at Pivot in London WC2 Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
The Courier
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Fifer Rena Stewart went from Bletchley Park hero to BBC pioneer
Rena Stewart was the 'ordinary Fifer' who worked in a secretive world of encryption and translated Adolf Hitler's will. After signing the Official Secrets Act, she spoke very little about her activities. Rena agreed to reflect on her incredible life with author Victoria Walsh. In November 2023, before the interviews were completed, Rena passed away. She was 100. Victoria took on the responsibility to complete the story and document Rena's life, in her own words, and in the words of those who knew her best. The Story of Rena Stewart: Bletchley Park Girl, Translator of Hitler's Will, and BBC Pioneer is the result and will be published on May 30. Rena was born in Lundin Links in 1923 to Thomas and Andrewina (Rena) Stewart. She grew up with older sister Isobel. Rena had an idyllic childhood 'filled with books, music and Scottish dancing'. She was educated and enjoyed a 'successful scholastic career' at Lundin Mill Primary School where her grandfather was a former headmaster. She went to Buckhaven High School after leaving Lundin Mill. Rena gained the Dux Medal at both schools. Victoria said: 'She loved reading and poetry, so she decided to study languages. 'She thought that this would give her access to a whole new world. 'It certainly did. 'Off she went to St Andrews University, in the early years of the Second World War. 'On graduating, in 1943, she and her friend Agnes Gardner, from Cellardyke, decided to 'do something about the war', so they signed up with the Auxiliary Territorial Service.' They became firm friends with Dundonian Margery Forbes. The St Andrews University languages graduates would go on to work at Bletchley Park where Alan Turing's pioneering Enigma machines were housed. 'Rena was community spirited but also had a will of iron,' said Victoria. 'At university, she had joined a cadet unit for women and cleaned up bomb damage. 'Volunteering for war service was the logical next step, and because of her German language skills, she got selected for Bletchley Park.' The vital codebreaking work was a significant factor in the Allied success. 'Bletchley Park was serious and secret stuff,' said Victoria. 'It was a long way from home, so she didn't get to go back to Lundin Links on leave. 'However, Rena was the kind of person who just got on with things.' Rena adapted to the challenge, even if it meant toiling behind closed doors. 'Rena was assigned to a room called the German Book Room with Margery and an ATS girl from Uphall, near Edinburgh, called Elma Morley,' said Victoria. 'There, she worked on secret, decoded messages, essentially making the German readable before they were collated into books for further analysis. 'The messages were mostly uninteresting, but one, from a German Field Marshal, was destined to go straight to Hitler.' Rena described the message as 'absolutely fascinating'. Victoria said Rena lived in a spartan army camp at Bletchley Park, which was led by a dictatorial camp commander, Senior Commander Kemp. 'They had a fantastic social life – hitchhiking, Scottish dancing and tennis,' she said. 'They made up poems and songs, including a humorous tribute to SC Kemp. 'It was called Mein Kemp!' The job came to an abrupt end when the war ended in 1945. Rena and Margery were transferred to Bad Nenndorf, near Hanover, in Germany. 'Rena and her friends hadn't been in the army long, so at the end of the war, they were sent to an interrogation centre in Germany,' said Victoria. 'Their role there was to translate the written statements of captured Nazi officers. 'One day, Rena and Margery were given an extra, top-secret task.' The head of the unit was Major Bill Oughton. He told them to work together on translating a document. The message delivered by Major Oughton was direct: 'Take as long as you like, but there must be no mistakes, and you must agree on all details'. Rena said it was obvious it was Hitler's will. The discovery of the documents had recently been widely reported. 'Hitler actually wrote two wills: a political and a personal one,' said Victoria. 'He dictated these shortly before he committed suicide in his bunker. 'Rena and Margery translated the personal one, which stated what he wanted to happen to his belongings. 'They didn't know what happened to their work until 1947, when Rena spotted the translation in the best-selling book The Last Days of Hitler.' The extraordinary task wasn't even her greatest achievement. Having risen to the rank of sergeant, Rena left the army in 1947. She always wanted to work in the media. 'On her return to England, she managed to secure a position as a clerk at the BBC World Service, and she worked her way up from there,' said Victoria. 'She eventually became the first female boss in the World Service newsroom.' It was a dream job. Rena declared: 'My greatest achievement has been getting people to recognise that a woman can be as good a journalist as a man. 'I'd like to be remembered as a good journalist.' Rena and Margery remained best buddies. They were both lifelong friends with Agnes and Elma. Margery married a Polish soldier and returned to Dundee in 1964. She named one of her daughters Rena. Margery took her secret to the grave when she died of cancer in February 1973. She was 49. The top-secret work done by the codebreakers was declassified and became public in 1974 when The Ultra Secret by Frederick Winterbotham was published. It was the first of the books about what had gone on there. Rena retired from the BBC in 1983. Victoria said it has been an honour creating a lasting tribute to Rena. 'Rena never got married nor had children,' she said. 'She stayed in England because of friends and work. 'However, she never forgot her roots. 'She still had some family in Fife and she spoke fondly of Lundin Links. 'She also taught Scottish dancing until she was 90.' Rena was brought home to Lundin Links when she died. At her request, she was buried in the family burial plot with her parents. Victoria said: 'The secrecy of her war years had a lasting effect. 'She hadn't talked a lot about her wartime efforts over the years, but when I met her, she had finally become happy to blether about herself. 'When Rena died, I was permitted to look through her possessions. 'Among them I found a photo album, containing an amazing set of photos and other mementos from Rena's time in Germany, just after the war. 'The album included the cut-out back of a cigarette packet, humorously granting 'Sgt McHaggis' (Rena's alter ego) membership of the Sergeant's Mess. 'Rena was truly inspiring and her story shows that with a bit of determination and humour, ordinary Fifers can do great things!'
Arabian Business
03-04-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai real estate: AVENEW, Al Tamayoz partner to develop luxury beachfront project ‘Rena' on Dubai Islands
The project features elegantly designed apartments, Dubai's first sea-level townhouses, and a luxurious penthouse. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Avenew Development (@avenewdevelopmentuae) Dubai's first sea-level townhouses Partnering with Al Tamayoz, a well-established UAE contractor known for its high-quality developments, ensures that Rena will be built to the highest industry standards, delivering superior quality and craftsmanship, AVENEW Development said. 'Their expertise and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our vision to deliver a world-class exceptional living environment,' said Rasha Hassan, Managing Partner of AVENEW Development. Samer Roushdy Mousa, Managing Partner of Al Tamayoz Contracting, said their team is dedicated to executing this vision with precision, ensuring that every detail meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. Rena offers an exclusive collection of spacious 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments, as well as a breathtaking penthouse, all designed with open layouts, premium finishes, and floor-to-ceiling windows that bring the beauty of the sea indoors. The development also features private townhouses situated directly on the beach, providing homeowners with immediate access to pristine sand and uninterrupted sea views, the company said.
