Matt is a seasoned leader and financial expert whose leadership journey at Ascend began in 2005 when he was hired as an internal auditor. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Vice President of Operations in 2009, Chief Operations Officer in 2014, and Executive Vice President in 2017 before being elected as CEO in 2023. Throughout his tenure, Matt has been a driving force behind many successful credit union-wide projects, including the expansion of Ascend’s ATM network and the implementation of over 100 Interactive Teller Machines, which made Ascend the first financial institution in Middle Tennessee to offer this technology. He also played a key role in the opening of Ascend’s teller center and the launch of the credit union's upgraded digital banking platform.
Matt completed the CEO Connect Executive Learning program at Lipscomb University as part of the inaugural class in 2018. Matt is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and holds an accounting degree from Middle Tennessee State University.