<p>ALBANY, N.Y. – Empire Corporate FCU recently announced a number of personnel moves as well as the shoring-up of the speaker line-up for its 25th Annual Economic Forum and Annual Meeting. Gary Furtado, president/CEO of Credit Union Central Falls, Rhode Island, has been appointed to Empire's board of directors. Furtado previously served as an associate board member. He also chairs its supervisory committee. Empire Corporate utilizes the associate board position as a sort of director-in-training program as well as a back-up for board members. If for some reason an Empire director had to leave the board, an associate director could step in as part of the succession plan. Empire's newest associate director is Gail F. Bedell, President/CEO of WCTA Federal Credit Union in Sodus, New York. Bedell will serve a one-year term. As far as staff news at Empire, it has named Luann Conlon vice president of project management. She will handle application development and maintenance of its project management function. Dan Haglun has been named vice president of investments. He will manage the corporate's $2.6 billion portfolio. The corporate has also firmed up the speaker line-up for its Economic Forum and 25th Annual Meeting to be held April 9-10 in Bolton Landing New York on Lake George. The big name on the line-up is NBC's Tim Russert of Meet the Press. Other speakers include Dr. Nicholas S. Perna of Perna Associates; Economist Brian Wesbury; John L. Manley, Jr., managing director of U.S. Equity Strategist; author/economist/professional speaker Jeff Thredgold; and author and professional speaker Dr. Janet Lapp.</p>