To commemorate the many accomplishments and contributions of the late Virginia Panossian, Wescom renamed our Pasadena, California headquarters — which is now known as The Virginia C. Panossian Administrative Offices — in her honor.
Panossian, who passed away in April 2023, was a dedicated volunteer to Wescom for nearly 30 years. A former telecommunications executive, she was first appointed to the Wescom Board of Directors in 1988 and went on to serve as Board Chair from 1995 to 2017. During her tenure on the Board, she was a valued member of the Executive Committee, and played a critical role in guiding the work of numerous other Board committees including Nominating, Governance, Human Resources, and Finance.
She also focused her energies on helping others succeed, generously giving of her time to mentor fellow Wescom Board Members and Associate Directors. She was also dedicated to supporting women in developing their leadership roles within the organization, and in recognition of those efforts Wescom will further honor Panossian by creating a new Women of Wescom Employee Resource Group mentorship program, which will be named after her.
Wescom President and CEO, Darren Williams calls Virginia, “a tireless advocate for Wescom Credit Union and Wescom members,” touting her involvement in the Pasadena Heritage, Pasadena Humane Society, and all things Pasadena.
Wescom also made $5,000 donations to each of four organizations that were near and dear to Panossian’s heart and personal passions: the Pasadena Humane Society, the Pasadena Heritage, the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club Junior Sailor Program, and the credit union industry’s Global Women’s Leadership Network.
Williams also states, “Virginia leaves a legacy at Wescom with her consistent focus on doing the right thing for the membership, challenging our thinking on how to improve on the status quo, and her message to expect more of ourselves.”
