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Bloom Credit is expanding its partnerships team with the addition of Pete Halenar as VP, Alliance Partnerships. Pete will lead Bloom's work building and growing relationships with credit unions, banks, and strategic partners, helping more financial institutions bring Bloom+ to their account holders.

Pete brings over 25 years of experience in strategic alliances and business development within financial services. Prior to Bloom, he served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at MX, where he led channel and alliance programs for over a decade. He previously served as Vice President of Business Development, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances at PSCU, and held senior business development roles at Prudential Financial and Open Solutions Inc. Pete holds a Bachelor's degree in Professional Studies, Business Management and Administration from the State University of New York.

"Pete has spent his career building the kind of trusted relationships that move financial services forward. As we grow Bloom+ across credit unions and banks, his experience will help us reach more institutions and, in turn, more people who deserve credit for the payments they're already making," said Christian Widhalm, CEO of Bloom Credit.

After retiring last year, Pete wasn't planning to return to corporate life. But the opportunity to help build something that solves a real problem for millions of people changed his mind.

"I wasn't looking for another job, another title, or another chapter," said Pete Halenar, VP, Alliance Partnerships, Bloom Credit. "But this opportunity made too much sense to pass up: a chance to work with a strong team, building something that truly helps people. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you weren't looking for. Thank you to Christian Widhalm, Christa Degnan, Ian Bazzoli, Tushar Mukhija, and Mike Nicastro. for this opportunity to build on what this team has already accomplished. I'm looking forward to re-engaging and to this next chapter."

Pete's addition strengthens Bloom's ability to bring consumer-permissioned data to more financial institutions, giving more people access to credit for the payments they're already making on time.