Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The CUInsight Network
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergers - CUCollaborate | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:25:13 | |
“I can have significance in my life and my career in terms of helping credit unions and in some small way leave the world in a better place.” - Chris Tissue Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Chris Tissue, Chief Operating Officer at CUCollaborate, and he joins me for this episode to discuss something that can really spark some strong opinions across the industry—mergers. Listen in as he shares how his career path (from growing up in Pittsburgh in a family of entrepreneurs to working at Callahan & Associates, Deloitte, and Grant Thornton) eventually led him back to the credit union movement and into a role where he helps institutions think strategically about growth. In our conversation, we start with Chris’s early career journey and how a liberal arts graduate who once dreamed of entrepreneurship found himself immersed in the credit union world. That experience ended up coming full circle when he joined a former colleague to build out the consulting practice at CUCollaborate. Along the way, he and I discuss what the organization does day-to-day, and we also, of course, spend a good portion of the conversation discussing mergers, with Chris explaining how the industry historically viewed mergers as emergency solutions for struggling institutions. Nowadays, however, more financially healthy credit unions are considering mergers as a strategy to compete effectively and invest in the future, and Chris shares how his team approaches this work with a clear principle in mind: if a merger doesn’t meaningfully benefit members, it just should not happen. As we wrap up the episode, we touch upon Chris’s craft beer passion, the leadership influence of his grandfather, why Chicago in the summer tops his travel list, and more! Enjoy my conversation with Chris Tissue!
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| Activation Gap - Swaystack | 03 Apr 2026 | 00:17:49 | |
“The exciting part of life is innovating—creating, filling the gap where previously there was a void.” - Har Rai Khalsa Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Har Rai Khalsa, Co-Founder and CEO of Swaystack. He joins me for a conversation about a challenge which many credit unions quietly wrestle with: turning new accounts into real, active relationships. Har Rai’s path into fintech wasn’t exactly the one he imagined as a kid. Like a lot of young athletes, he once pictured himself going pro, inspired by legends such as Derek Jeter. Instead, his career began in lending, where he spent years learning the mechanics of onboarding, underwriting, and the systems which power financial institutions. He also explains how that experience eventually led him to build technology solutions for financial institutions and ultimately launching Swaystack. In our conversation, Har Rai shares how his team approached building their company and how—rather than assuming that they knew what credit unions needed—they began by asking a lot of questions. In their early conversations with credit unions, a surprising theme revealed itself: growth wasn’t actually the real problem. Many institutions were opening plenty of accounts, but far too many of those accounts were going inactive within months. We discuss why those first 90 days after opening an account are so incredibly important. Hear how onboarding responsibilities are scattered across departments such as marketing, retail, lending, and digital—yet no one actually owns the outcomes that matter most: balances, transactions, and direct deposit adoption. As we wrap up the episode, Har Rai talks about how he appreciates a nice car, the cities he loves to visit, a book recommendation, and more! I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Har Rai Khalsa! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. | |||
| 2026 Economic Outlook - TruStage | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:09:01 | |
“AI is going to be transformational for the credit union industry.” – Steve Rick Today's episode is the second part of a very special four-part series brought to you by TruStage! My guest on today’s show is Steve Rick, Chief Economist at TruStage. Listen as he takes a good look at what 2026 may have in store for credit unions and the members they serve. We start with where inflation, GDP, and the labor market appear to be heading—as well as why tariffs and immigration policy are likely to show up in everyday prices sooner than expected. Steve explains why inflation could push past 3% in early 2026 and how that reality continues to shape the Federal Reserve’s cautious approach to interest rates. Steve gets into what many leaders are watching the most closely: rate cuts. He breaks down why the Fed is expected to gradually ease rates throughout 2026, how close we are to what economists consider a “neutral” rate, and why concerns about rising unemployment are guiding such decisions. From there, our conversation turns to credit unions, with Steve sharing his outlook for loan growth, deposits, and earnings, and we talk about consumer uncertainty, the impact of loans made during the ultra-low-rate years, and what all of this means for balance sheets this coming year. As we wrap up the episode, Steve and I spend time talking about workforce trends and AI, where productivity gains are changing hiring patterns, reshaping call centers and lending teams, and even impacting recent college graduates trying to enter the job market. I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Steve Rick! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Steve: In this episode: | |||
| Portfolio Management - 2020 Analytics (#37) | 22 Jul 2022 | 00:20:05 | |
“Serve your members while also maintaining and monitoring your loan portfolio.” - Dan Price Thank you for tuning in to episode 37 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Dan Price, President at 2020 Analytics. Dan was a guest on the podcast last year and in this episode we dive right into the state of the economy, CECL, and rising interest rates. Dan shares insights on how credit unions and members are affected by these factors along with inflation and housing affordability. He believes credit unions are well positioned to help borrowers in this economy as well as continue building trusting relationships. The team at 2020 Analytics aims to help credit unions grow assets, improve returns, and save time. Dan shares his specialized insight of data management and algorithms for credit unions in this period of economic uncertainty. In this episode, Dan speaks about the power of data and properly managing a diversified portfolio. Learn how data tracks the ripple effect of economic setbacks, such as the correlation between interest rates, unemployment, and delinquency. Dan explains that credit unions have the ability to be flexible when it comes to member purchasing power. He offers suggestions that maintain high-quality member service and also keep the pipeline open. Tune in to hear how 2020 Analytics plans to innovate for the future. Listeners will hear Dan emphasize the importance of using data to focus on creating convenience for borrowers. He also shares his thoughts on trends around risk management, member experience, and how credit unions can prosper in a bull market. As we wrap up the episode, Dan gives a huge shout out to his children, shares what he enjoys about Spotify’s algorithm, and explains how he handles work-life integration. Enjoy my conversation with Dan Price! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Dan: | |||
| Back Office Services - Aux (#36) | 08 Jul 2022 | 00:23:03 | |
“We have to be careful to not be chasing the shiny object.” - Doug Burke Thank you for tuning in to episode 36 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Doug Burke, CEO at Aux. Aux is a CUSO that started as a shared branching network and has since expanded their services based on feedback from clients. Now, Aux offers a robust suite of credit union back-office services, such as accounting, compliance, and data analytics. Aux is committed to helping credit unions, specifically small- and medium-sized credit unions survive and thrive. Doug started his career in the credit union industry over 30 years ago. In this episode, he explains how Aux takes the “people helping people” philosophy a step further as the ones helping credit unions so they are more equipped to help their members. Aux supports small and medium credit unions by taking on back-office tasks so their teams can focus on strategic growth. Tune in to hear Doug speak about the growing team at Aux and how they maintain company culture in the midst of major shifts. He explains their team dynamics as a fully remote organization and how they stay connected. Doug emphasizes how their remote structure allows for increased talent pools and greater accessibility for their credit union clients. He shares his thoughts on how to keep team members motivated and emotionally healthy in a remote environment. During our conversation, you’ll also hear about trends for the future and how Aux plans to innovate to stay ahead of these challenges and meet the needs of credit unions and their members. As we wrap up the episode, Doug shares his travel “must have” item, the nuclear shadow of Rocky Flats, and cycling with his son. Enjoy my conversation with Doug Burke! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Doug: | |||
| Economic Stories - Scienaptic AI (#35) | 24 Jun 2022 | 00:34:02 | |
“When you look at the underlying data, you are able to tell a better economic story of members.” - Pankaj Jain Thank you for tuning in to episode 35 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Pankaj Jain, President and Co-Founder at Scienaptic AI. Pankaj shares his story and the experiences that inspired him to develop this technology and create Scienaptic AI, an AI-powered instant loan decision-making platform. We talk about how the Scienaptic team helps credit unions leverage data to better understand the background of each member, allowing credit unions to approve more loans while minimizing risk. Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Pankaj: | |||
| Building a Brand - Strum (#34) | 10 Jun 2022 | 00:33:07 | |
“The more information you can empower employees with, the better the whole organization is.” - Ben Stangland Thank you for tuning in to episode 34 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Ben Stangland, President and COO at Strum (previously Weber Marketing Group). After going through brand updates, Strum is now building upon their legacy with their two companies, Strum Agency and Strum Platform. Strum Agency is a full service marketing agency helping credit unions build growth strategies through naming, branding, and marketing. Strum Platform is a financial marketing analytics software that helps credit unions better understand their members through data. Ben has been with Strum for over twenty years. In this episode, he describes how Strum works with credit unions to help create focus in their growth strategy. He shares the importance of understanding and reaching the credit union’s target member, while staying true to the mission of the organization. Ben puts great emphasis on helping credit unions through the process of renaming and rebranding as they evolve. He discusses the adaptation of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based computing. Ben also gives key insights on the significance of sharing data within the organization rather than keeping it siloed. Tune in to hear Ben discuss trends that he finds important for the future of the movement and ways credit unions can innovate to meet those needs. Strum helps credit unions utilize the data they already have and supplement it with additional information to gain a better understanding of their members. During our conversation, you’ll also hear more about the rebranding process that Strum went through as they evolved from Weber Marketing Group into the robust organization they are today. As we wrap up the episode, Ben talks about bullet journaling, jazz music, and spending time with his family. Enjoy my conversation with Ben Stangland! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Ben: | |||
| Cannabis Banking - Shield Compliance (#33) | 27 May 2022 | 00:23:07 | |
“We create a great member experience while achieving compliance goals.” -Tony Repanich Thank you for tuning in to episode 33 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Tony Repanich, President and COO at Shield Compliance. Shield Compliance works to transform how credit unions manage risk, comply with regulation, and satisfy growing operational demands associated with serving the legal cannabis market. Shield’s core platform technologies automate the compliance process and give credit unions the structure they need to monitor, measure, and control operations. Their Shield Assure, Shield Engage, and Shield Transact products ensure efficiency and reliability so credit unions can remain compliant while taking risks in a new line of business. Tony has been in the financial services industry for over two decades. In this episode, he talks about how Shield Compliance can unlock new business opportunities and add value to credit unions. He discusses the economic advantages of cannabis banking and how they can provide the technology needed to mitigate and manage risk. Tony addresses the concerns facing the cannabis banking industry, including regulatory requirements, risk assessments, and personal viewpoints. Tune in to hear Tony discuss ways to satisfy the regulatory and risk side while supporting access to banking for legal enterprises. Tony also shares ways credit unions in areas with legalized cannabis industries can help make their communities safer by providing access to banking for these cash-heavy businesses. During our conversation, you’ll also hear Tony dive into the cannabis banking playbook that he created to help credit unions understand the logistics of this new environment and frame out what they can expect. As we wrap up the episode, Tony talks about the magic of Starbucks, his go-to podcast, and his favorite Peloton instructor. Enjoy my conversation with Tony Repanich! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Tony: | |||
| Strategic Guidance - On The Mark Strategies (#32) | 13 May 2022 | 00:28:00 | |
“A great member experience is going to be holistic and involve everyone.” - Taylor Wells Thank you for tuning in to episode 32 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Taylor Wells, Experience Director at On the Mark Strategies. The core mission at On the Mark Strategies is to guide credit unions in their strategic planning, branding, and building their member experience so they can succeed. The team has many years of credit union experience and truly believes in helping credit unions thrive in a competitive environment. On The Mark Strategies differentiates itself through its core values, the three E’s: Engage, Educate, Entertain. In this episode, Taylor discusses the significance of the member experience and how On The Mark Strategies can help credit unions create a customized, authentic, and consistent experience for both employees and members. Taylor shares the ways his team works with credit unions to understand and improve their member experience across multiple channels. He explains that the team starts with data collection and demographic work to understand the current state of the member experience and hosts multi-day workshops for the credit union team to recreate their ideal member experience. During our conversation, Taylor speaks to the disconnect between front and back-office employees and ways to generate buy-in from all levels of the organization. He also shares the effects hiring, growth, and retention can have on the member experience. Taylor recommends credit unions also look outside of the industry to bring in new talent, while not overlooking ways they can promote from within. To maximize ROI and brand impact, Taylor advises credit unions to align their community involvement and charitable donations with their brand values and target audiences. As we wrap up the conversation, Taylor calls out the importance of actionable strategic plans, organizational health, effective marketing, and more. Tune in to hear Taylor talk about his growing hat collection, his favorite Michael Jordan quote, and the book he recommends everyone read. Enjoy my conversation with Taylor Wells! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Taylor: | |||
| Document Management - SmartVault (#31) | 29 Apr 2022 | 00:30:04 | |
“Disruption comes in all shapes and sizes.” - Dania Buchanan Thank you for tuning in to episode 31 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Dania Buchanan, the President at SmartVault. The core mission at SmartVault is providing businesses with a central document destination that enables the adoption of a fully digital, fully automated document workflow. The SmartVault system is also highly secure and supports regulatory compliance mandates. They focus on reducing or eliminating routine and repetitive tasks associated with document workflows, serving small and mid-sized businesses like credit unions. While she originally wanted to be a journalist, in this episode Dania discusses the inspiration that led to founding SmartVault and taking on the role as President. She shares that product disruption is exciting to her, as her team turns traditional document management on its head. We explore ways that integrating document management into the apps and workflows credit unions are already using can make them more competitive. Dania always works to create a culture where staff can do the best and most vibrant work of their careers. Throughout the episode, we talk through the needs of employees to be able to collaborate whether working from the office, at home, or in a hybrid of the two. Dania expresses how important community service is to her as a leader and how she intentionally builds structures for her whole team to participate. As technology continues to evolve, Dania recommends building the foundation first and leveraging incremental change instead of trying to redo everything at once. As we wrap up the episode, Dania shares a favorite beverage, her go-to podcasts, and the person she thinks of first when she hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Dania Buchanan! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Dania: | |||
| Member Experience - CU NextGen (#30) | 15 Apr 2022 | 00:14:16 | |
“Being reactive is no longer an option if you want to remain relevant.” - Kent Zimmer Thank you for tuning in to episode 30 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Kent Zimmer, CEO at CU NextGen. CU NextGen is the CUSO dedicated to bringing next-generation technology to credit unions, helping them improve the service delivered to their members, the daily experiences of their staff members, and the efficiency of their operations. CU NextGen is a partnership between Members Development Company, a consortium of nearly 70 large and future-focused credit unions, and ClaySys Technologies, a technology company with leading products in the no-code application development, robotic process automation (RPA), and artificial intelligence spaces. During our conversation, Kent emphasizes that expectations for ease-of-use and digital experience are constantly evolving. Kent and I discuss how CU NextGen gives credit unions the tools they need for digital transformation, and provides them the flexibility to quickly customize the member experience. Kent shares his thoughts on credit unions being more proactive in customizing the member experience and embracing digital transformation, instead of being reactive to changes. He is excited for the future and for new challenges in creating a better member experience on behalf of credit unions. During our rapid fire questions, Kent talks about owning a Tesla, winning gold at the pickleball nationals, and his go-to music choices. Listen in as Kent talks about why his idea of success comes from mentors instead of celebrities, and what book he recommends. Enjoy my conversation with Kent Zimmer! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Kent: | |||
| Data & Marketing - Marquis (#29) | 01 Apr 2022 | 00:26:51 | |
“Without credible data, you only have an opinion.” - Ryan Housefield Thank you for tuning in to episode 29 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Ryan Housefield, SVP of Sales at Marquis. Marquis delivers four key components of a successful data analytics, marketing automation, and CRM strategy for credit unions to build personalized relationships with members. Ryan believes credible data sources are key, and that the credit union industry can leverage that data to provide better marketing and member experience. During our conversation, Ryan shares the importance of taking action on data. He chats about how data is an evolution rather than a revolution, and that finding and maintaining good data is never complete. He explains that relationships and personal connections are key to a credit union’s competitive advantage, and that Marquis enables their clients to deliver on those promises. Treating each member as an individual instead of a number is something Ryan believes sets credit unions apart. Ryan and I discuss creating more awareness to make sure that credit unions aren’t a “best kept secret.” He shares that once someone knows about and joins the credit union, we need to continue the education throughout the whole member journey. Overall Ryan sees a high-tech and high-touch emphasis emerging for credit unions, including both the technology tools they need to succeed as well as the relationship focus with each member. He encourages credit unions to use data, not just for data’s sake, but to improve member lives. During our rapid fire questions, Ryan talks about podcasts, country music, and his daughters. Listen in as Ryan talks about what he wanted to be growing up, the recent purchase he can’t live without, and one of his favorite books. Enjoy my conversation with Ryan Housefield! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Ryan: | |||
| Global Aid - Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (#28) | 18 Mar 2022 | 00:21:21 | |
“We were created because people in credit unions wanted to help grow the global credit union system.” - Mike Reuter Thank you for tuning in to episode 28 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Mike Reuter, the Executive Director of the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), which is the engagement and fundraising arm of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU). Mike shares that while the Worldwide Foundation focused primarily on disaster relief at its inception, over the years it has grown and today supports the Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN), World Council Young Credit Union Professionals (WYCUP) program, and much more. The Worldwide Foundation offers what Mike describes as an à la carte menu of global credit union engagement experiences and programs from which both credit unions and individuals can select. Mike also describes the significant work the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions is doing to support Ukraine’s credit unions in the midst of the humanitarian crisis there. During the conversation, Mike provides details on their Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund, which raised over $150,000 in its first 10 days, and their Ukrainian Taskforce in partnership with WOCCU and global partners. For credit unions that want to be involved in supporting Ukraine and its credit union system, Mike recommends a charitable donation to the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund. As a global credit union first responder, Mike and the Worldwide Foundation support the humanitarian side during a crisis, such as the one in Ukraine, in terms of relief needs for members and citizens. WFCU also provides support for the recovery phase of a disaster, helping the credit union system rebuild, accelerate digitization, and refresh their strategic direction. Mike explains that the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions is an industry leader in marshaling volunteer resources, thought leadership, and travel to countries recovering from disaster to chart a stronger and more sustainable future together. During our rapid fire questions, Mike shares that growing up, he wanted to be an American History professor. Listen in to hear who he thinks of first when he hears the word “success,” the book he loves to gift, and the decade of music he listens to on repeat. Enjoy my conversation with Mike Reuter! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Mike: | |||
| Intentional AI - Optiri, a Trellance Company | 19 Dec 2025 | 00:20:24 | |
“Use AI where it can make a difference to the organization and members.” - Shane Butcher Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Shane Butcher, Chief Operating Officer / Chief Risk Officer at Optiri, a Trellance Company. Shane and I talk about how a teenage dream of becoming a fighter pilot turned into a career spanning the military, IT, operations, and ultimately the credit union space. In our conversation, Shane walks us through the evolution of Optiri and what it means to optimize, refresh, and innovate credit union technology without losing sight of the people whom it’s supposed to serve. We talk about why credit unions have unique technology and security needs and how Opitiri focuses on doing the behind-the-scenes work so that credit unions can spend their energy on members. A big part of our conversation, though, is centered around AI as something already embedded in everyday tools. Shane breaks down what credit unions really should be thinking about right now—understanding where their data lives, tightening permissions, updating vendor policies, and choosing intentional use cases instead of chasing every new idea. We also break down how AI is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides, fueling more convincing attacks while also giving defenders faster, smarter ways to respond. As we wrap up the episode, Shane shares some lessons that he learned from a Navy mentor who led through calm problem-solving. He also talks about his love of good restaurants and unique experiences, why he loves Las Vegas, and has a book recommendation for us. Enjoy my conversation with Shane Butcher! | |||
| Industry Support - CUNA Mutual Group (#27) | 04 Mar 2022 | 00:25:02 | |
“We’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder with credit unions.” - John Cassidy Thank you for tuning in to episode 27 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is John Cassidy, Director of Credit Union System Relations at CUNA Mutual Group. CUNA Mutual Group built an ecosystem designed to help credit unions succeed, and their strategy is designed on the belief that a brighter financial future should be accessible to everyone. They have a strong commitment to making financial products easier to own through simple and affordable solutions, helping credit unions meet their members’ needs. CUNA Mutual is there for credit unions and their members in the moments that matter. John is especially proud of CUNA Mutual’s relationships with credit unions and the overall system and the ways CUNA Mutual demonstrates that they are truly a partner with credit unions. CUNA Mutual Group builds, buys, and partners with others to provide capabilities that credit unions need. He shares that CUNA Mutual Group has donated millions to programs and campaigns that are important for the credit union mission, including the Credit Union Awareness Program, the Bridge the Gap Campaign, and Financial Well-being for All, among others. John expresses his thoughts on how credit unions can meet the diverse needs of consumers and especially the importance of serving multicultural consumers. He advocates for investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion and shares both CUNA Mutual’s stance as well as other notable programs moving the industry forward here. Listen as John talks about the Multicultural Center of Excellence, the growing CDFI fund, and political advocacy work. In our rapid-fire questions, John shares which genres of music he listens to these days, his favorite toothbrush, and the sport he coaches. You’ll also hear about the leader he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with John Cassidy! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with John: | |||
| Fight Fraud - PSCU (#26) | 18 Feb 2022 | 00:31:22 | |
“Each day there are people working to make a difference.” - Jack Lynch Thank you for tuning in to episode 26 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Jack Lynch, Chief Risk Officer at PSCU and President at TriVerity. PSCU is the nation’s premiere credit union organization (CUSO) that evolved from being a payment processor to being an end-to-end financial technology provider. They currently offer a full range of services such as risk management, data analytics, digital banking, contact center services and more. TriVerity is a PSCU company working as a full-service collection agency managing non-performing and charged-off loans with a comprehensive menu of third-party collection services. During this conversation, Jack talks about the focus on helping credit unions digitally transform and serve the evolving needs of their members. Fraud attempts are on the rise after the pandemic sparked an increase of digital transactions. Jack explains ways that leveraging third-party CUSOs can help credit unions address the significant fraud challenges that consumers face. We chat about how credit unions can educate their communities and the best approach for credit unions of all asset sizes to protect their members. Jack talks too about the sophistication of new fraud attempts, and the need for sophisticated tools to help fight these attempts. He shares his insights on risk tolerance, contactless cards, and data analytics. Gain insight on building an integrated, multi-layer approach of fraud management to become a more seamless, easy-to-use, and protected financial institution. By working together with CUSOs like PSCU, credit unions can address financial crimes in this digital world. In our rapid-fire questions, Jack talks about a guitar model he can’t get enough of, his thoughts on George Washington, and his interest in the oboe. Enjoy my conversation with Jack Lynch! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Jack: | |||
| Community Impact - CUCollaborate (#25) | 04 Feb 2022 | 00:29:37 | |
“There’s still a lot of room for credit unions to make meaningful partnerships in their communities.” - Sam Brownell Thank you for tuning in to episode 25 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Sam Brownell, Founder & CEO at CUCollaborate. CUCollaborate is a consulting, software development, and digital marketing company that helps credit unions grow. Their consulting services range from field of membership expansion to branch strategy to low income designation strategy. Everything CUCollaborate does is with the goal of helping credit unions grow and succeed in making community impact. Sam shares that when he thinks of defining success for credit unions, quantifying impact for members and communities is top of mind. He explains that when credit unions frame their thinking around maximizing impact and better members’ lives, it’s easy to justify the need for growth. We chat about field of membership expansion opportunities and best practices. Sam gives background on key considerations credit unions should keep in mind for entering new markets. In this conversation, we also discuss the concept of de novo credit unions, lending to underserved consumers, and CUCollaborate’s focus when it comes to innovating for the future. In our rapid-fire questions, Sam shares the NFL player who comes to mind when he hears of the word success, his attempts to disconnect from technology, and more. Enjoy my conversation with Sam Brownell! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Sam: | |||
| Artificial Intelligence in Lending - Upstart (#24) | 21 Jan 2022 | 00:32:39 | |
“Don’t underestimate the value of the human touch.” - Jeff Keltner Thank you for tuning in to episode 24 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Jeff Keltner, SVP of Business Development at Upstart. Upstart is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform designed to improve access to affordable credit while reducing the risk and costs of lending for their lender partners. They leverage AI to empower credit unions to an inclusive, frictionless member experience in lending. Jeff shares that more people are creditworthy than we think. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can help a lender understand who is truly creditworthy and how much risk a loan actually represents. Upstart enables financial institutions to use AI in lending with over 800 different variables, both traditional and non-traditional (including occupation, field of work, and stability of income, for example), in their underwriting process, better understanding those in the subprime pool and identifying hidden prime borrowers. This process improves funding rates and reduces friction for borrowers in all demographics. We chat about inclusive lending and the mission of credit unions to serve the consumer, not just maximize profits. Jeff explains the importance of an transformed digital experience for each lending product, and the need to optimize the whole process from end-to-end rather than digitizing a legacy experience. He believes the financial institutions that will win are those that can leverage artificial intelligence technology and digital transformation, while still providing the human touch where needed. In our rapid-fire questions, we learn a hobby Jeff has picked up, a book he recommends, and the beverage he’s been enjoying recently. Tune in to hear his perspective on work success and family success, and much more. Enjoy my conversation with Jeff Keltner! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Jeff: | |||
| Inclusive Organizations - Humanidei (#23) | 10 Dec 2021 | 00:18:52 | |
“Staying relevant means being reflective of the communities credit unions serve.” - Oscar Porras Thank you for tuning in to episode 23 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Oscar Porras, Senior Consultant of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Humanidei. At Humanidei, the team helps credit unions build capacity for becoming more inclusive organizations. Oscar says he saw a huge need for a more diverse workforce and leadership team when he realized he was one of the few bilingual employees at his credit union. He is driven to help credit unions better reflect the communities they serve at all levels of the organization. During our discussion, Oscar explains that diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy ultimately helps credit unions better serve their members and become the employer of choice for talented mission-driven people. Diverse teams attract a wider range of talent into the company that contribute to a new pool of ideas, strategies, and solutions. Listen as Oscar gives his thoughts on winning the war for talent, building a great team with diverse leadership, and better understanding marginalized communities. He dives into his tips for retaining talent by developing a path for employees. Oscar mentions that finding the right people is critical for credit unions, as people are the driving force behind technology, trends, member service, and more. Tune in to hear about the recent purchase Oscar can’t live without, the people he thinks of when he hears the word “success,” and the ways he spends his time out of the office. Enjoy my conversation with Oscar Porras! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Oscar: | |||
| Military & Veterans - Defense Credit Union Council (#22) | 26 Nov 2021 | 00:29:56 | |
“We speak military.” - Tony Hernandez Thank you for tuning in to episode 22 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Tony Hernandez, President & CEO of the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC). The Defense Credit Union Council is a trade association of credit unions who serve military members and veterans, and any credit union can join. Tony personally understands the unique financial circumstances impacting military personnel and veterans, having started his own career in the military. Tony says his team are representatives for military and veteran interests in the credit unions and communities they serve. He shares that DCUC’s efforts advocate for our military and veterans, especially in financial services. In our conversation, Tony discusses financial services trends on military bases. He also shares about DCUC’s political advocacy efforts and related legislation including the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act, Military Lending Act, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and more. He explains why knowledge around these topics are beneficial for credit unions seeking to reach the military and veterans. As Tony says, the Defense Credit Union Council has first-hand experience in dealing with specific concerns related to professionals in the military and veterans. Tony is also a huge advocate of honoring veterans. He talks about his own views related to showing empathy and gratitude for those who served this country. Tony shares details about his team working on a project of appreciation for veterans this year. Be sure to check out the episode to learn about a surprising recent purchase Tony can’t live without, the person he thinks of when he hears the word “success,” and more. Enjoy my conversation with Tony Hernandez! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Tony: | |||
| Power of Data - 2020 Analytics (#21) | 12 Nov 2021 | 00:25:57 | |
“Use your data every day in your decision-making.” - Dan Price Thank you for tuning in to episode 21 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Dan Price, President of 2020 Analytics. From a young age, Dan’s collection of interests always seemed to move him towards the credit union space. In fact, he comes from a family of accountants, which made the transition to financial services easy. During this conversation, he provides powerful insight on topics he already enjoys discussing: tech, data, and growing the credit union. Listen as Dan describes the ways his team at 2020 Analytics works on end-to-end loan portfolio analysis. To improve operations, Dan emphasizes that credit unions need a better grip on the power of data. Our conversation is an exchange of insight on credit unions reviewing their ability to grow a loan portfolio, where to grow the portfolio, and ways to target and identify members. Dan shares his thoughts on how credit unions can make loan products available across different sets of members. Of course, this naturally leads the conversation into the topic of what credit unions should know about mitigating concentration risk. Credit unions can use the power of data to stay ahead of the rapidly changing financial services landscape. With great data management, credit unions can properly respond to the shifting expectations of members. Tune in to hear more about who Dan thinks of when he hears the word “success,” his hobbies, and more. Enjoy my conversation with Dan Price! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Dan: | |||
| Actionable Data - FIS (#20) | 29 Oct 2021 | 00:17:36 | |
“Taking action on data is critical.” - Lesley DeCator Thank you for tuning in to episode 20 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Lesley DeCator, Senior Director for PaymentsEdge Marketing and Advisory at FIS. As we open the episode, Lesley shares her career path and her transition to the credit union industry. She discusses how her team is able to distill data into manageable and actionable reports for credit unions, who can use it to ensure their products and services are meeting members’ needs. Lesley believes credit unions must continuously improve their service, focus on flexibility and speed, and future-proof their business model to stay relevant and competitive. She encourages leaders to implement data-based strategies and shares insights from her experiences in mergers and acquisitions. During our rapid fire questions, we learn that Lesley enjoys reading, training horses, and yoga when not in the office. We chat about her most recent pandemic purchase and who she thinks of when she hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Lesley DeCator! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Lesley: | |||
| Learning & Development - CUES (#19) | 15 Oct 2021 | 00:22:23 | |
“Invest in your people.” - Christopher Stevenson Thank you for tuning in to episode 19 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Christopher Stevenson, Chief Learning Officer at CUES. Christopher shares with us the importance of high quality professional education and its role in providing development for credit union leaders. We walk through his career journey in education before joining CUES and the leadership lessons he has learned along the way. We start the show by discussing how education can position executives and board members to make the best decisions in leading their credit union forward. Christopher believes that excellence sets the bar for everything that we do in the industry. He shares that one of the greatest challenges executives face is providing enough time for their staff to participate in ongoing professional development, but that there are a number of ways to mitigate this. As global pandemic causes major shifts in the financial services industry, Christopher shares how CUES has transformed their learning communities and discovered ways to provide opportunities and resources differently. We chat about new program offerings and ways leaders can use these tools to invest in and successfully develop their employees. As we close the show, we learn that Christopher is an avid reader and values his time out of the office with family. He shares some of his favorite music, and the person he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Christopher encourages leaders to continuously invest in their teams and build the success of their organizations together. Enjoy my conversation with Christopher Stevenson! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Christopher: | |||
| Financial Inclusion - QCash Financial CUSO (#18) | 01 Oct 2021 | 00:21:32 | |
“Credit unions are not just in the community, they are a part of it!” - Seth Brickman Thank you for tuning in to episode 18 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Seth Brickman, CEO of QCash Financial CUSO. We walk through his career journey from the military to building high tech software and everything in between. Seth shares tips on maintaining relevance, improving member relationships during times of transitions, and creating space for innovation. Seth discusses the use of relational underwriting instead of a credit score. Changing the focus allows credit unions to build relationships and embrace financial inclusion. Seth reveals that this approach also keeps members away from predatory lenders. He shares that more vulnerable populations, like minorities and women, are exposed to predatory lending practices at a higher rate and the statistic that over 40% of Americans are not financially equipped to handle a $400 emergency. Innovation and member acquisition are two major goals Seth believes are at the forefront of the credit union industry. He shares that in order to accomplish these goals successfully, leaders must serve the underserved and create solutions that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Maintaining relevance in a saturated financial services market means continuing to cultivate member relationships and finding opportunities to say “yes.” As we close the show, Seth encourages leaders to listen to members and their needs. He believes this is one of the best ways to retain membership and improve their experience. We learn that Seth enjoys exercising as a tool to stay energized and focused. Listen in to find out who he thinks of when he hears the word “success” and his favorite Spotify playlists. Enjoy my conversation with Seth Brickman! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Seth: | |||
| The Leadership Shift - DDJ Myers | 12 Dec 2025 | 00:19:54 | |
“Ask questions. Have a culture of inquiry.” - Deedee Myers Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is returning guest Deedee Myers, CEO of DDJ Myers, Ltd. She comes back to discuss leadership as we unpack what’s forming the future of credit union leadership. From a huge wave of CEO retirements to board turnover to executive teams changing under new leadership, Deedee lays out what this really looks like in the concrete data that her team has been collecting for years. In our conversation, we talk about numbers and how many CEOs are expected to exit in the coming years. We talk about why so many delayed retirement after COVID and how that pent-up shift is finally arriving. Deedee also explains the generational turnover that is hitting boards and executive teams simultaneously, creating something close to a perfect storm. One of the biggest themes that we talk about, however, is responsibility. Who owns succession? Who’s accountable for readiness? What should each party be doing to prepare for the leadership needs of the next decade? In addition, Deedee and I cover the programs, institutes, and coaching experiences that are truly accelerating leadership growth right now. As we wrap up the episode, we go through our traditional lightning round of questions as I ask her about the little things as well such as the purchases that she swears by, the rituals that keep her grounded during nonstop travel, and the guiding principle that she believes the industry desperately needs more of. Enjoy my conversation with Deedee Myers! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Deedee: Want to hear more from Deedee? Click here. | |||
| Modernized Payments - Alacriti (#17) | 17 Sep 2021 | 00:32:50 | |
“We have the opportunity to level the playing field by taking advantage of resources.” - Carl Robinson Thank you for tuning in to episode 17 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Carl Robinson, SVP of Payments at Alacriti. In this episode, Carl shares insights on how to use tech to the fullest in the shifting market of payments and cloud optimization. We chat about his career journey, his personal experiences with automation, and the importance of understanding digital strategy to enhance the user experience. Members are now accustomed to speed, real-time service, and “instant gratification” with many digital services. The speed of money movement and payments are what members view as excellent service. Carl explains how cost-effective iteration can help credit unions leverage technology and increase the quality of operations and member experience without needing to start from scratch. Carl encourages credit union teams to start finding new solutions by experimenting with tech approaches that increase real time services and speed. Incorporating these elements can help credit unions jump ahead in the financial services industry while mitigating risk. He also shares resources credit unions use to get started. During our rapid fire questions, we learn that Carl has been interested in the world of payments for many years but wanted to be a racecar driver growing up. He shares that his calendar is rarely empty and that he enjoys spending his time with his children. Listen in as Carl walks us through his favorite books to read and who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Carl Robinson! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Carl: | |||
| Personalized Connections - Podium (#16) | 03 Sep 2021 | 00:24:19 | |
“Put technology in place to change the game!” - Jamie Cosgrove Thank you for tuning in to episode 16 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Jamie Cosgrove, VP of Financial Services at Podium. In this episode, we chat about Jamie’s career journey and how his team has helped credit unions navigate through new technology. Jamie shares ways to best attract members using search engine optimization and tips to improve communication. We start the show discussing Podium’s goal to help credit unions become more successful by creating better digital financial interactions. Jamie shares that 80% of buying options start with a search engine and improving where a credit union lands in that search can drive potential members to their “digital doorstep.” Although credit unions cannot make every process digital, Jamie believes that using digital communication with members on the channels they most regularly use, like text messaging, will enhance the member experience while fulfilling their immediate needs. As we move through the conversation, Jamie shares that credit unions have the biggest advantage right now in the financial services market. He believes that the industry has positioned itself to be nimble amongst the competition. We chat about trends that Jamie and his team have seen and how leaders can utilize what they have to maintain this advantage. Jamie also discusses the transfer of wealth opportunities and the importance of creating personalized experiences for members. During our rapid fire questions we learn that Jamie had a passion for politics before joining the credit union movement. We also find out some of his favorite pastimes and where he can be found outside of the office. Tune in to hear what Jamie is listening to and who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Jamie Cosgrove! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Jamie: | |||
| Digital Transformation - Nymbus CUSO (#15) | 20 Aug 2021 | 00:14:40 | |
“Progress over perfection. Don’t wait for perfection.” John Janclaes Thank you for tuning in to episode 15 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is John Janclaes, President of Nymbus CUSO. John shares his career journey, how leaders can create a culture of growth, and what credit unions can do to stay relevant. He also discusses the challenges and threats facing the industry and what credit unions must focus on to stay ahead of the digital transformation curve. As we start the show, John shares that Nymbus helps credit unions thrive by winning new markets of members, enhancing processes, and modernizing technology. He shares how his team navigates success and finds value in discovering unique opportunities. He believes that technological advancement and proper leadership will help credit unions maintain relevance in a saturated financial market. John chats about culture and steps leaders can take to embrace growth at all levels. He shares that credit unions have shown great tenacity during the pandemic. John encourages credit unions to evolve to meet the evolving needs of members. . During the rapid questions, we learn what John enjoys doing outside of the office and his quarantine purchase that helps him win big on the links! Tune in to hear who John thinks of when hears the “success” and what final tips he has for credit union leaders. Enjoy my conversation with John Janclaes. Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with John: | |||
| IT Solutions - Dataprise (#14) | 06 Aug 2021 | 00:17:07 | |
“Credit unions have a really good opportunity to be seen as leaders and pioneers in this space.” - Stephen Jones Thank you for tuning in to episode 14 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Stephen Jones, Senior Director of Cyber Security at Dataprise. We chat about cybersecurity and the importance of a secure infrastructure for credit unions. Stephen shares his career journey, digital safety tips, and what leaders can do right away to enhance their security processes. While we push forward and adapt to a new normal, Stephen believes credit unions have done well with pivoting and remaining nimble. He shares that credit unions should focus on being proactive if they are looking to reduce risks. Risk reduction starts with infrastructure. Stephen suggests leaders find ways to automate security monitoring in order to respond promptly to breaches. As the digital world becomes more and more robust, Stephen shares that our security systems should be ever-evolving as well. Attackers have discovered new ways to find vulnerabilities and compromise online activity, so credit union leaders must transition to a “zero-trust protection” method that ensures safety and mitigates threats. As we close the show, we learn that Stephen has always wanted to be in the technology field and shares a very interesting story of how he joined the Dataprise team. We also chat about what he enjoys doing outside of the office and who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Stephen Jones! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Stephen: | |||
| Strategic Marketing - Strum (#13) | 23 Jul 2021 | 00:21:16 | |
“It’s no longer an option to move slow.” - Karen McGaughey Thank you for tuning in to episode 13 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Karen McGaughey, Principal and VP of Client Services at Strum. We chat about Karen’s journey from communications and psychology to the credit union industry and leadership lessons she’s learned along the way. She shares with us how those fields of study play a major part in her work with Strum and their efforts to help credit unions enhance their marketing, branding, and data analytics. We start the episode discussing the quick pivots and shifts credit unions have had to make over the last year. Karen shares the importance of having a dedicated team with an established strategy and ways credit unions can team up with agencies to enhance internal processes like data analysis. Karen believes the ultimate goal is to move from a product-centric focus to a more member-centric focus and that credit unions can use data insights to become familiar with the preferences and behavior of their members. Karen encourages credit unions to focus on strategies that will help the organization know their members better than other competitors. Credit unions can competitively position themselves with storytelling and data insights. Following this approach initiates core strategies that can support credit unions to create a distinctive experience and maintain relevance. During our rapid fire questions, we learn what Karen enjoys doing outside of the office and her favorite pandemic purchases thus far. As we wrap up the show, Karen shares that properly utilizing insights and technological innovation will allow credit unions to promote brand stories that resonate with members, and create better experiences. Enjoy my conversation with Karen McGaughey! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Karen: | |||
| Digital Infrastructure - Think|Stack (#12) | 09 Jul 2021 | 00:26:49 | |
“Technology, in general, is really a board and CEO conversation.” - Chris Sachse Thank you for tuning in to episode 12 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Chris Sachse, CEO and Co-founder of Think|Stack. Chris shares insights on leveraging cybersecurity and technology to form a better experience for members. We also chat about Chris’s journey to credit unions through trucking and his knowledge of innovation and logistics. Think|Stack helps guide credit unions through a digital transformation with a focus on security. Chris explains how credit unions can leverage the technology being implemented and developed by larger web service companies, like Amazon. He believes it is important for leaders to understand new technology and its infrastructure in order to transform operations and protect members. Chris chats about the adaptability and agility credit unions need in order to keep up with the demands of the market. He shares examples from the pandemic that required technological pivots and believes that a dependable digital platform must be flexible, nimble, and secure. He also shares actionable steps credit unions can take to improve their cybersecurity including budgeting and developing a plan. As we wrap up our conversation, Chris highlights communication and the value in empowering people to work collaboratively. We learn that Chris loves to golf and spend time with his family outdoors. He believes he was destined to be a CEO, and you would be surprised to find out who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Chris Sachse! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Chris: | |||
| Payment Solutions - Elan Advisory Services (#11) | 25 Jun 2021 | 00:23:03 | |
“When you’re in tough times, you really see the leaders rise.” - Matt Good Thank you for tuning in to episode 11 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Matt Good, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Elan Advisory Services. We chat about Matt’s journey into the industry and leadership hacks he has learned along the way. Matt shares insights on the transformation of payments over the last year and how credit unions are able to stay competitive as we look forward. With new expectations around transactions, Matt shares that credit unions must be responsive and proactive to meet member’s needs. The pandemic forced leaders to engage with the possibility of stepping outside physical payments and transactions. Matt shares that 45% of Americans have transitioned to contactless forms of payment, and he encourages leaders to explore payment options if they haven’t done so already. One of the major trends we discuss is the change in rewards programs. Matt walks us through steps credit unions can take to make transactions convenient and beneficial for members. We chat about the shift in reward offerings since the pandemic and all the options available including cash back on streaming services and groceries. Matt believes it is best practice for credit unions to keep communication constant about member rewards and additional benefits. As we wrap up our conversation with rapid-fire questions, we learn what Matt enjoys doing outside of the office and what he was like in high school. Matt shares stories of his time working with the Detroit Tigers, and you’ll be surprised to hear who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Matt Good! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Matt: | |||
| Digital Experience - PixelSpoke (#10) | 11 Jun 2021 | 00:24:48 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 10 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Cameron Madill, CEO and Co-owner of PixelSpoke. Cameron shares his journey through the credit union industry and the support he and his team offer to the community. We chat about website accessibility and things to consider when building a new digital experience for members. We start the conversation by discussing ideas around transforming PixelSpoke’s business model to that of a cooperative, similar to credit unions. Cameron also shares the importance of digital social responsibility and how it will help credit unions improve their website marketing strategy. Cameron believes the integration of new technology has a positive impact on members and institutions. During our chat Cameron also explains what differentiates a credit union’s impact from other financial institutions. He shares his 3 C’s of cause marketing and what makes them work so well in this industry compared to others. Later, we talk about the methods his team uses to help credit unions identify the specific needs of members through their digital platform interaction and how to interpret the data. As we wrap up our conversation we learn what Cameron was like in high school and what his career choice would have been if he hadn’t discovered the credit union industry. In the rapid fire questions we found out the most exciting event Cameron experienced during the pandemic and who he thinks of when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Cameron Madill! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Cameron: | |||
| Overdraft Solutions - JMFA (#9) | 28 May 2021 | 00:21:07 | |
“It’s all about meeting the needs of members.” - Cheryl Lawson Thank you for tuning in to episode 9 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Cheryl Lawson, the Executive Vice President of Compliance Review for JMFA. Cheryl shares with us that throughout her career serving others has always been at the forefront. We chat about JMFA’s focus on providing a critical service that members need with overdraft solutions. Listen in as Cheryl discusses what a responsible compliance program looks like and the importance of communication with members. She shares the value of delivering a service that members can understand and feel comfortable with. Cheryl believes credit unions must be responsive to their members while being compliant with regulators for overdraft solutions to work best. Cheryl also speaks about overdraft litigation procedures and current trends in the industry. She shares JMFA’s future focus and tips on how credit unions can remain relevant. Cheryl believes staying open to innovation and being accessible to all members will continue to push the credit union movement forward. In the rapid-fire questions, we learn outside of the office Cheryl loves to take walks in the park, is an active member of her church, and is excited to reconnect with her family post-pandemic. Tune in to hear Cheryl’s most recent quarantine purchase and her final thoughts for credit union leaders. Enjoy my conversation with Cheryl Lawson! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Cheryl: | |||
| Cybersecurity - Adlumin, Inc. (#8) | 14 May 2021 | 00:24:47 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 8 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Robert Johnston, CEO of Adlumin, Inc. Robert shares his journey from the military to the credit union industry and how he rediscovered purpose through this transition. He also shares cybersecurity best practices for credit union leaders and how to implement them during periods of rapid change. Throughout the show Robert shares the data science behind Adlumin’s cybersecurity integration and how his team has been able to improve compliance for credit union CORE systems. He believes it is imperative for credit unions to increase security in order to stay relevant and mitigate major system threats. With the increase in technological breaches and hacking on the rise, Robert and his team have been working on compliance reporting that is easily accessible, seamless, and secure. We also chat about new regulations with the incoming administration and what that looks like for Adlumin in their daily operations. Robert feels that the next wave of innovation is cloud-based data and its ability to increase the security of member information while allowing credit unions to maximize data retention. As we wrap up the show, we learn that Robert and his team use just about every video conferencing platform available and are always looking for the next best. We were excited to learn what he does in his free time away from the office, what he is currently reading, and who he thinks about when he hears the word “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Robert Johnston! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Robert Johnston: | |||
| Advocacy - DCUC & Atlas Advocacy | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:30:43 | |
“Every employee, from the C-suite to the teller, has a role in advocacy.” – Jason Stverak Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guests on today’s show are returning guest Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer at Defense Credit Union Council, and Elizabeth Eurgubian, Government Relations and Advocacy Consultant at Atlas Advocacy. They both join me for this episode for a conversation that cuts right to the heart of what credit unions need most right now: stronger advocacy, louder storytelling, and a clearer understanding of what sets us apart! In our conversation, Elizabeth opens with something that she has witnessed from both sides of the table: policymakers are brilliant with statutes and frameworks, but they often have little sense of what day-to-day life looks like inside a credit union. She talks about the power of real-world examples and cautions that if we’re not bringing those stories forward, we’re leaving influence on the table. Jason also jumps in with the compelling argument that advocacy isn’t a job title; it’s everybody—teller to CEO—every interaction with a member, every community touchpoint, every small moment of goodwill becomes part of what reaches Congress. He shares some incredible behind-the-scenes stories from the recent government shutdown and how lawmakers were reaching out because they’d noticed credit unions stepping up while others hesitated. As we wrap up the episode, Elizabeth closes by previewing what’s coming from the NCUA in the year ahead—such as stablecoin and digital-asset rulemaking under the GENIUS Act, a much needed regulatory clean-up, and increased vigilance around cybersecurity. She also challenges all of us to think several years ahead about the skills we’ll need, not the ones that we’ve always relied on, as necessary skillsets are always evolving with the times. I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Jason and Elizabeth! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Jason: | |||
| Member Engagement - Ignite Sales (#7) | 30 Apr 2021 | 00:22:31 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 7 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Whitney Loe, Director of Business Development for Credit Unions at Ignite Sales. Whitney discusses her journey into the credit union industry and how important it is for vendors to understand the mission and operation of credit unions. We also chat about how credit unions can stay relevant in the midst of constant change. Listen in as Whitney shares how Ignite Sales works with credit unions to improve their digital member engagement across multiple platforms. She expresses how her team is diligent in understanding the industry and utilizing technology to directly meet the needs of members. Whitney discusses the unique position credit unions have in the current climate and the opportunity to take members on a journey to financial freedom. As Whitney shares some alarming statistics about the financial well-being of consumers, she believes that collaboration will help credit unions and CUSO’s find a way to make things possible. As we wrap up our conversation, Whitney gives tips on how credit unions can stay relevant and continue to grow over the next few years. We learn that outside of her daily role, Whitney loves to travel with her family; you will be surprised to find out where she visits most. Enjoy my conversation with Whitney Loe! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Whitney Loe: | |||
| Website Conversion - BloomCU (#6) | 16 Apr 2021 | 00:29:07 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 6 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, Co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Derik Krauss, Co-founder of BloomCU. Derik shares what he wanted to do growing up and his journey into the credit union industry. He also shares tips on how BloomCU helps credit unions turn leads into lifelong members by optimizing their website with results-driven designs. Derik discusses the extensive research his team does examining modern design and technology in various industries to assist leaders with enhancing their digital member experience. He believes that credit unions should have an established end goal and use a web platform that can be continuously improved. Listen in as Derik shares some challenges credit unions face with retaining a younger field of membership and the five conversion steps he uses to mitigate this challenge. In order for credit unions to stay ahead of the curve and have a competitive advantage, Derik explains that the website should always offer value and be easy to navigate. During the rapid fire questions we learn what Derik loves to do with his family; something many people would enjoy. We also learn about a recent purchase Derik made for his son that he actually uses the most and who he thinks about when he hears the word ‘success.’ Enjoy my conversation with Derik Krauss. Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Derik: | |||
| Cannabis Banking - Shield Compliance (#5) | 02 Apr 2021 | 00:29:35 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 5 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. Today, my guest is Tony Repanich, President & COO of Shield Compliance. Tony shares how he actually grew up wanting to be in the financial services industry. He also gives us insight on what credit unions must consider when providing support to cannabis businesses. Tony discusses how Shield Compliance adds value to the industry by helping credit unions build efficient compliance procedures to serve legalized cannabis organizations. In our chat, Tony goes over the difficulties that credit unions might face when making the decision to serve the cannabis industry and what they can do to mitigate those risks. He expresses that the collaboration between technology and compliance makes onboarding less challenging. In our conversation, Tony and I chat about how servicing legal cannabis companies can give credit unions a competitive edge over other financial institutions. We discuss the steps a credit union must take to be successful in serving this industry and the evolution of legalization. From our rapid fire questions we learned that Tony’s most recent purchase has changed the way he does virtual meetings entirely. In his free time, Tony likes to hop on his Peloton and jam out to his pop music playlist. As a Seattle native we were not surprised to find out who Tony thought of when he hears the word ‘success’. Enjoy my conversation with Tony Repanich! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. How to find Tony: | |||
| The Right Data - TransUnion (#4) | 19 Mar 2021 | 00:25:09 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 4 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest today is Sean Flynn, the Senior Director of Credit Unions at TransUnion. Sean discusses how he wanted to be a Navy pilot when he grew up but ended up in a high school program that put him on the path to financial services plus much more. Sean shares that TransUnion is a lot more than a credit reporting bureau, now arming credit unions with tools and strategies to create economic opportunities for the members they serve. We discuss how Sean and his team have a personal connection to the mission of credit unions. He believes that, along with member relationships, employing the right data at the right time to make informed recommendations is the secret to credit unions enhancing the digital experience. Sean discusses the trends he sees in lending and overall financial services and shares that TransUnion is focused on providing credit unions a more holistic picture of the consumer. For credit unions to stay relevant, Sean believes that making time for creative and strategic thinking is critical. During the rapid-fire questions, we learn Sean is all about comfort, and he shares one recent purchase that was definitely worth it. To clear his mind, Sean loves to ski and cycle. When he thinks of the word success, two very different people come to mind, and you’ll be surprised to find out who they are. Enjoy my conversation with Sean Flynn! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com How to find Sean: | |||
| Digital Integration - CRMNEXT (#3) | 05 Mar 2021 | 00:32:50 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 3 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today's show is Joe Salesky, the CEO of CRMNEXT. Joe sums up what CRMNEXT is in two words; “Relationship Multipliers.” They assist credit unions in ‘simplifying the work’ by enhancing the member experience and increasing productivity, profitability and innovation within the credit union. Listen in as Joe shares his journey into the credit union industry. From being a handy person and enjoying the fulfillment of crafting to discovering the endless possibilities of creating with technology. Joe explains how his team works with credit unions to eliminate barriers between humans and digital channels, and what that looks like when integrated with some of the most common industry databases. Joe shares the importance of employees not only being a member’s financial advisor, but using the credit union’s systems to offer some assistance across the board; with front-end and back-end communication. He explains that this will make the member experience seamless and more willing to reduce their share-of-wallet and become loyal to a specific institution. In the rapid-fire questions, we find out that Joe enjoys candles and his most recent quarantine purchase was a bluetooth lighter. When Joe thinks of success, he thinks of Elon Musk and his ability to use technology to create simple solutions for hard problems. Enjoy my conversation with Joe! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com How to find Joe: | |||
| Financial Education - Zogo (#2) | 19 Feb 2021 | 00:17:58 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 2 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today's show is Bolun Li, the Founder & CEO of Zogo. He and his team work closely with credit unions and other financial institutions to provide an on-the-go and interactive financial education tool. This tool is meant to not only attract the younger generation to credit unions but it emphasizes our social responsibility. Listen as Bolun discusses the need for credit unions to use advancements in technology to extend their membership to the younger generations and how being more people focused will help. Bolun also talks about delivering financial education resources to prospective members in the way they would engage with it most; primarily through their mobile devices. With exponential transition since the pandemic and the quick digital transformation, Zogo will continuously work with credit unions to improve their mobile experiences and presence concerning financial education. He also believes that with innovation in retail branches there is potential to shift consumers to building with credit unions over any other financial institution. In the rapid-fire questions, we find out that when Bolun thinks of success, he thinks about Steve Jobs and enjoys the simplicity of his creations. When his busy calendar is empty, Bolun enjoys drives around town or a quick game of golf to clear his head. Enjoy my conversation with Bolun! How to find Bolun: | |||
| Lending Protection - Securian Financial (#1) | 05 Feb 2021 | 00:21:43 | |
Thank you for tuning in to episode 1 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today's show is Bill Gould, the Senior Vice President at Securian Financial Group. He oversees sales, business development, financial management, strategic planning, marketing, compliance, and operations. And if that's not enough, he's also responsible for the financial institution insurance business in Canada. Listen in as Bill discusses his journey to the credit union industry and how his current position has been a bit of a ‘full circle’ experience. Bill talks about the ability to attract and retain members through examining insights and trends while having a variety of lending options. Bill shares how Securian’s most recent research helps credit unions assist their members with lending protection to prevent delinquencies, especially during the pandemic. He sheds light on the importance of industry leaders accepting change and being able to quickly adapt to it. Bill explains that what sets credit unions apart is the willingness to collaborate and share tips and strategies with each other to best serve members. In the rapid-fire questions, we find out that Bill recently purchased a puppy for his family and realized it was something he didn’t know he needed. When Bill thinks of success, his father comes to mind as a leader and entrepreneur along with Warren Buffet for his generosity. After work, Bill loves running and getting outdoors to decompress. Enjoy my conversation with Bill! How to find Bill: | |||
| Special Series: The Data Dividend, Turning Insight Into Action – TruStage & Arkatechure | 02 Dec 2025 | 00:32:10 | |
“Better utilizing data can give a more-tailored member experience—which makes the member truly feel like their credit union knows them.” – Mike Kraus Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. Today's episode is the first part of a very special four-part series brought to you by TruStage! Today's discussion is with Mike Kraus (Managing Director of TruStage Ventures) and Jamie Jackson (CEO of Arkatechure), and we focus on how credit unions can make use of their data to drive better member experiences and business outcomes, with Jamie explaining that credit unions often struggle with data silos, lack of data ownership, and a culture of fear around data expertise and Mike noting that credit unions have an abundance of member data, but it is often locked away in legacy core systems. To unlock the value, it's so important for credit unions to pull all their data together into a unified platform! In our conversation, both Mike and Jamie really emphasize the role that fintech partnerships can play, as they can provide the modern data infrastructure, analytics capabilities, and agility that credit unions often lack. However, they also caution that partnerships must be strategic, with clear alignment on goals and outcomes. We also cover why it's so important to start small and prove value via quick wins and then scaling the data strategy. Measuring outcomes, not just activities, is key, and the most successful credit unions will be those that empower all employees to make data-driven decisions! As we wrap up the episode, we highlight how effectively leveraging data is crucial for credit unions to deliver personalized member experiences and drive sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape! I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Mike Kraus and Jamie Jackson! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. | |||
| Personalized Attention - MeridianLink | 28 Nov 2025 | 00:18:24 | |
“Invest the time to find the purpose in what you do. Let that fuel and motivate you.” – Wes Zauner Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Wes Zauner, VP of Product at MeridianLink, returning to the show from episode 96. Wes jumps right in with what he’s hearing across the industry—younger generations expect financial services to move at the pace of their everyday digital lives, and they won’t wait three days for an answer on a loan application. We also talk about the pressure that puts on credit unions that are still relying on paper-heavy workflows and why modernizing the “digital front door” is no longer optional. In our conversation, Wes gives a clear picture of what instant decisioning, automation, and personalized offers look like when they’re done right and why they matter so much if you want younger members to stick around. He also talks about how MeridianLink is supporting more than 2,000 institutions and handling tens of millions of applications and account openings! We dig into strategy and how credit unions can build a realistic technology roadmap without trying to be everything to everyone, as well as how understanding the specific people in your community beats a one-size-fits-all approach. As we wrap up the episode, Wes shares who he thinks of when he hears the word “success,” he talks about his enjoyment of pressure washing, and gives insight to balancing work, parenting, and purpose. Enjoy my conversation with Wes Zauner! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Wes: | |||
| The Future of Money - St. Cloud Financial Credit Union & DaLand CUSO | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:38:37 | |
“We have to get into the game of convenience so we can continue to prove that credit unions are the best financial institutions for consumers to partner with.” - Jed Meyer Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guests on today’s show are Jed Meyer, CEO at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, and Jon Ungerland, CIO of Information/Innovation at DaLand CUSO. They join me to talk about the evolving digital asset ecosystem and the important role that credit unions can play, with Jon explaining how DaLand has been helping St. Cloud Financial stay relevant by using data and digital tools. A key focus has been DaLand's "Coin2Core" solution, allowing credit unions to connect to emerging decentralized finance (DeFi) networks and cryptocurrencies! In our conversation, Jed shares how he recognized the impact of the digital asset space on his members' financial lives about five years ago. Initially skeptical, he eventually realized the importance of getting ahead of this trend to keep his members' wealth circulating in the local economy. Partnering with DaLand has allowed St. Cloud Financial to plug into DeFi networks and offer innovative services like their own white-label stablecoin, and both guests call attention to the need for credit unions to engage with the digital asset ecosystem rather than avoid it, with Jed stressing the importance of education both for credit union leaders and their members. He also highlights the role which credit unions can play as trusted, community-based financial institutions in this new landscape. As we wrap up the episode, Jon notes how leaders across sectors are already deeply invested in the future of tokenized, blockchain-based money, and he cautions that credit unions must act quickly to avoid being left behind. Our conversation also emphasizes the potential of digital assets as well as the need for credit unions to shape this change to best serve their members and communities. Enjoy my conversation with Jed and Jon! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Jed: Connect with Jon: | |||
| Partnership Meets Progress - Elan Credit Card | 31 Oct 2025 | 00:16:02 | |
“When we combine our skills and expertise with (credit unions’) ability to service members, it’s a very synergistic relationship.” - Mitch Pangretic My guest on today’s show is Mitch Pangretic, SVP and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Elan Credit Card. He joins me to discuss his career journey and the value that Elan brings to credit unions as well as so much more, such as how he initially wanted to be an astronaut but ended up in the payments industry, working at companies like Discover, American Express, and US Bank before joining Elan in 2007. In our conversation, Mitch explains Elan's "agent issuing" model where they act as the credit card department and servicing team for credit union partners, allowing credit unions to offer robust credit card products and features without the complications of managing it all themselves. Elan provides the technology, risk management, marketing, rewards programs, and more! Mitch also highlights how Elan can help credit unions ensure that their members have access to the right credit card products, whether that's travel rewards, cash back, or even options to help build/rebuild credit. He discusses valuable member-facing features such as the Elan mobile app, which provides free credit scores, budgeting tools, and the new "Extend Pay" installment lending feature. Mitch notes Elan's expertise and how it can complement the deep member relationships of credit unions. By combining Elan's credit knowledge with the credit union's understanding of their members, they can help provide the best financial guidance and education to help members improve their credit. Mitch also looks ahead and shares Elan's focus on continuing to enhance the integrated technology and user experience for both credit union partners and their members. As we wrap up the episode, Mitch talks about the leader who most influenced him, his vacation bucket list, and how he loves visiting California. Enjoy my conversation with Mitch Pangretic! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. | |||
| Partnership Over Vendorship - Alacriti & Zelle | 17 Oct 2025 | 00:10:34 | |
“Work with a partner instead of just a vendor. Your success is our success. We feel very strongly about that.” - Mark Majeske Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guests on today’s show are Mark Majeske, SVP Faster Payments at Alacriti, and Matt Kinne, Senior Director of Market Solutions at Zelle. Mark and Matt discuss the partnership between Alacriti and Zelle and how the alliance benefits credit unions in offering peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services to their members. They explain that Zelle has become a household name and an expected service for consumers, with nearly 80% even saying instant payments are the most important feature their financial institution can offer. In our conversation, we highlight how Zelle helps credit unions address the challenges they face in P2P payments, challenges such as members using external apps such as Venmo. Their directory-based approach allows credit unions to bring that business back into their ecosystem. Offering Zelle as an option also helps credit unions strengthen their position as a trusted partner compared to fintech apps by taking advantage of their existing brand, security, and personal service. As we wrap up the episode, Mark, Matt, and I discuss the growing use of Zelle by small businesses, which now make up 15% of Zelle's total transactions, presenting an opportunity for credit unions to deepen relationships with local businesses. Our discussion also outlines the benefits of using Zelle via Alacriti as opposed to going direct, including Alacriti's role as a true partner, managing integration complexity, and providing a faster time to market! Enjoy my conversation with Mark Majeske and Matt Kinne! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. Connect with Mark: | |||
| Serving the Underserved - TruStage | 03 Oct 2025 | 00:16:28 | |
“I really do believe what we're doing in the industry to help our members is noble, and TruStage wants to be a partner in that.” - Joe Boan Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is Joe Boan, SVP Head of Sales Distribution at TruStage. Joe joins me to share his journey into the financial services industry and how TruStage is committed to partnering with credit unions to help their members achieve greater financial success. He reflects on how his path has taken him through various roles, from working at a brokerage firm to leading product and sales at a large insurance company. He discusses how he has seen the industry from many angles—as a consumer, someone who helps individuals directly, and as a distribution partner for financial services companies. In our conversation, Joe explains that TruStage is 100% focused on serving credit unions and their members, particularly the "underserved" middle-market consumers. With extensive research, TruStage designs products and solutions that are customized to this group's needs, unlike many institutions that cater to the top percentiles. By offering protection products such as life insurance, TruStage helps credit unions not only serve their members better but also generate sustainable income to support their growth. Joe highlights the fact that TruStage's mission is fully aligned with credit unions to help members become more financially secure. As we wrap up the episode, Joe talks about the leadership of his college baseball coach, his love of cars, his favorite city to travel to, and has a book recommendation for everyone! Enjoy my conversation with Joe Boan! Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com. | |||
| Cover Your Assets - ClaimStinger | 20 Mar 2026 | 00:21:16 | |
“You make the best of what you've got, and you document it and you protect people. It can make a humongous difference in families that might be struggling right now.” - James Bishop Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. My guest on today’s show is James Bishop, founder of ClaimStinger. His story doesn’t start out in a boardroom but rather in Southern Colorado playing cowboy on a dude ranch, then repairing hail-damaged cars, then running a shop, and finally asking a critical question: Why is the insurance process so confusing, so slow, and so stacked against everyday people? From that question, ClaimStinger was born, and what James is building now has serious implications for credit unions, their members, and the way vehicle assets are protected. In our conversation, James and I discuss the quiet documentation gaps that cost members thousands of dollars. James explains why insurance companies are increasingly denying claims due to missing photo evidence, how that drains equity from vehicles, and why credit unions feel the ripple effects in their loan portfolios. James walks us through the concept of “the birthdate of a loan,” and we also dig into what happens when members are left alone to deal with adjusters, estimates, and confusing checks that never quite cover the damage. James shares some actual stories from his repair shop—people driving devalued cars for over a year because they’re scared, stuck, or unsure what to do next. His proposed solution to this problem is to pair simple, plug-and-play technology with education that empowers credit union teams and members alike! As we wrap up the episode, James talks about the grandmother who mentored him, the grandsons he’s investing his time in, his love of museums and sci-fi, and why “playing in the dirt” is his version of balance. This conversation is about a lot more than just software; it’s about protecting what people work hard for and making sure that no one feels stranded when life throws a curveball. Enjoy my conversation with James Bishop!
Want to hear more from James? Click here. | |||