Explore every episode of the podcast America's Credit Unions

Credit unions need a sustainable approach to growing deposits. One component of that is the use of high-yield accounts, says Alisha Crafton, chief growth officer at Kasasa.

In this episode, sponsored by Kasasa, Crafton examines the company’s use of data and analytics, industry trends, the concept of “phantom growth,” deposit growth strategies, and more.

Housing finance and affordable housing take center stage on this week’s episode, sponsored by the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB).

Ryan Donovan, president/CEO at the council, updates listeners on a recent report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and discusses how FHLBs support mortgage financing, the council’s Affordable Housing Program, success stories from this program, and more.

Join Michael Bell from Honigman LLP for an exciting discussion about growth planning. Mr. Bell provides a glimpse of his practice helping credit unions navigate the world of mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Bell shares his expertise regarding strategic planning and growth, key considerations for the merger process, and perspectives on field of membership and chartering. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Recognize common misconceptions and pitfalls in strategic planning around growth; 
• Understand key considerations for credit unions merging with another credit union or purchasing bank assets; 
• Learn about the optimal charter for a merger and common issues related to charger changes; and 
• Hear about potential improvements that would make the chartering and merger process easier. 

Bio: Michael Bell 

Mr. Bell serves as Chair of the Financial Institutions Practice Group at Honigman. He represents financial institutions throughout the United States and has completed over 40 M&A transactions in the past five years. In 2011, he pioneered a new option for credit unions to achieve rapid growth with the first purchase of a whole bank by a credit union. For the past decade, he has completed the majority of credit union purchases of banks and has become the nationwide leader and go-to legal adviser in this space. Mr. Bell has also helped credit unions acquire other businesses, including insurance and investment companies, trust companies, real estate brokerages, mortgage originators and specialized lenders. He additionally advises financial institutions on all regulatory matters at the state and federal level. Mr. Bell has extensive experience counseling individual entrepreneurs through publicly traded companies on strategies such as non-organic growth and strategic planning. 

Succession planning is about strategic oversight and ensuring your organization is relevant and future-focused.

In this episode of the podcast, Susan Mitchell, CEO of Mitchell Stankovic and Associates, talks about the importance of having an organization-wide succession plan, why taking a forward-focused approach is critical, how succession planning fits into the credit union’s strategic plan, and more.

Credit unions have a renewed focus on fostering member’s financial health and, increasingly, those efforts are digital and mobile-first, says Nicole Harper, director of corporate strategy at Jack Henry.

In this episode of the podcast, sponsored by Jack Henry, Harper examines credit unions’ role in fostering financial health, financial wellness trends, available mobile-first resources, challenges to promoting financial wellness, success stories, and more.

Brian Fassett, Advantis Credit Union’s director of learning and development joins today’s episode of the America’s Credit Union podcast to share how the $2 billion asset credit union in Portland, Ore., goes about finding and developing prospective leaders within the organization.

Jon Sexton, senior vice president of Culture and Leadership Development at Vibrant Credit Union, will follow with a deep look at identifying potential leaders and training them through the organization.

Join this panel discussion with Meredith Fuchs, General Counsel at Plaid, and Ben Maxim, Chief Digital Strategy and Information Officer at Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, highlighting initial takeaways from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed rulemaking to establish open banking and implement section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act. Fuchs and Maxim cover the benefits and challenges of building APIs to share consumer financial data and how your credit union should be evaluating this transition to open banking as the CFPB works to finalize its rule. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Understand the objective of the CFPB’s Section 1033 open banking rulemaking; 
• Hear a credit union’s perspective regarding their journey to build an API; and 
• Delve into some unresolved issues from the CFPB’s proposed rule. 

Credit unions deliver billions of dollars in financial benefits to both members and nonmembers—and now we can prove it.

The Credit Union Impact Dashboard from America’s Credit Unions provides an easy, interactive way to demonstrate how credit unions outperform their peers. It updates in real time to tell the credit union story, measure their transformative power, and showcase how they outperform other financial institutions.

In this episode, Schenk and America’s Credit Unions Senior Economist Ligia Vado explain the dashboard and what it can do, the importance of quantifying the credit union difference, and more.

Find the first crop of stories from America’s Credit Unions’ 2024 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) on last week’s podcast, where credit union leaders discussed small credit unions, member service, fintech, advocacy, and more.

We’re back at it this week with America’s Credit Unions’ Samira Salem, Northwest Community Credit Union’s Jose Garcia, Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ Mike Reuter, Defense Credit Union Council’s Tony Hernandez, and Olympic gold medalist Shaun White.

Listen in as America’s Credit Unions Deputy Editor Bill Merrick and Associate Editor Brock Fritz talk with these credit union advocates about diversity, equity, and inclusion; advocacy, servicemember credit unions, and more.

Highlights from the 2024 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC)

Conversations with some of the more than 6,000 credit union leaders who attended the year's premier advocacy event.

During March, people celebrate Women’s History Month, reflecting on the courage of women from past generations and celebrating how their efforts molded women into who they are today.

In this episode, Melanie Kennedy, president/CEO at Southwest Financial Federal Credit Union in Farmers Branch, Texas, talks about Women’s History Month, women who have inspired her, her role as a leader, advice for the next generation of leaders, and more.

Following the formation of America’s Credit Unions, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL) has redefined its mission to focus on three pillars, according to Brad Miller, AACUL president, and Pat Conway, AACUL chair and president/CEO at the CrossState Credit Union Association. 

Those pillars are connecting with the new national trade association, serving as a voice for credit unions on legislative and regulatory issues, and collaborating with leagues across the country.

In this episode, Miller and Conway discuss how these pillars will shape AACUL’s advocacy approach and efforts, the need for collaboration, what the formation of America’s Credit Unions means for leagues and AACUL, and more.

The credit union movement is preparing for its annual trip to Washington, D.C.

The 2024 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC), scheduled for March 3-7, will look a bit different, however.

What can attendees expect from the first GAC under the banner of America’s Credit Unions? A revamped, reenergized feel, according to America’s Credit Unions’ chief association services officer Todd Spiczenski.

Spiczenski stopped by the podcast to share all the new features and speakers, and describe the familial, collaborative atmosphere that has made GAC the movement’s banner advocacy event.

Community financial institutions are facing stiff competition.

How can they outdo their competitors, navigate the changing financial environment, and bring in new deposits?

America’s Credit Unions Digital Media Design Specialist Yeekeng Yang welcomed Kasasa CEO Gabe Krajicek on the podcast to answer these questions and more. They discuss challenges facing credit unions, the importance of adapting to change, how to address liquidity issues, and how Kasasa helps community financial institutions grow core deposits.

Filene Research Institute’s Racial Economic Equity Incubator seeks to address economic disparities and deliver resources, support, and capital to communities of color.

Filene Senior Incubation Manager Horacio Garcia-Korosec stops by the podcast to describe the incubator, credit union participants, and the need to address economic disparities.

This Black History Month episode also features two credit union advocates: Michigan Credit Union League Director of State Advocacy DaeSean Ashby and First Harvest Credit Union Board Chair Loretta Winters. Ashby shares how he uses his voice to uplift and advocate, while Winters discusses her role as president of the Gloucester County NAACP and her passion for improving communities.

Fresh off its first-ever economic forecast, America’s Credit Unions’ economics team hopped on the podcast to set the stage for 2024.

What do they expect this year? Will the U.S. face a recession? What’s happening in lending? How are credit unions’ balance sheets?

Dawit Kebede, Curt Long, Ligia Vado, and Mike Schenk answer those questions and more, with their baseline forecast calling for modest economic growth of 1.5% in 2024.

Financial well-being is a hallmark of how credit unions serve their members and communities. In this episode of the podcast, three credit union leaders explain the importance of financial education and how their credit unions improve members’ financial lives.

Our financial well-being roundtable hands the microphone to:

• Chris Wolgamott, director of financial well-being and member experience, $1.9 billion asset Meritrust Credit Union, Wichita, Kan.
• Cassandre Cassamajor, senior community development representative, $218 million asset SkyPoint Federal Credit Union, Germantown, Md.
• Autumn Solomon, business development officer, $553 million asset Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union, Charlotte, N.C.

The trio has an open conversation about why credit unions make it their mission to foster financial well-being, why it's an important mission, how their credit unions have made an impact, member stories, and more.

Credit unions are committed to serving the needs of their members.

But what happens when those needs and expectations change?

Evolving with those changes requires modern technology, according to Jack Henry™ President of Credit Union Solutions Shanon McLachlan, who joined the podcast to discuss how credit unions can reimagine the technology ecosystem.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, associate editor Brock Fritz talks to Colleen Desselle and Rachel Bond about their innovative approaches to marketing and business development.

While Desselle and Bond hold different roles, they have at least one thing in common: the Marketing & Business Development Council recognized both with top honors this year. Desselle received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award, and Bond was named the 2023 Community Impact Professional of the Year. 

Desselle shares her family history of credit union service and explains how she’s grown the credit union’s marketing and business development efforts over the years.

Bond details her approach to financial education, community outreach, and partnerships.

Women are much more likely to hold the top spot at credit unions than they are at banks, according to “Women in Credit Union Leadership,” a report from CUNA.

Two outstanding credit union CEOs join the CUNA News Podcast to talk about women’s leadership:

• Leigh Brady, CEO at $50 billion asset State Employees Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C.
• Linda White, executive director at the Credit Union Women’s Leadership Alliance and a former credit union CEO.

They speak about their journeys to the CEO chair, challenges they faced, what sets female leaders apart, advice they have for women who aspire to take on leadership roles, and more.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released a report outlining roughly 50 recommendations for the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.

One recommendation that’s particularly relevant concerns the types of collateral credit unions can pledge when they borrow from FHLBs, says FHLB Council President/CEO Ryan Donovan, who rejoins the CUNA News Podcast.

In this episode, sponsored by the FHLB Council, Donovan outlines the report’s key findings and recommendations, and potential implications for credit unions.

It’s hard to stay ahead of fraudsters. Credit unions can renew their security measures and fraud education, but fraudsters find a way.

Envisant President/CEO Libby Calderone joined the CUNA News Podcast to share how the credit union service organization (CUSO) is helping credit unions through the fraud arms race. Calderone and CUNA Digital Media Design Specialist Yeekeng Yang discuss trending fraud attacks, how credit unions can combat them, and more.

Bryan Fox and Nate Rupe see a lot of similarities between their time in the U.S. military and credit unions.

The former brigadier general and flight paramedic, respectively, join the CUNA News Podcast to discuss those similarities while sharing stories of their service and how credit unions assist veterans.

Rupe, an eight-year Army veteran who is now Advia Credit Union’s talent acquisition partner, describes the credit union as a “financial hospital.” He says the focus on helping people made his 2022 transition to the civilian workforce smooth.

Rupe and Advia Manager of Talent Acquisition Kilee Gardner share how the $3 billion asset credit union in Kalamazoo, Mich., has made a concerted effort to smooth this transition for other servicemembers.

What is the Federal Home Loan Bank System? What is the Federal Housing Finance Agency looking for in its review of the system? What will the agency suggest in its impending report? And how can credit union advocacy make a difference?

Council of Federal Home Loan Banks President/CEO Ryan Donovan, CUNA’s former chief advocacy officer, rejoins the CUNA News Podcast to answer those questions and more.

What’s the key to successful business development? Forming relationships and “being your most authentic self,” says Bradley Dyer Jr., senior business development officer at $1.4 billion asset Credit Union of America in Wichita, Kan., and a 2023 Credit Union Rock Star.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Dyer Jr. shares his approach to business development and explains his commitment to serving the dedicated teachers and health-care professionals who make up much of the credit union’s membership.

As public relations manager at $2 billion asset Texas Trust Credit Union in Arlington, Texas, Toni Nichols loves highlighting the work the credit union does on behalf of members through storytelling, social media, and creative campaigns that ingrain Texas Trust into people’s consciousness.

Case in point: a credit union space within a 6,000-seat theater that looks like a record shop, complete with credit union-themed t-shirts, album covers, posters, and a jukebox. 

She shares how Vought Records came about, her approach to public relations, how she comes up with new ideas, advice for aspiring PR leaders, and more.

Finding the right fintech partner can allow credit unions to maximize growth and fuel innovation, according to Ben Maxim, chief operating officer at Reseda Group, a credit union service organization formed by Michigan State University Federal Credit Union in East Lansing.

Anatoli Murha’s Ukrainian heritage plays a key role in his life.

Murha is a member of the 11th class of Credit Union Rock Stars, a group of 25 innovative, creative credit union professionals who excel and make the movement a better place. Read Murha’s profile and about the other 2023 Credit Union Rock Stars at news.cuna.org/rockstar.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Murha spoke about his Ukrainian heritage, the credit union’s response to the war with Russia, advocating during war, the power of relationships, and more.

Everyone knows that technology is advancing at a rapid pace. But how can credit unions use this technology and analyze data in a way that improves the member experience and allows them to compete with fintechs?

Hear Maxim and CUNA Digital Media Design Specialist Yeekeng Yang discuss why consumers desire personalized financial solutions, how technology can drive those solutions, how fintechs and credit unions can work together, how artificial intelligence and data analytics can enhance credit unions, and more.

Matt McCombs has no problem experimenting.

The evidence is clear to those walking through the doors of Vibrant Coffeehouse and Kitchen in Moline, Ill. The coffee shop, which opened in late 2022, sits next to the headquarters of $1 billion asset Vibrant Credit Union, where McCombs serves as president/CEO.

It roasts its own coffee and offers breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, ice cream, and more, while also serving as a branding and growth platform for the credit union. McCombs joins this episode of CUNA News Podcast to discuss the unique arm of the business, the importance of engagement, how to turn ideas into action, and his leadership philosophies.

There are countless ways to connect with consumers in 2023. There are also countless competitors seeking to make those connections. 

Co-op Solutions President/CEO Todd Clark joins the CUNA News Podcast to discuss how credit unions can navigate the fintech-heavy landscape by engaging members every day.

Clark and CUNA Digital Media Design Specialist Yeekeng Yang also discuss the payments technology landscape, market research that came out of 2023 Co-op THINK, challenges credit unions face in the technology realm, and more.

Pending legislation, the Credit Card Competition Act of 2023, would not only reduce credit unions’ interchange income, it would threaten consumer data security, privacy, and access to credit. The bill could also harm credit unions’ ability to give back to their communities. Sharing their insights are Jason Stverak, CUNA’s deputy chief advocacy officer; Mike Lee, president/CEO at KCT Credit Union in Elgin, Ill.; Richard Gose, CUNA’s chief political officer; and Keith Sias, senior vice president of governmental affairs at the Illinois Credit Union League.

After helping a formerly incarcerated individual raise his credit score, Marine Credit Union’s Zach Hancock “wanted to find a way to help.”

He joins this episode of the CUNA News Podcast to share how he made it happen by teaching a financial empowerment course at the La Crosse County Jail in Wisconsin.

While they’ve achieved the top leadership spot at their organization, CEOs know they must still take advantage of every opportunity to learn.

Three credit union CEOs—all with varying lengths of time in the top spot—joined the CUNA News Podcast to discuss their career journeys and what they’ve learned along the way.

Joining the podcast are:

• Doug Fagan, president/CEO at $695 million asset Partner Colorado Credit Union, Arvada, Colo.
• Jennifer Watson, CEO at $58 million asset Limestone Federal Credit Union, Manistique, Mich.
• Darius Wise, president/CEO at $350 million asset Red Rocks Credit Union, Littleton, Colo.

They share insights into what it means to be a leader, their leadership styles, advice they have for first-time CEOs, and more.

New voices continue to shape conversations and strategy within the CUNA-League system as several new league presidents have assumed leadership roles within the past several months.

• Mara Humphrey, president/CEO at the Minnesota Credit Union Network.
• Tim Sullivan, president at the Alaska Credit Union League.
• Melia Heimbuck, president/CEO at Credit Union Association of New Mexico.
• Gerry Singleton, president/CEO at Montana’s Credit Unions. 

They discuss priorities they’re working toward in their respective leagues and the experiences that prepared them for league leadership. 

When Martin Carter launched the EmpowerMe! financial wellness program at Astera Credit Union, he wanted to improve members’ financial lives. He was also well aware that the program’s participants would qualify for more of the credit union’s products and services.
In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Carter describes why financial well-being is not only about education, but turning knowledge into positive outcomes for both members and the credit union.

As technology continues to drive both innovation and operational efficiency, it’s vital that the best solutions not only improve workflow but also empower as many end users as possible. 

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Andie Dovgan, chief growth officer at Creatio, describes how the company’s no-code platform automates workflows and improves member engagement.  

Jessica Sharon believes credit unions deserve a bigger stage. “We don’t toot our own horn enough,” says the assistant vice president of financial outreach at $677 million asset Pelican State Credit Union in Baton Rouge, La.

Pelican State shares its good news on “Opportunity Knock$,” a PBS reality show that follows six families as they work with financial experts and local credit unions to take control of their finances.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Sharon describes how Pelican State credit counselors do what they do best: improve members’ financial well-being.

“This is our mission. This is our purpose,” says Sharon. “I hope this shines a light on the credit union industry and how we're living our principles.”

The African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) will hold its 25th Anniversary Annual Conference July 16- July 20 at the Atlanta Evergreen Resort. The theme of the silver anniversary event is legacy, which reflects the unique path the organization and its partners have curated over the past quarter century. 

This episode of the CUNA News Podcast features Renee Sattiewhite, AACUC president/CEO, and Maurice Smith, AACUC board chair and retired president/CEO at Local Government Federal Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C.  They provide a preview of the conference and share their thoughts on the tremendous progress the organization has made in recent years. 

As traditional phishing attacks become less effective due to organizations’ stronger internal controls, cybercriminals are turning to targeted business email compromise attacks.

For these criminals, it’s all about securing credentials, according to John Moeller and Randy Romes, both cybersecurity principals at CliftonLarsonAllen.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, recorded during the 2023 CUNA Cybersecurity Conference with NASCUS, Romes and Moeller discuss the state of email phishing, how these crimes will evolve in the future, changes in ransomware attacks, and more.

New York University Federal Credit Union CEO Mira Ness takes a hands-on approach to service. 

What’s happening in credit union lending? What do CUNA’s economists forecast for the rest of 2023? How could economic uncertainty and a potential recession change the lending outlook?

As we near the midway point of 2023, CUNA Chief Economist/Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Mike Schenk shares what he's seeing on this episode of the CUNA News Podcast. 

Be kind, compassionate, and empathetic.

It sounds simple enough, but Andy Reed says a societal effort to be good human beings would go a long way to improve life for minorities.

Reed, president/CEO at $482 million asset Security First Credit Union in Edinburg, Texas, joins associate editor Brock Fritz on this episode of the CUNA News Podcast. He discusses how his career path didn’t have some of the hurdles that other members of the LGBTQ+ community face. 

The economy and pressures on liquidity and noninterest income dominated discussions at the 2023 CUNA Finance Council Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

This episode of the CUNA News Podcast features conversations from that event. It features:

Christine Messer, chief finance officer (CFO) and senior vice president at $729 million asset Heritage Family Credit Union in Rutland, Vt., and CUNA Finance Council vice chair. She offers insights into a conference session that addressed current economic challenges.

Mira Ness, president/CEO at $71 million asset New York University Federal Credit Union, and Paul Jockisch, CFO at $4 billion asset Stanford Federal Credit in Palo Alto, Calif. They discuss how to provide responsible and transparent courtesy pay programs, as well as creative ways to boost noninterest income.

Billy Guthrie and Joe Kennerson, managing directors at Darling Consulting Group, who address deposit strategies to take in today’s competitive environment.

Charley McQueen, president/CEO at McQueen Financial Advisors on taking a boring approach to investment portfolio management.

Amanda Bardonner, vice president of strategic accounts at LendKey, who examines the power of active listening in leadership.

Before long, remote work won’t exist. It will simply be “work.”

“Virtual-first work,” as remote work expert Laurel Ferrar calls it, will become so normalized that it won’t even require discussion.

This episode of the CUNA News Podcast features Ferrar, who’s head of TeamOps at GitLab and has worked remotely for 17 years.

She explains how virtual-first work arrangements will evolve in the future, new tools that will improve this work style, where organizations struggle with these arrangements, and best practices for making them work.

The founders of National JACL Credit Union, members of the Japanese American Citizens League, felt compelled to help members of their community who were moved to internment camps in 1942 following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Eighty years later, the $39 million asset credit union in Salt Lake City continues to serve. National JACL Credit Union President/CEO Dean Hirabayashi joined the CUNA News Podcast to take listeners through the motivation for and formation of the credit union, which fights for financial well-being and Asian Americans' civil rights.

The CUNA HR & Organizational Development Council Conference is a unique event. It offers an opportunity for human resource and organizational development professionals to gather in person and focus on topics specific to their roles in the credit union industry. 

In this series of interviews, we share some of the many voices that contributed to the 2023 CUNA HR & Organizational Development Council Conference, held recently in San Diego. 

Venmo. PayPal. Zelle. Instant peer-to-peer payments have played a large role in the rapidly changing payment landscape. 

How can credit unions adapt to the current structure and benefit from modernized payment platforms?

PCBB Senior Vice President of Operations Allen Sztukowski answered that question and more on this episode of the CUNA News Podcast. Sztukowski and CUNA Digital Media Design Specialist Yeekeng Yang take a wide lens to the payment landscape, then dive in to explain how credit unions can adapt and thrive as payments continues to evolve.

Consumers’ financial health declined in 2022 for the first time in the five years the Financial Health Network began tracking this measure—making credit unions’ efforts to improve members’ financial well-being especially important.

This episode of the CUNA News Podcast explores how credit unions aim to change that, from credit counseling and financial literacy initiatives to increasing access to affordable housing.

We talk to Carrie Iafrate, president/CEO at $815 million asset Members First Credit Union in Midland, Mich., Susan Espinosa, vice president of member experience at $1.4 billion asset Skyla Credit Union in Charlotte, N.C, and Nicole Harper, director of corporate strategy at Jack Henry.

We continue our conversations from the 2023 CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference by examining the power of creativity, digital marketing, podcasting, and fintech partnerships with Meow Wolf co-founder Vince Kadlubek, Janelle Herrera, vice president of marketing and business development at On Tap Credit Union in Golden, Colo.,  Tiffany Mutchler, marketing manager at Voyage Federal Credit Union in Sioux Falls, S.D., Valerie Simpson, CEO and creative director at The Sampson House, Yeosh Bendayan, founder and partner at Push Button Creative Audio, Tansley Stearns, CEO at Community Financial Credit Union in Plymouth, Mich., and SavvyMoney Senior Vice President of Sales & Partnerships Chris Fraenza,