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 ..read more

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 Ta ..read more

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 d ..read 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 thes ..read more

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 ..read 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 e ..read 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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 a ..read more

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 ..read more