Cuna News Podcast

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.