DANA POINT, Calif.–With CUNA and NAFCU set to merge, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues’ (AACUL) held its Winter Conference here at which it said it updated its mission, vision, and strategic pillars. It also announced its new board officers and new directors.
More than 200 people were in attendance, including league chairs, the CUNA board, federal and state regulators, and key business partners.
“This year’s theme - Connecting Ideas, Vision and Impact - was inspired by AACUL’s recently updated mission: to leverage the collective power of leagues to create advocacy wins for credit unions and build a strong network of credit union associations,” according to the organization.
The AACUL reported attendees joined their colleagues in one of five peer-focused collaboration tracks designed, respectively, for league presidents and chairs, league advocacy professionals, league communicators, league foundation executives, and league service corporation executives.
What Took Place
During the meeting, the AACUL said:
- A general session was bookended by outside speakers, including Dr. Jennifer Golbeck, director of the Social Intelligence Lab at the University of Maryland, who talked to the group about levering artificial intelligence safely and strategically; and Tanya Meck, partner and managing director with Global Strategy Group, who stressed the importance of using impactful communications to own your brand in times of change.
- Insights were shared by several league presidents and other industry leaders through three panels. Jeff Olson, president/CEO, Dakota Credit Union Association facilitated a discussion about the evolution of AACUL and the intentional collaboration between the league system and America’s Credit Unions. Michael Bell, financial institutions practice group leader with Honigman LLP, moderated a panel about the political and advocacy dynamics surrounding banks selling to credit unions. African-American Credit Union Coalition President/CEO Renee Sattiewhite led a discussion that detailed ways collaboration between leagues and other industry organizations has helped propel DEI initiatives in the credit union space, according to the AACUL.
- Others addressing the group included Sarah Bang, senior advisor to NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman; Brian Knight, president/CEO, National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS; Ryan Donovan, who formerly led CUNA’s Hill advocacy team and who is now president/CEO of the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks; Chuck Fagan, who is currently president of PSCU and who will lead the organization after it merges with Co-op Solutions, and Carolinas Credit Union Foundation President/CEO Lauren Whaley.
New Board Officers, Members
During the meeting, the 2024 AACUL Board Officers were elected:
- Chair - Patrick Conway, president/CEO of the CrossState Credit Union Association
- Vice Chair - John Bratsakis, president/CEO of the MD|DC Credit Union Association
- Secretary/Treasurer - Dan Schline, president/CEO of the Carolinas Credit Union League.
Other AACUL board members include Director Patty Corkery, president/CEO of the Michigan Credit Union League and Director Caroline Willard, president/CEO of the Cornerstone League. Ex-officio members of the AACUL Board include Jeff Olson (Immediate Past Chair), president/CEO of Dakota Credit Union Association; Jim Nussle, president/CEO of America’s Credit Unions; and Brad Miller, president of AACUL.
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