SPOKANE, Wash.–The GoWest Credit Union Association has kicked off its annual MAXX meeting here, its first since the merger between the Northwest Credit Union Association and the MountainWest Credit Union Association was approved in June of this year.
More than 1,000 people are in attendance, drawn from the six states the GoWest association serves: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
“Each of our member credit unions was founded on a belief that pooling member resources for the common good creates something truly beneficial for all,” said GWCUA President Troy Stang in opening remarks. “It’s a concept that is both evolutionary in nature and generationally transformative.”
In his keynote address, titled “Tenor of the Times,” Stang told the meeting, “Collectively, we can become agents of change,” he said. “Together, we can influence public policy, impact communities by generating access to capital needed by members, accelerate positive change and literally shape the tenor of our times. We can shape the arc of the curve, by reflecting on how we want to live and how we want that lived experience to be shared.”
Issues Facing FIs
Stang cited the issues facing financial institutions, including recovery from the pandemic, inflation, interest rates, the rapidly growing demand for digital forward delivery of services, supply chain, talent development issues, and the growing wealth gap in communities throughout the west.
“We are called to mobilize our collective energy for the common good,” Stang said.
He pointed to the community development initiatives pioneered by numerous member credit unions, and in particular pointed to the work of credit unions in Washington that, together with the GoWest Foundation, helped launch the first-ever land bank to make property available for low-income housing.
‘Reinventing’ Community
“Together, they are reinventing community development, and making the American dream of home ownership more accessible,” said Stang.
Stang further urged the credit union professionals attending the conference to share best practices, learn from each other, and build partnerships to accelerate growth in their communities. He noted how member credit unions are advocating for more financial education in school systems to impact generations to come. And he predicted that credit unions will be judged on measurable data related to community building, strengthening overall member financial well-being, and closing the wealth gap that divides communities, according to the GoWest CU Association.
The MAXX Conference will run for three days.
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