WYANDOTTE, Mich.–Some of Michigan’s credit unions have hosted the first state-level Underground Collision, where a number of provocative points were discussed.
The Underground Collisions to date have been national events created and hosted by Nevada-based Mitchell Stankovic & Associates, which says the events have become known for “colliding with major industry events to create energy, build buzz and begin off-stage conversations.”
Among the topics that were debated:
- “R & D stands for rip-off and duplicate” at most credit unions.
- Credit unions should open new branches in financial deserts for equitable access and lower cost, instead of those prime spots next to lookalike consumers.
- DEI initiatives can “lead to racism toward employees, so be ready.”
The Michigan Underground Collision was hosted by Carma Peters, CEO of Michigan Legacy CU and attracted C-suite leaders and front-line staff from not just Michigan, but Ohio, as well.
“We love the Underground Collisions both in-person and virtual. You can have polite conversations in a professional atmosphere, but it doesn’t often lead to change,” said Peters. “That’s what excites me about the Underground. It’s a movement that will take credit unions and leaders places that makes a difference.”
‘Universal Appeal’
Zach Christensen, director at Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates, hosted the event.
“Launching our first ‘local’ Underground to uniquely focus on issues that matter to the credit union community in Michigan was great and it had universal appeal for those thinking differently,” said Christensen.
Eric Schornhorst, Strategic Advisor at CU Solutions Group, an Underground partner, moderated panels on Max Impact Branching, Innovation Tweaks and DEI Realities. Joining with Schornhorst and Peters on the panel were:
- Scott McFarland, CEO at Honor CU
- Amanda Denney, director of DEI at MSU FCU
- Esteban Camargo, manager of communications & content marketing at CU*Answers
- Liz Winninger, CEO at Xtend, Inc.
- Jennifer Martines, EVP at FreeStar Financial CU
‘Being Authentic’
“The Underground is about being authentic and sharing what we are thinking. Putting ideas into action because brainstorming without impact is a waste of time,” said Susan Mitchell, CEO of Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates and founder of the Underground