ANAHEIM, Calif.—Small credit union leaders from California, Nevada and Utah gathered for the 2026 Shapiro Summit, which set an attendance record with 151 participants representing 46 credit unions and 13 business partners.
The Aug. 21-22 event, designed for credit unions with less than $287 million in assets, offered education, networking and opportunities to exchange strategies for addressing shared operational challenges. Nearly 40% of attendees were participating for the first time.
“Everything the Shapiro committee has been able to do these last couple of years is pretty remarkable,” said Jeremy Empol, president and CEO of California’s and Nevada’s Credit Unions. “They have become strategic leaders. Small credit unions do big things.”
Programming included insights from Thinkwise Credit Union CEO Eddie Garcia on adapting to change and a keynote by Category 6 Consulting CEO Shari Storm on attracting consumers younger than 25. Storm encouraged credit unions to establish brand connections early through youth sports sponsorships, kids’ clubs, scholarships, mobile banking, in-branch experiences and youth advisory groups.