By Cindy Parker
For decades, the credit union industry has gathered around a shared belief: collaboration is our superpower. Yet, traditional conference design doesn’t always unlock the full potential that can come from a large gathering. CU Unplugged challenges that model, and in doing so, introduces something entirely new to the industry.
CU Unplugged is the first industry event built in real time by and for credit unions.
Instead of passively consuming content, attendees actively shape what unfolds. CU Unplugged convenes March 30–April 2, 2026, at the Visa Market Support Center at Mission Rock in San Francisco, launching with a shared focus topic that sets the direction of the conversation.
From the moment credit unions are welcomed, the microphone is passed to them to lead, challenge, and build in real time. Conversations are driven by what matters most to each institution: the realities of today, the pressures of what’s next, and the ideas that will define future success. The outcome is more than insight; it’s momentum!
At CU Unplugged, the microphone belongs to the credit union.
Attendees are the keynote speakers, the panelists, the moderators, and the storytellers, while still gaining access to new insights, solutions, and perspectives from peers across the movement.
The format is intentionally open and flexible, allowing participants to move freely between conversations, share what they’re seeing in the field, and connect in ways that feel natural rather than scripted.
CU Unplugged will feature three “facilitators,” who bring decades of experience across innovation, leadership, and digital transformation.
- Anthony Hernandez, Defense Credit Union Council president/CEO, Retired USAF Colonel
- John Best, Best Innovation Group (BIG) CEO
- And Brett King, CEO & Best Selling Author, The Futurist Network
Each facilitator is here not to lecture, but to spark the kind of real, unscripted dialogue that defines this event.
The idea behind CU Unplugged is rooted in a core truth recently highlighted by Best:
“The real value of any event isn’t just content, it’s who’s in the room. Instead of scattering critical discussions about emerging issues like AI, the GENIUS Act, and stablecoins across multiple forums, CU Unplugged brings those conversations together in one place. This amplifies discussions, accelerates collaboration across the entire movement, and turns ideas into real, actionable outcomes.”
And because of this focus, both BIG and DCUC are welcoming all credit unions to attend, regardless of size, charter, association membership, or affiliation.
“CU Unplugged isn’t about replacing traditional conferences,” said Hernandez. “It’s about unlocking something we often leave untapped or wanting more of! When credit unions are empowered to build the experience together, collaboration stops being a buzzword and starts driving real progress for the entire industry.”
Join credit union technologists, innovation leaders, digital transformation teams, and executives in San Francisco and help shape what’s next for credit unions. Learn more at cu-unplugged.com.
Questions? Contact Cindy Parker, Defense Credit Union Council Director of Conferences and Events, at cparker@dcuc.org.