Jon Taffer is an international celebrity and New York Times best-selling author, but most people know him as the highly sought-after guru who takes a no-bold approach to help businesses reach their full potential as creator, executive producer and star of Bar Rescue. Taffer guides companies through the process of turning around their businesses to embrace the future. He has consulted for well-known brands, such as the NFL Network, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Anheuser-Bush to name a few. Taffer is a master of powerful presentations that rescue businesses from themselves to propel them towards success.

As a former Chief Diversity Officer, Cultural Strategist and Employee Engagement Leader at Fortune 500 companies including Google, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wema Hoover demonstrates how to harness diversity to unlock an organization’s skills and abilities. She reveals how inclusive practices lead to increased employee engagement and collaboration, breakthrough thinking and enhanced innovation. Wema also discusses unconscious bias, how to create a culture of belonging, and cultural competence. An authentic, riveting and impactful speaker, Wema uses her lived experiences as a Black female senior executive to show the true potential of diversity and that differences really can make a difference.

Storytelling is the #1 business skill necessary to connect, motivate, and lead people in today’s world. Stories compel us to engage in experiences, learn lessons, and define our values and ourselves within our organization. Matthew Luhn, a 20-year Pixar story veteran, brings his experience creating and developing 10 blockbuster films at Pixar (including Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Storys 1-3, Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, and Cars), and provides practical strategies that teach and inspire people and teams to connect more effectively with audiences on an emotional level. Matthew uses the power of storytelling to bridge the gap between business and heart, driving your story toward one unforgettable selling point.

Jeopardy, the game, is all about strategically managing risk and reward. The same is true for credit unions. Come play along with the “Alex Trebek of Credit Unions,” Patrick Adams, as he discusses the hottest topics on the playing board including Corporate Culture, Competition, Digital Solutions, Member Experience, Financial Strength, Market Relevancy, Sustainable Growth, and Brand Strength as he reveals what’s working in each category to help your CU better compete. Just like the hit TV show, this session will be fast-paced and fun with Patrick delivering one proven idea after another for your credit union to come out ahead of the game.

For years, super-funded Fintech and Big Banks have been gaining a competitive edge by spending billions of dollars creating cutting-edge, digital solutions while CUs have struggled to keep up. Curql is working to change that. With its $252 million investment fund backed by investments from 69 limited partners, Curql serves a gateway for Fintech and CUs to collaborate and develop new digital and AI solutions. The goal is to bring transformative technology to market so more CUs can stay relevant in the evolving digital market and compete. Discover the trends that are shaping the newest digital innovations and the emerging solutions coming to market that may benefit your CU and your members.

Get ready to jot down one action item after another in this high-energy discussion as you explore the tactics of the Top Performing CUs – and how you can apply them at your CU. Find out how the Top 1% do it – and how you can too! You will learn about the strategic choices that were made … how CFOs manage their balance sheets in unpredictable times … and the 6 paths CUs must consider for continued growth. This hands-on, interactive discussion led by CU finance expert Pete Duffy, will give you the tools you need based on what’s working among the country’s top CUs.

Fortune 1000 companies focused on Customer Experience (CX) are now generating 5.7x more revenue compared to competitors and their customers are 5x more likely to purchase from them. Yet, only a fraction of CUs are pursuing similar Member Experience (MX) initiatives, which are now more critical than ever in the digital era. Based on work with 120 CUs, David Dean shares the Big Three MX Strategies for CUs to (1) build referrals, (2) increase engagement and, (3) improve the digital experience for members. Plus, you won’t want to make a move until you follow David Dean’s #1 secret to create an effective MX strategy in your CU.

As unemployment rates stabilize, consumer spending recovers, interest rates begin to rise, and net interest margins get squeezed, how should CUs adjust in a post-COVID economy? Join ALM First’s Emily Hollis as she reveals the top 4 financial strategies every CU must consider including pricing loans … the “secret sauce” in your ALM reports … leveraging derivatives … and investing opportunities to seize (and those to avoid!) Plus, you’ll get Emily’s “Picking up Pennies Tips” – small things that can yield significant income over time.

AI is taking over more loan decisions as human beings gradually cede control. What does this mean for your CU? What is the impact to your lending portfolio? And how might it affect your delivery channels? In this impactful session, Don Arkell from CU Lending Advice will discuss how AI is taking over lending decisions and the challenges presented to credit unions. We will cover:
•  How ML/AI replicates a loan decision
•  Extending your credit risk appetite across space and time
•  Regulatory concerns and challenges
•  The metrics you need to analyze
•  The problems AI can create for you and your members — and how to avoid them

If you are leading with messages of lower loan rates, less fees and higher deposit rates you’re missing 4 out of 5 prospects in your market. Instead, lead with your values. Prior to the pandemic, 64% of consumers wanted to do business with companies that share the same values. Today, that figure is now 78% as more millennials and Gen Z’ers dominate the market. Find out how brand managers at CUs are moving away from product-centric messaging and creating effective value-based, customer-centric campaigns that are now increasing member loyalty, member engagement and even employee engagement.

Purpose makes a difference. CU leaders who understand why their organization exists in the market, who it serves best, and how it makes a difference, outperform their competitors in just about every category. Those with a purpose-driven culture generate profits 10x – 12x more than their competitors. Get the same strategies the country’s top CUs are using to create a purpose-driven organization and delivering amazing results.

Join one of the world’s leading digital marketing advisors and best-selling author James Robert Lay discuss how to find ideal market segments, build a brand within your niche and cultivate highly profitable relationships whether you’re marketing online, over the air, in-person or in the mail. See for yourself how other CUs are generating 20% growth rates YoY using the Digital Growth Institute’s 3-Step Niche Marketing Formula.

BONUS: Every attendee also receives a digital version of James Robert Lay’s new book, Banking on Digital Growth.

What does the executive of the future look like? Is it someone with thousands of Twitter followers who can move the needle with a Tweet? Is it someone who can talk financials one moment, digital marketing the next, data analytics over Zoom, and then make deals over lunch? Or is it someone with an old-school work ethic who is focused on innovative fintech solutions? Join John Janclaes, retired President & CEO of Partners FCU and now President of Nymbus CUSO, as he shares the Big 3 skills that executives need – and boards should look for – to create the growth and innovation credit unions must have to compete in the future.

Too many CUs are relying on mergers, participations, and indirect lending as their primary growth engine. The problem is that this strategy is short-sighted. It dilutes your brand equity and gives up market share to your competitors. The solution: Grow your loan portfolio from within by leveraging enterprise risk management, marketing, and the technology your CU needs. Those that do are seeing significant gains in brand equity, membership growth, and checking growth as they capture a larger share of the market. In this engaging conversation, Ancin Cooley shows you step-by-step how grow organically and give your CU an edge in the most challenging markets.

Want to differentiate your brand? Look no further than your own mission. In a world where social issues and values mean more to the next generation of consumers, some of the country’s top CUs are creating common bonds that run deeper than where people might live, work or worship. In this fast-paced and energizing session, credit union evangelist Susan Mitchell, shows how CUs are gaining a competitive edge over Big Banks and Fintechs by creating purpose-driven, values-based cultures and are connecting with new and emerging markets like never before.

One of the credit union movement’s most respected economists, Bill Hampel, returns to share his expert analysis of the economy for the next 18 months. Find out what factors might impact economic growth … consumer spending … interest rates … inflation … unemployment and more. Plus, find out first-hand how your CU’s loan demand, savings flows and earnings may be affected – and how these economic trends may affect member behavior.

Everyone talks about change. But the reality is that change is uncomfortable, disruptive, and often downright scary. Find out how to transform your brand and get the buy-in you need from the boardroom to the front lines and from your members to your partners in this eye-opening session. Discover the secrets (and the hard lessons learned!) from Tricia Szurgot, Chief Operating Officer and former CMXO at First Commonwealth FCU, who helped turn branches into financial centers, drive growth fueled by social responsibility, and nearly doubled the size of the CU to $1 billion in a fiercely competitive market.

Consumers demand it. Employees expect it. And organizational leaders must demonstrate it. Yet, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have not moved beyond traditional training programs. What’s needed is a cultural shift or else credit union leaders will be stuck reacting to controversial DEI challenges. CUs that are making the cultural shift are seeing higher productivity, increased efficiency and a significant boost to the bottom line. Join one of the CU Leadership Convention’s Top Speakers, Ronaldo Hardy, as he reveals the 7 rules to the road highly profitable CUs use to manage and measure DEI and its impact to their organizations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic settles, M&A activity by and among CUs is poised to heat up and, perhaps, exceed pre-pandemic levels. Financial stress and the lack of succession among smaller, struggling CUs will increase merger activity among CUs. Less opportunities for community banks to find merger partners will fuel more bank acquisitions by CUs. Whatever side of the transaction you may be on in a M&A deal, you will not want to miss this session as we explain the Big 4 Strategies for an Effective M&A transaction. Receive valuable insight regarding (1) why a credit union would want to merge, including acquiring a community bank; (2) the planning phase of a M&A transaction, including key deal points and pricing considerations; (3) the various stages of a transaction, including how to properly conduct due diligence, negotiate the merger agreement and successfully receive regulatory approval; and (4) how to effectively utilize subordinated debt to enhance regulatory capital ratios and use it as a funding source to acquire a community bank.

As the COVID-19 pandemic settles, M&A activity by and among CUs is poised to heat up and, perhaps, exceed pre-pandemic levels. Financial stress and the lack of succession among smaller, struggling CUs will increase merger activity among CUs. Less opportunities for community banks to find merger partners will fuel more bank acquisitions by CUs. Whatever side of the transaction you may be on in a M&A deal, you will not want to miss this session as we explain the Big 4 Strategies for an Effective M&A transaction. Receive valuable insight regarding (1) why a credit union would want to merge, including acquiring a community bank; (2) the planning phase of a M&A transaction, including key deal points and pricing considerations; (3) the various stages of a transaction, including how to properly conduct due diligence, negotiate the merger agreement and successfully receive regulatory approval; and (4) how to effectively utilize subordinated debt to enhance regulatory capital ratios and use it as a funding source to acquire a community bank.

Look at the boardrooms and C-suites across the country and it’s clear – a diversity challenge exists. Despite decades of incremental progress, minorities are under-represented in the C-suite. Just a fraction of the top positions at the $1 billion+ CUs are held by women. And Latinos continue to be disproportionately affected. Find out how top-performing CUs are making the commitment DEI to give their organizations a competitive advantage. Plus, discover the skills needed to create cultural competency among your leaders.

See live demonstrations of trending apps like RobinHood, Cash App, SoFi, and Affirm to better understand the increasing competitive pressures on today’s banking products. Join Dave DeFazio, one of the CU Leadership Convention’s highest-rated speakers, as he shares the newest Fintech research that explains the rapidly changing trends – including which mobile features matter most to each generation, from Zoomers to Boomers. He will also examine how fintech companies like Acorns are leveraging the subscription society (think Amazon Prime, Costco, Netflix, Spotify) and pioneering new business models for financial products and services.

Credit union members expect personalized digital experiences in the channel of their choice – yet some traditional financial institutions are not meeting these table stakes. Previously, credit union dialogue around innovation was focused on two options: buy or build. Today, there are more options – including partnerships with Fintechs, which can play a critical role in growing the bottom line and enabling true innovation. Leveraging third-party resources can also be hugely beneficial in accelerating time to market for launching new innovations – filling gaps your members may not even known exist and creating value. Learn how Fintechs are reshaping the future of financial services and how embracing collaboration can help level the playing field for credit unions.

WARNING: If your DEI initiatives are considered an HR function, you’re setting yourself up for failure. This is just one of the many lessons learned as well-intentioned C-suite leaders and directors implement DEI programs at CUs of all sizes. Find out what role HR should play and how to avoid the mistakes others make from one CEO who discovered that the highest turnover was among its black employees despite years of DEI trainings and initiatives. Plus, find out how to handle members who don’t support DEI initiatives and how best to respond. Hint: The customer isn’t always right! Join us for this practical, no-nonsense session so you can support cultural change in your CU and in your community.

CUs have more data about their members than Amazon! But more data is not the answer to the challenges facing CUs. The answer lies in harnessing the power of Big Data. What if there is ONE thing to focus on in your data that would matter most? Join veteran data educator and strategist, Anne Legg, as she reveals in plain-English a 3-step framework to help you identify, analyze and build a roadmap towards the ONE thing that will deliver extraordinary results for your members – and your CU! Best of all, no additional resources are required.

Millions have already left the workforce and nearly 63% of those who remain are actively searching for a new position. Credit unions can no longer afford to settle for mere “employee engagement” based on a hunch, happiness, or satisfaction. Dr. Troy makes the case that to have the type of commitment leaders want from their employees it takes cohesion — not engagement. Cohesion Cultures™ are safe workplaces where people feel a sense of belonging, are valued and share in mutual commitments. When cohesion is present, teams always perform. Join Dr. Troy as he brings this level of cohesive performance to life with knowledge and activities that can be implemented immediately in your CU.

Note: Be sure to join Dr. Troy at Thursday’s HR Roundtable Discussion where attendees have the opportunity to develop an action plan to help retain your top talent.

Understanding what motivates and drives your Board of Directors will help to engage them in your strategic initiatives. Credit unions must develop volunteers to be more flexible, imaginative, and accountable to capitalize on their capacity while maintaining fiduciary responsibility. I’m this session, Dr. B will share governance lessons and real-life stories to energize the future while creating a legacy for those that have dedicated their lives to your credit union. As we all forge the new normal, there are evolving challenges for Boards and CEOs. How does the Board adapt?

What if your culture became your competitive advantage for retaining employees? What if potential employees considered your CU to be their preferred employer? Find out how one of the country’s oldest CUs recently overhauled its corporate culture to create the “Workers Way” – a member-centric approach to doing business that is helping employees provide for their families, build financial resilience for members and improve their community. The results are impressive. Workers CU’s staff turnover is among the lowest in the country … millennials and Gen Z’ers now account for its largest users … and its Combined Aggregate Growth Rate is well above its peers at 28%. Discover the keys to win the war for talent by doing good.

It’s important to understand Alternative Funding Options for Employee Benefits and Charitable Donations. Credit unions are increasingly investing in non-703 and 704 instruments for clear reasons. Learn how your credit union can strategically fund its benefit obligations through options including BOLI, annuities, and even stocks and bonds. You’ll see how to manage the additional risk to potentially increase your return on assets. This overview includes the steps you need to take to create a well-documented, compliant program that fits within your credit union’s risk tolerance parameters.

CUs are investing in data analytics at a record level. Yet, most are struggling to gain any real value from their investment. The good news is that you already have access to much of the data you need to gain a competitive edge.

Find out how using the winning approach from Anne Legg’s playbook as she reveals how to leverage your data to identify new revenue sources, reduce member friction and increase productivity. Get the same tactics other CUs are using to harness their data that have generated $1.7 million in new loan balances … increased ROA to 0.92% from 0.65% … and decreased net charge-offs to 0.41% from 0.625%.

Using a hands-on, small-group roundtable format, participants will get an opportunity to take home their own playbook they can begin to put to work right away. Plus, every attendee also gets Anne Legg’s THRIVE Resource Kit and her Top 10 Data Analytics Tools.

We all know someone who can just seem to mystically glance at a CU’s financial statement and immediately understand what it all means – and even flag problem areas that may not even be disclosed in the official numbers.

The real value of interpreting the financials is to read between the lines and to quickly and confidently make decisions based on the analysis. Tim Harrington, one of the CU Convention’s All-Time Highest-Rated Speakers, reveals step-by-step how to evaluate the most important ratios so you can make informed decisions, anticipate the financial future and maximize your ROA.

In this hands-on seminar, Tim gives you the secrets you need so you can pick through the numbers and analyze your CU’s financial condition – or any other CU’s financials – in less than 2-1/2 minutes! The secret is to focus on what’s most important. This guidance alone will save you hours of frustration and dead-end discussions.

Whether you’re new to interpreting CU financials or you’re a long-term veteran who wants to learn how the pros do it – this is a must-attend workshop!

Supervisory committee members often find themselves stuck between two opposing forces. On one side, you must provide strong internal audit functions so the CU can take on risk in a safe and sound manner. On the other, your role should serve as an asset and not a hinderance. In this unique session, Supervisory Committee members will learn how to:

• Strike a balance as auditor and as an asset to the CU.
• Communicate effectively with management, board members, external auditors
and regulators.
• Apply best practices for managing and correcting audit findings.
• Prepare for new and evolving regulatory hot button issues before your next exam.
• Create and manage an internal audit plan that you can use keep everyone on track.
• Assess the effectiveness of the supervisory committee processes.
• And much more.

Whether you are a veteran or just getting started, this session will give you practical guidance and insights based on years of best practices from top performing CUs – and from Ancin Cooley’s 10 years of experience as an CU consultant, educator, and examiner.

As we learned from the pandemic, traditional methods of strategic planning do not work when dramatic social, economic, and cultural events quickly unfold. Most strategic planning is based on what has already happened, but the past is not a predictor of the future.

Introducing a new method of strategic planning for an uncertain future that some of the most innovative CUs are beginning to apply. In this one-of-a-kind session, you will learn to think like a futurist and begin to develop a vision for 2030 at your CU. You will get:

• 4 different scenarios of what is likely to occur in the coming decade.
• Strategies you can use to help get your executive team and directors anticipating
future challenges – and opportunities!
• How to blow up your traditional planning sessions and adopt a new approach that will truly guide your CU for years to come.

Plus, every attendee gets a One-Page Strategic Plan Template that includes a scorecard with 9 key metrics … 3 enterprise goals … 3 strategic initiatives … and the KPIs you can use to track your CU’s performance.