<![CDATA[CUbroadcast - News]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:54:32 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[STATEMENT: America’s Credit Unions Responds to White House Cybersecurity and Fraud Executive Order]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:22:36 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/statement-americas-credit-unions-responds-to-white-house-cybersecurity-and-fraud-executive-orderPictureScott Simpson
America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Scott Simpson issued the following statement in response to the White House’s new Executive Order outlining a national strategy to combat cybercrime, scams, and other forms of fraud targeting American consumers and financial institutions.
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“Fraud and scams are a serious concern for consumers and credit unions. Americans reported losing more than $12 billion to cyber-enabled fraud last year alone, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing families and financial institutions alike. The President’s new Executive Order reinforces how critical it is that we work together across industries, agencies, and departments to combat fraud and cybercrime, including the transnational scam networks targeting Americans. Credit unions are relentless in our advocacy to advance policy solutions that protect people and hold bad actors accountable. We've been engaged with the government, notably in congressional testimony this past week and participation in the Government Accountability Office's new report on cybersecurity, to offer credit unions' perspective and recommendations for solutions on these issues. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration, Congress, and regulators to strengthen our defenses and give Americans greater confidence in their financial security.”

​— Scott Simpson, President/CEO, America’s Credit Unions
]]><![CDATA[Industry Reports: From Chronic to Constant - How AI Supercharges Phishing]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:52:02 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/march-07th-2026​Credit unions respond to AI-driven attacks with adaptive detection tools, stronger authentication, and targeted education for employees and members.

By Marc Rapport, Contributing Editor

Remember when phishing emails were easy to spot, riddled with typos and sent in clumsy batches by amateurish attackers copying scripts from online forums? PictureJosh Bartolomie
Now artificial intelligence has done to phishing what early generative tools did to novelty content: it has democratized it, accelerated it, and turned what was once crude and sporadic into something polished, scalable, and constant.

A new report from cybersecurity platform Cofense says it’s now documenting a malicious email attack every 19 seconds, more than doubling last year’s pace of one every 42 seconds among the company’s 35 million end users.

The shift is not just about volume but about capability, as attackers now use AI as core infrastructure rather than an add-on convenience.

​“AI has fundamentally changed the economics and effectiveness of phishing,” says Josh Bartolomie, chief security officer at Northern Virginia-based Cofense. He says threat actors now use AI to dynamically adapt phishing pages, generate thousands of unique variants, and manage infected systems at scale.

For credit unions, that operational shift shows up in day-to-day fraud activity that feels more realistic and harder to contain.
PictureOdene James
“We’re seeing fraudsters increasingly leverage AI to make phishing and impersonation attempts more convincing, faster to produce, and harder for both members and controls to detect,” says Odene James, vice president of risk management at $5.8 billion Coastal Credit Union in Raleigh, NC.

She says the most notable tactics include highly personalized phishing messages generated at scale, with rapid variations designed to evade filtering, as well as voice‑based impersonation using synthetic audio paired with spoofed caller ID to make fraudulent outreach appear legitimate.

Attacks Evolve From Volume to Precision
The defining change is that phishing is no longer a blunt instrument aimed at anyone who might click, but a precision tool engineered around context and timing.

Nicole Jiang, co-founder and CEO of Fable Security in San Francisco, says AI has changed “the speed, scale, and personalization of attacks.” Employees and members are now targeted across email, phone, Slack, WhatsApp, and even Zoom with lures tailored to their roles and current activities.

Attackers are not just blasting out messages, they’re researching individuals and running parallel campaigns optimized for response rates.
PictureNicole Jiang
“Gone are the days of Nigerian prince scams,” says Jiang, whose 2024 startup focuses on human risk management and AI-driven security training. Criminals now cite real vendors, mimic internal formatting, spoof executives, and construct plausible regulatory or operational scenarios that feel authentic to lending officers, call center staff, IT administrators, or members who’re innocently initiating transactions.

That precision exposes weaknesses that traditional metrics fail to capture, especially in lean organizations, Jiang warns.

She says leadership teams can find themselves “mistaking activity for outcomes,” relying on training completion rates or phishing click percentages, when in reality those are what she calls “window dressing” that fail to measure whether risky behaviors are actually decreasing or whether exposure is shrinking.

Technical controls remain essential, but they cannot close every gap created by human decision-making under pressure.
“Modern phishing succeeds not because companies don’t have the defenses, but because cybercriminals are able to find just the right people and manipulate them in just the right way — and do it at scale,” Jiang says, underscoring that when an employee or member willingly shares credentials, systems often treat that action as safe and legitimate.

Hyper-Personalized Attacks Call for Adaptive Defenses
To keep pace, credit unions are investing in layered, intelligence-driven controls designed to evolve as quickly as attacker tactics. James says Coastal is expanding partnerships with vendors innovating in AI-based detection, prioritizing tools that identify emerging attack patterns in real time and provide early warning signals before members are impacted.

Adaptation also requires internal visibility and disciplined reporting that connects risk to measurable outcomes. James notes that her team briefs leadership using auditable data focused on member impact, financial exposure, attack activity by channel, and control effectiveness, reinforcing that authentication strategies and step-up triggers must continuously evolve as fraudsters pivot across email, SMS, and voice.
PicturePaul Sidhu
At $21.1 billion Golden 1 Credit Union, Paul Sidhu, vice president of payments and fraud, says they’re watching several trends that are reshaping how fraud happens.

“AI is increasing both the scale and sophistication of attacks, and we expect that pace to accelerate in the years ahead,” he says.

“Hyper-personalized phishing is becoming more common as fraudsters train models on publicly available information and breached data sources from the dark web. We’re also seeing more coordinated cross-channel social engineering that blends email, SMS, voice, and digital banking activity into a single attack sequence,” Sidhu says.
 
Meanwhile, he says, synthetic identity techniques and AI generated voice and text are making impersonation more accessible, while attack cycles are accelerating, fraud schemes can shift in days or even hour.

In response, Golden 1 is shifting toward behavioral analytics and adaptive monitoring embedded across the fraud ecosystem. The organization evaluates device, session and transaction patterns to detect anomalies linked to phishing or account takeover attempts, while integrating threat intelligence from emerging campaigns into updated detection rules.

Sidhu believes leaders often underestimate how dramatically AI has lowered the barrier to entry for sophisticated social engineering. Phishing, he says, is no longer just a volume problem but “a precision problem,” where branding, tone, and timing are optimized to exploit trust, urgency, and emotion rather than purely technical vulnerabilities.

Balancing that vigilance with member experience requires contextual, risk-based controls rather than blanket friction. Sidhu says Golden 1 uses dynamic authentication that escalates only when risk thresholds are exceeded, allowing low-risk activity to proceed uninterrupted while higher-risk behavior triggers additional verification informed by behavioral and device-level indicators.

And turnabout is fair play. “AI is helping to enhance the skills of our fraud experts,” says Sidhu, who’s been with the Sacramento-based credit union for more than 25 years, the last six in his current role overseeing payments and fraud. “These investments are designed to increase speed, consistency, and scalability while ensuring expert decision-making remains the center of our fraud-prevention strategy.”

Trust, Behavior, and What to Do Now
Even the most advanced detection systems cannot prevent every socially engineered interaction, which is why education and behavior management have become strategic priorities rather than afterthoughts in many shops.

“We prioritize member education and communication,” Sidhu says. He notes that when members understand what protections are in place and why they exist, they’re more likely to see security measures as protective rather than restrictive, strengthening both trust and fraud prevention outcomes among the giant credit union’s nearly 1.2 million members.

That education, of course, must be practical and confidence-building rather than alarmist, especially as synthetic voice and cross-channel impersonation attempts increase. James, who joined Coastal in 2023, says they use targeted messaging within digital banking channels to highlight current spoofing trends and clearly outline what the credit union will and will not ask for, helping members recognize red flags without undermining trust in legitimate communications.

“By clearly outlining what we will — and will not — ask for, and providing simple steps to verify legitimacy, we empower members to recognize AI‑enhanced phishing attempts in a calm, constructive way,” James says.

On the employee side, Jiang argues that effective human risk management begins with measurement and segmentation. She advises CEOs to quantify human risk across roles, identify high-risk cohorts such as employees with payment authority or privileged access, and replace generic awareness training with targeted, just-in-time interventions designed to drive measurable behavior change.

The broader defense also depends on collaboration that extends beyond any single institution’s perimeter. James stresses that information-sharing with peers, vendors, and industry groups provides early visibility into emerging tactics, while Sidhu notes that building strong partnerships and cross-team coordination across fraud, cybersecurity, and frontline operations is essential as attack cycles compress from weeks to days or even hours.

AI has shifted phishing from a periodic nuisance to a continuous, adaptive threat that blends psychology, automation, and speed in ways that test both systems and people. For credit unions, the response will not be a single tool or policy update, but a sustained commitment to adaptive technology, measurable human risk reduction, and the trust-centered relationships that have always defined the cooperative model.
]]><![CDATA[Credit Union House Hall of Leaders Inducts 18 Credit Union Champions]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:35:06 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/credit-union-house-hall-of-leaders-inducts-18-credit-union-championsPicture
​Eighteen credit union champions were inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in honor of their significant contributions to the credit union industry. The ceremony took place at the Marriott Marquis on Tuesday, March 3.
 
The Credit Union House Hall of Leaders Award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the credit union movement at the local, state, or national level. These individuals inspire others through their passion, motivate the movement through their vision, and provide encouragement through bold leadership. Their impact spans all stages of professional development, from emerging leaders at the beginning of their careers to seasoned professionals with decades of experience.
 
“Hall of Leaders inductees embody the very best of the credit union movement, raising the bar for member service, advancing collaboration across the credit union community, and advocating to safeguard the not-for-profit, cooperative financial services model. We are sincerely grateful for the meaningful contributions they have made—and continue to make—to strengthen credit unions and the members they serve,” said Troy Stang, Credit Union House chair and president/CEO of the GoWest Credit Union Association.
 
The 2026 inductees are: 
Jackie Buchanan, Genisys Credit Union (Mich.)
Karen Duffy, Worcester Credit Union (Mass.)
Chris Felton, Corporate Central Credit Union (Wis.)
Gary Fishlock, Tremont Credit Union (Mass.)
Joseph Kregul, HealthCare Associates Credit Union (Ill.)
Karen Madry, Afena Federal Credit Union (Ind.)
John McKenzie, Indiana Credit Union League
Fred Milton, Red River Credit Union (Texas)
Charlotte Nemec, Canopy Credit Union (Wash.)
Timothy O’Donnell, Financial Plus Credit Union (Ill.)
Brian Rohrbacher, Grand Altitude Federal Credit Union (Wyo.)
Steve Schmitz, First Community Credit Union (N.D.)
Jimmy Smith, Singing River Federal Credit Union (Miss.)
Fran Sommerfeld, Levo Credit Union (S.D.)
Scott Sullivan, Nebraska Credit Union League
Steve Swofford, Alabama Credit Union
Frank Weidner, Wings Credit Union (Minn.)
Randy Willert, Two Harbors Federal Credit Union (Minn.)
]]><![CDATA[Global Women’s Leadership Network Hosts Annual Luncheon Focused on “Give to Gain”]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:25:59 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/global-womens-leadership-network-hosts-annual-luncheon-focused-on-give-to-gainPicture
Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN), an initiative of the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), convened credit union leaders and global development experts for its annual GWLN Luncheon during America’s Credit Unions Governmental Affairs Conference. Highlighting this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” the program underscored how investing in women’s leadership strengthens institutions, expands opportunity and fuels long-term impact across the global credit union movement.
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The luncheon opened with welcome remarks from Marlene Juarez, GWLN Advisory Committee Member and Vice President of Professional Services and Training at Origence, followed by remarks from Paul Treinen, President and CEO of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).

During the program, WFCU expressed appreciation to Velera, the event’s Gold Sponsor, for its continued commitment to advancing women’s leadership across the movement.

“The advancement of women strengthens culture and talent retention,” said Cheryl Middleton Jones, EVP and Chief People Officer at Velera. “When we invest in women's development, we show our people that equity isn't just a value, it's a practice. That builds trust and trust is the core of a strong culture.”

Eleni Giakoumopoulos, GWLN Director, shared updates on the Network’s 2025 impact, the continued growth of Sister Societies worldwide and upcoming 2026 scholarship opportunities, while emphasizing that significant work remains to achieve gender equity.

“We need deeds, not words. We need systems, not slogans. According to a recent World Bank report, global GDP would increase by up to 20% if 3.9 billion women had equal access to jobs,” Giakoumopoulos said. “Take a moment to reflect on what you are giving so this year we can gainmore women into leadership within the financial cooperative space.”

The featured fireside chat, “Women, Transformation and Financial Inclusion,” brought together Angelina Tracy, WOCCU Vice President of Strategic Growth and Partnerships, and Sophie Sirtaine, Global Director of Financial Services and CEO of CGAP at the World Bank Group. The discussion explored how women leaders drive institutional change and expand access to responsible financial services worldwide.

“If you want to advise governments or be effective in deepening and developing the financial sector, you need to understand reality – you can’t do it from a textbook,” Sirtaine said. “Working closely with clients instills values around productivity, responsiveness, value for money and accountability – principles that are essential for strong institutions.”

The annual GWLN Luncheon remains a cornerstone event for the Network, bringing together leaders and allies committed to advancing women and strengthening the global credit union community through collaboration and shared purpose.

For more information about the Global Women’s Leadership Network, visit cuwomen.org.
]]><![CDATA[Charting the Next Chapter: orsa credit union Names Shawn Wolbert Chief Financial Officer]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:19:00 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/charting-the-next-chapter-orsa-credit-union-names-shawn-wolbert-chief-financial-officerPictureShawn Wolbert
As orsa credit union continues stepping into its next chapter following its recent rebrand, the credit union announced that Shawn Wolbert, has joined the organization as chief financial officer. Wolbert began her role this week and will serve on the executive leadership team, guiding strategic growth while reinforcing the financial stewardship that protects members and strengthens the cooperative.

Wolbert brings more than 25 years of experience in financial services and credit union leadership, including CEO-level roles and senior finance positions across the industry. Most recently, she served as chief financial officer at Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union.

Previously, she held president and chief executive officer roles at credit unions in New York and the Midwest, where she led financial turnarounds, strengthened CAMEL ratings, improved net worth positions, and modernized operations to expand access for underserved communities.

Earlier in her career, Wolbert served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for the Michigan Credit Union League & Affiliates, supporting compliance and operational solutions serving thousands of credit unions nationwide. Her background reflects a strong command of regulatory strategy, asset-liability management, internal controls, and financial infrastructure modernization.

When Humanidei, the firm supporting the national search, asked what orsa was seeking in its next chief financial officer, president and ceo Tansley Stearns described the role as “the headlights of the credit union.”

“Our rearview mirror matters, it sharpens our judgment. What moves us forward is clarity about what’s next,” Stearns said. “As orsa steps into its next chapter, our cfo will help us see around corners. She will illuminate the options, the exits, and the on-ramps, ensuring we navigate with precision and courage. We were looking for a leader with deep technical mastery and sleeves-rolled-up grit. We need a leader who can translate financial data into strategic insight, strengthen disciplined processes, and build sound internal controls that fuel sustainable growth. Shawn brings that clarity, partnership, and discipline.”

Throughout her career, Wolbert has aligned financial operations with a mission to strengthen infrastructure and support scalability, transparency, and innovation. She has led core system conversions, enhanced asset-liability management strategies, modernized compliance frameworks, and implemented financial controls that increased revenue while delivering measurable cost efficiencies.

“I’m energized by orsa’s vision and its commitment to sustainable, thoughtful growth,” Wolbert said. “Strong financial stewardship is about protecting what members have worked hard to build while positioning the organization to serve them well into the future. I look forward to building alongside this team and helping position orsa for what’s next.”

Wolbert most recently served as chairperson of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Credit Union Advisory Council, with her term concluding in March 2025. She is a Certified Internal Auditor and has been a featured speaker for the Credit Union National Association on regulatory compliance and operations. She remains committed to community impact through volunteer leadership with United Way and other nonprofit organizations. She holds an MBA from Spring Arbor University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University.
]]><![CDATA[Simpson: Cooperative finance is ‘one of the most successful social movements’]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:15:43 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/simpson-cooperative-finance-is-one-of-the-most-successful-social-movementsPictureScott Simpson
For the first time as America’s Credit Unions President and CEO, Scott Simpson welcomed more than 6,000 credit union advocates to the Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) Monday morning. Below, please find excerpts from his speech, and a photo is attached. 
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“The reason it's a big deal has more to do with the historic and ongoing execution of an idea, a social movement, and what it means. This is, in fact, more than a business model.  It’s one of the most successful social movements in the history of America,” Simpson said.   

Simpson touted the amount of lives credit unions have touched, including his and his family’s. 

“Credit unions’ greatness is the sum of millions of individual stories. You and I have seen them up close. And we’ve lived them in my family.” 

Capturing and amplifying credit unions’ stories is a core feature of this year’s GAC. 

“That’s a humanity that isn’t found anywhere else in retail financial services, and you as credit union leaders—as board members, marketers, communicators, and advocates—you’re part of the process of capturing, and retelling, these stories of humanity,” Simpson stressed. 

“As someone who has spent a career on both sides of policy meetings, I can tell you just one of those stories, coupled with data that brings the scope and scale of this work, resonates a hundred times deeper than any chart.  

“Every meeting has graphs, facts, and figures, but most do not have a ready example of a life changed for the better. These transformational experiences are also what’s at stake if we don’t advocate.” 

Simpson stressed that the cooperative finance model remains—and always will be—under attack, and that credit unions exist because government allows them to. 

“The truth is, every banker argument is based on one fundamental lie, and that lie is that growth somehow equals a departure from the foundational philosophy of being a cooperative financial institution.  And that is simply not true. 

“But that hasn’t stopped the banks from spreading that lie, and attempting to divide our movement from within. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided. Our mighty, small credit unions and large credit unions have so much more in common than any for-profit bank.  

“As a unified movement, all of us must have the discipline and wisdom to see this model is under constant threat. And the discipline and wisdom to stay together.” 

Simpson highlighted the credit union system’s political machinery, with America’s Credit Unions, leagues, credit unions and their members, and political activism helping to level the playing field with well-funded banks. 

“These 145 million Americans are the great equalizer as we’re up against well-funded opponents, in support of the business model they wish to destroy. That’s a lot of registered voters, and individual policymakers need to feel the earth move beneath their feet.” 

Simpson outlined a number of advocacy priorities that will be the focus of meetings on Capitol Hill this week and throughout the year. But he reminded credit unions to focus on the humanity of the credit union difference. 

“You and I are the stewards of this great social movement. There are 145 million people who are looking to us to stand between them and those who would destroy the pathway to their pursuit of happiness, to their economic freedom. That’s why we’re here. 

“We cannot give an inch to those who seek to discount this difference by merely institutionalizing credit unions. We need to capture and speak of the transformation that is delivered in the lives of your members, somewhere in your branches, every day.” ​
]]><![CDATA[Eltropy Launches Industry’s First Agentic AI Platform for Credit Unions]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:09:54 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/eltropy-launches-industrys-first-agentic-ai-platform-for-credit-unionsPictureAshish Garg
Eltropy, the trusted leader in unified conversations, today launched the industry’s first Agentic AI platform for credit unions. The platform provides a safe environment where AI agents can be created, governed, integrated, and deployed. It unites the three key stakeholders of the credit union ecosystem: 

  • Credit unions, defining workflows and operational needs
  • FinTechs, developing specialized AI agents
  • Enterprise systems of record providers (like core systems), storing key member data

Eltropy’s Safe AI Framework

Credit unions operate in one of the most regulated and trust-sensitive environments in financial services. They safeguard the money, identity, and financial wellbeing of millions of members. 

Agentic AI holds enormous promise. But the technology must operate reliably, responsibly, and within clear guardrails. It must earn trust before it can drive true adoption. This is not optional – it is foundational and Eltropy’s Safe AI Framework is built for this reality.

At its core, the Eltropy Safe AI framework ensures that: 

  • Credit unions always know: what an AI agent did; why it did it; what data it used; and how it reached its decision
  • Every AI agent on the platform operates under authorized access controls, authentication protocols, logging standards, and data boundaries
  • An AI agent never takes any actions outside approved SOPs (standardized operating procedures)

“This ensures Agentic AI is innovative but controlled, powerful but predictable, open but always safe,” said Ashish Garg, CEO and Co-Founder, Eltropy.

Bringing the Industry Stakeholders Together 

With 50+ system integrations, adoption by more than 750 credit unions, and the widest set of proven use cases across every credit union department, Eltropy has become the most deeply embedded automation platform in the credit union ecosystem. 

This depth – in workflows, integrations, and now a unified Safe Agentic AI layer – is why both credit unions and FinTech innovators are choosing to build on Eltropy.
 
“Partnering with Eltropy will allow us to automate labor-intensive, time-consuming workflows in a way we simply couldn’t do alone,” said Angela Faust, SVP/COO, Credit Union of Texas. “They have the right guardrails, and the deep connectivity into our back-office environment to make meaningful transformation possible. This transformation isn’t just about technology. It’s about freeing our people to focus on what matters most: helping our members achieve their financial goals.”

Fintech innovator Constant AI is building a next-generation Skip-A-Pay agent on the Eltropy platform. 

“Credit unions don’t want their AI agents scattered across disconnected platforms,” said Catherine York Powers, CEO of Constant AI. “That’s why we’re building our Skip-A-Pay Agent directly on the Eltropy ecosystem. It's a great example of how FinTechs can build specialized sub-agents inside the Eltropy platform.”

"Agentic AI is only as valuable as the guardrails around it," said Kent Lugrand, President and CEO, InTouch Credit Union. "Our members trust us with their financial lives, and that trust doesn't transfer to any technology unless we can verify exactly what it's doing, why, and on whose authority. Eltropy's governance framework gives us that confidence."

It’s a Win-Win

The result is reduced vendor sprawl for credit unions, a reliable distribution channel for FinTechs, and seamless outcomes for members. Credit unions are seeing the impact. 

“Cobalt Credit Union achieved 83% session containment on Eltropy AI Voice while maintaining high satisfaction,” said Saahil Kamath, VP of AI Products at Eltropy. 

“This is just the beginning,” said Abhishek Tiwari, Chief Product Officer, Eltropy. “For us, Agentic AI is not about automation for its own sake, it’s about delivering measurable business outcomes. Our AI agents already authenticate members and provide account information, and we’re rapidly expanding into payments, loan system updates, collections workflows, and more. The goal is simple – drive real operational impact across the credit union. This is how Agentic AI becomes real.” 

To learn more about Eltropy visit us at www.eltropy.com.
]]><![CDATA[DFCU Financial Partners with Gemineye to Accelerate their Data Analytics Capabilities]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:04:19 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/dfcu-financial-partners-with-gemineye-to-accelerate-their-data-analytics-capabilitiesPictureSameer Barua
$8B Michigan and Florida-based DFCU Financial has partnered with Gemineye to advance their data analytics program as they continue to expand. Their acquisition of several Florida financial institutions over the past three years has positioned them for extraordinary growth, and they needed a data partner who could help them scale. Gemineye’s world-class, scalable architecture and deeply collaborative approach made for an ideal fit.

“We at DFCU Financial are excited to partner with Gemineye to modernize our architecture and accelerate our analytics
capabilities,” says Sameer Barua, Director of Data Analytics at DFCU Financial (pictured). “Gemineye distinguished themselves through a highly collaborative approach, demonstrating the mindset of a strategic partner rather than a traditional vendor. Their deep expertise in working with financial institutions and the data platforms we rely on has enabled a seamless implementation, supported by thoughtful guidance at every stage.”

The Gemineye team prides themselves on their scalable architecture, unique to the data analytics industry. While many
data analytics providers offer a snapshot solution, the Gemineye Data Lakehouse has been designed to foster growth. Combined with a collaborative, EaaS model, Gemineye appeals to the sensibilities of the modern financial institution.

“We are so thrilled to have DFCU Financial as a partner,” says Maggie Chopp, Director of Business Development at Gemineye. “DFCU Financial’s team is passionate about growing the right way and values the collaborative nature of the credit union movement. We’re proud to have them.”
]]><![CDATA[Happy Money Introduces Partner-Branded Program to Help Credit Unions Drive Lending and Membership Growth]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:00:32 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/happy-money-introduces-partner-branded-program-to-help-credit-unions-drive-lending-and-membership-growthPictureAmi Iceman Haueter
​Happy Money, a leading consumer finance company dedicated to empowering people to achieve their goals through responsible lending, today announced the launch of its Partner-Branded Program, which includes partner-branded marketing and embedded delivery capabilities. This program enables financial institutions to offer personal loans to their members and reach new borrowers using the strength of their brand, while Happy Money manages marketing and the full lending lifecycle end-to-end.
 
As membership growth slows and acquisition costs rise, Happy Money’s Partner-Branded Program enables institutions to scale without building new marketing or lending infrastructure. The program leverages Happy Money’s performance marketing engine and lending platform, Hive, to drive member loyalty and growth within an institution’s footprint.
 
Building on a multi-year collaboration with Happy Money, MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) has deployed the program to fuel lending and member growth. Through a multichannel approach — including direct mail, email, affiliates, digital media and embedded experiences — the Partner-Branded Program enables MSUFCU to engage existing members, reach new borrowers within its footprint and generate high-yield, short-duration assets supported by Happy Money’s disciplined underwriting and servicing.
 
“Over the past four years, Happy Money has been a strong partner in helping us grow lending in a way that reflects how we serve our members,” said Ami Iceman Haueter, Chief Experience Officer for MSUFCU. “The Partner-Branded Program gives us a new opportunity to deepen relationships in our community while increasing access to personal loans designed to help members achieve their goals.”
 
The Partner-Branded Program expands how institutions can work with Happy Money, complementing existing nationwide origination and participation programs. By leveraging their brand to engage existing and potential members through partner-branded marketing and embedded delivery, institutions can grow lending portfolios, deepen member relationships and reach new borrowers within their footprint, with minimal operational lift and no marketing cost.
 
“Institutions are increasingly focused on growth that strengthens relationships, not just volumes,” said Matt Tomko, Chief Revenue Officer of Happy Money. “Our Partner-Branded Program enables institutions to meaningfully serve their communities, driving loyalty and engagement with their brand backed by the strength of our marketing and lending platform.”
 
Explore lending partnership opportunities at happymoney.com/lending-partners.
 
How Does Happy Money’s Partner-Branded Program Work?
 
What makes this program different?
The Partner-Branded Program enables institutions to offer personal loans within their branded experience while Happy Money manages acquisition, underwriting, credit decisioning, origination and servicing end-to-end through its lending platform, Hive. Through this program, institutions can engage existing members and reach new borrowers within their communities through targeted multichannel marketing.
 
Does this require new marketing investment?
No. Happy Money manages acquisition strategy and execution, allowing institutions to expand lending and deepen member relationships without incremental marketing spend or operational buildout.
 
How is branding handled?
Marketing dynamically balances partner and Happy Money brand presence based on performance insights, collaborating closely with partners to ensure alignment with each institution’s goals, member experience priorities and risk thresholds.
 
Who manages the lending lifecycle?
Powered by its lending platform, Hive, Happy Money manages the full lending lifecycle from acquisition through servicing — applying disciplined credit execution and driving consistent asset performance through economic cycles.
 
Who is this available to?
The Partner-Branded Program is available to credit unions, banks and other financial institutions seeking efficient, scalable lending growth. The program is designed to help institutions expand lending portfolios, acquire new borrowers, deepen member relationships and generate high-yield, short-duration assets aligned with their growth strategies.
]]><![CDATA[St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Launches CU-Digital Asset Vault™ —Positioning the Credit Union as the most Valuable Wallet for Member Digital Wealth]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:52:17 GMThttps://www.cubroadcast.com/news/st-cloud-financial-credit-union-launches-cu-digital-asset-vaulttm-positioning-the-credit-union-as-the-most-valuable-wallet-for-member-digital-wealthPictureJed Meyer
​St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) announced the live launch of the CU-Digital Asset Vault™, the first credit union-built digital asset vault designed specifically for credit union members, establishing a model for how credit unions can engage digital assets without outsourcing the member relationship, fragmenting data, or locking themselves into vendor solutions.

Built on DaLand CUSO’s Coin2Core™ architecture and integrated directly with the core, the Vault is designed to:
  • Enhance the CU’s existing investment into its modern core
  • Preserve the credit union as the gateway to the world of ALL digital assets and emerging wealth infrastructure
  • Maintain the credit union’s position as the member’s preferred platform
  • Prioritize protection and control of member/community data – keeping funds and personally identifiable information (PII) local, as digital assets evolve into foundational financial infrastructure

“Credit unions don’t need another bolt-on,” said Jed Meyer, CEO of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union. “They need an operating model that protects the member relationship today and still works five or ten years from now. This Vault keeps the credit union at the center — where it belongs — while giving members ownership, security, and a clear path forward.”

“Outsourced vendor wallets often feel like an easy button for dipping a toe into digital assets. But that convenience comes with a hidden cost,” said Jon Ungerland, CIO/Chief of Staff for DaLand CUSO.

“These ‘solutions’ quietly pull deposits, member relationships, and access to emerging money networks away from the credit union. Those networks are quickly becoming the new foundation of banking. Coin2Core was built differently. It’s designed to multiply the return on the core systems and operations you already have, while placing digital assets at the very center of modern member service and retail offerings—so credit unions can remain what they’ve always been at their best: trusted depositories, responsible lenders, everyday payments providers, and living engines of local economies.”

Many early digital-asset offerings rely on external wallets that sit outside the core, creating disconnected experiences and shifting data, control, and long-term flexibility away from the credit union. SCFCU’s Vault takes a different approach.

Rather than layering a temporary solution on top of legacy systems, Coin2Core™ connects digital- asset activity through the core itself — allowing the credit union to retain governance, reporting, and visibility while supporting hybrid self-custody, where members own their assets and the credit union provides institutional safeguards.

This architecture is intentionally designed to scale beyond safekeeping. By anchoring digital assets at the core level, credit unions can evolve capabilities over time — including network connectivity, transactional services, and credit use cases — without re-platforming or re-educating members later.

“Digital assets are becoming financial infrastructure,” Meyer added. “Credit unions now face a clear choice: remain the trusted gateway for their members’ digital wealth, or allow that relationship to shift to third parties.”

By embedding digital-asset services into its operating model, SCFCU has prioritized:
  • Member ownership through hybrid self-custody
  • Board-ready governance and risk controls
  • Long-term architectural flexibility as use cases mature
  • Preservation of the cooperative relationship and data integrity

Availability
The CU-Digital Asset Vault™ has been available to eligible SCFCU members as of February 9, 2026. Feature availability, limits, and policies follow SCFCU governance standards and applicable regulatory guidance.
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