South Bay Credit Union’s Board Chair Chris Otey and South Bay's Executive Vice President & Chief Risk Officer and Emerald Beach Financial’s Frank Espinoza joined us on the show to share the news about the credit union launching a new cannabis consultancy to help other credit unions nationwide start and manage their own cannabis services.

South Bay has been providing cannabis banking services to its members since 2018 via its subsidiary Emerald Beach Financial and has the subsequent experience to share its knowledge and expertise to other credit unions that are looking to launch similar services to enhance their value as a financial resource.

Chris and Frank provided quick overview of South Bay's cannabis banking consultancy, how it works, why launch something like this for other credit unions, and what they look to achieve with this cannabis consultancy.

Lastly, they talked about how significant is cannabis banking today for credit unions and what they foresee in 2025 for credit unions and cannabis banking.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

PARC Street Partners Partner Bruce Smith and Partner Chris Jones joined the show to discuss celebrating the firm's one-year anniversary providing credit unions with executive benefits plans -- a significant tool in attracting and retaining top-tier talent today.

Bruce and Chris talked about achieving key milestones and laying out future plans, as well as introducing PARC Compensation Consulting, a new service for executive compensation consulting.

They also shared the impact of rising interest rates, along with the long-term vision for expanding services -- covering supplemental executive retirement plans (SERPS) and the positive outlook for 2025 with decreasing interest rates.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

Who said the branch is dead? Landmark Credit Union's Chief Experience Officer Brian Melter certainly didn't. In fact, he's gone quite the opposite direction with the credit union's latest state-of-the-art, high-tech Oconomowoc branch with the nation's first automated safe deposit box system.

To prove his point, Brian provided a quick tour of this latest branch, sharing all the innovative features and functionality that have folks walking in -- even if they aren't members to check it out. Here are some of those items he showed us during his walking tour:

• First in the U.S. Safe Deposit Box System: The Swiss-made automated safe deposit box system offers unparalleled security and convenience, using robotics to streamline the process of accessing personal items.
• Innovative Design: The branch features a contemporary design that incorporates historical building elements such as cream city brick walls and iron bow trusses. These special touches pay homage to Landmark’s manufacturing roots with Rexnord and its 90-year heritage in the Wisconsin community.
• 24/7 Locker System: This is the first Landmark location to offer 24/7 locker access, allowing members to securely retrieve important documents outside regular banking hours.
• Convenient Coin Machine: Members can quickly and efficiently deposit loose change directly into their accounts.
• TYME® Advanced ATMs in branch and at Drive-Thru: These ATMs allow for either self-service or guided assistance and can handle most routine transactions. Three machines in branch are supported by live associates and three are featured in the tubeless drive-thru offering extended hours and support from virtual tellers.

Really fun interview and tour with Brian. We thank him and his staff for coming in a bit early for work to show us all the super cool features of the Oconomowoc branch, proving the credit union branch is alive and well.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details and the whole tour.

Tyler Lane, Founder/CEO of Session Interactive, and Danielle Milner, Chief Experience Officer at Community Financial Credit Union (and CEO at Huzzah CUSO), joined us on the show to share how their organizations have worked together to help Community Financial enhance its digital visibility, member engagement, and community reach through tailored SEO and marketing strategies.

Danielle and Tyler highlighted CFCU's rebranding and expansion, noting the importance of a strong digital presence for their members.

They also talked about how their collaboration has led to significant increased click-through rates, impressions, core deposits, and organic membership growth. Danielle provided some results numbers so far with more opportunities for growth in 2025.

Speaking of 2025, Danielle and Tyler shared more plans and initiatives for this coming year, which include revitalizing the credit union's content strategy and continuing to enhance their digital presence.

Wonderful talk on the power of cooperative efforts to achieve early-on success. Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.

Trellance’s Director, Strategic Consulting John Wagner stopped by the show to share his insights on the importance of climate risk analysis, noting that many are at high risk due to recent climate events like hurricanes, fires, and more.

John emphasized the need for credit unions to proactively assess risks to their loan portfolios using FEMA data. As climate events increase in frequency and intensity, the relevance of this analysis will only grow, making it essential for credit unions to stay informed and prepared.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts. And be sure to watch the entire episode below for all the details.