Of all the people for Skype not to cooperate, it had to be CUNA President & CEO Bill Cheney. Right up front, I am apologizing for the less-than-ideal Skype connection in this interview with Mr. Cheney. To Bill's credit, however, he remained oh-so-patient and good-humored about the whole situation and stayed on task throughout the interview. (For some odd reason, the connection vastly improves at the 11:26 mark.)

Getting to the interview itself, we obviously invited Bill on the show to discuss the upcoming GAC show next week, getting a sneak peek at what to expect: speakers, issues, attendees, vendors, etc. We discussed some of the primary issues that will be addressed, such as MBL, tax exemption, regulatory burden, uniting the credit union message, new faces in Congress, and the industry's phenomenal growth of the past year or so. We also got an inside scoop on Bill's new vision for the industry, which he will discuss in greater detail during his presentation at the show. So don't miss it.

There's plenty to talk about and this is the perfect episode to watch or listen while many of you travel to Washington, D.C. over the next few days. So while you're waiting for your flight, rental car, or cab, sit back and enjoy the show -- and be sure to give us your take. Always welcome your feedback.

Visit:
cuna.org
asmarterchoice.org

Have you had a person or two in your professional life inspire you, push you, teach you, make a difference -- helping you get to where you are today? Of course. Most of us have had this experience more than a few times in our lives. Many of these inspirational, yet under-the radar, individuals are unsung heroes who don't crave the spotlight for recognition. Well, one person is here to change all that and he is long-time credit union pro and Founder of No Net Solutions Mr. Andy Janning. Andy has created a big-hearted, "thank you" website called CU Heroes, which recognizes your fellow workers who have made a tremendous difference in professional lives -- possibly spilling over into personal, too. It's a site where anyone of us can submit our CU Hero for all to see and perhaps further inspire others to act. Always a mighty fine time when Mr. Janning appears on the program, so take a few minutes and enjoy -- and submit one of your heroes toCUHeroes.com today.

Visit:
cuheroes.com
nonetsolutions.com

Verity Credit Union is at it again. The credit union widely known for is innovative marketing campaigns, such as VerityMom, is holding a philanthropic contest called"Cartwheel for a Cause". To find out all the details and how you can participate, we invited Verity's Marketing Director Melina Young on the show. Melina provides us with what the video-based contest is all about, why the credit union is hosting such an effort, how it will benefit their organization, and much more. And, oh yeah, there's a $6,000 first place prize awarded to the best video. So check it out and get involved!

Visit:
veritycu.com
veritymom.com/2013-cartwheel-for-a-cause/

Looking for all the good that credit unions do nationwide? Well, now you don't have to look beyond your browser. Just type in www.cusocialgood.com and you can see all the benevolent, charitable, cool stuff credit unions are doing these days. Naturally, credit unions are tremendous givers, so the folks at the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas(CUAD) started this website dedicated to credit unions' generous philanthropic efforts they do on a daily basis. We invited Robbie Thompson, CEO of CU Social Good and President of CUAD, on the show to provide us with all the details of how this site came to be, how it benefits credit unions, and what his goals are. Really a fantastic story and certainly a pleasure speaking with Robbie about it. Look forward to more good things from this site. Check it out -- and don't forget to provide your credit union's givings to CU Social Good.

Visit:
www.cusocialgood.com

Sound branding is something most of us don't think about, but we are bombarded by it everyday. Think about the NBC tune, Intel's riff, and McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" jingle. These and many, many more tunes, jingles, and riffs trigger our sense of sound that remind us of the brand every time we hear them on the radio, TV, or online. To dig a little deeper, we invited the Credit Union Radio guys, Yeoshua Bendayan and Brian Walker, on the show. They provided some fascinating facts about how potent sound brands are to consumers -- and how credit unions can take advantage of them, as well. We even play a few examples during the show to see if you can match the sound with the brand. Check it out -- and listen up!

Visit:
creditunionradio.com