 Thirty-six emerging credit union leaders have been selected from a record 126 applicants to participate in the 2025 CUES Emerge competition. Representing 19 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, these up-and-coming professionals will take part in a dynamic program designed to strengthen leadership skills and strategic thinking.
Offered in partnership with Currency Marketing, CUES Emerge delivers free leadership development through interactive Virtual Classroom and Mastermind sessions, connecting participants with subject matter experts and their peers to expand leadership expertise. During the Mastermind sessions, participants are split into groups of six to refine their ideas and transform them into compelling business cases. The 2025 Mastermind sessions will be led by a mentor, each a past CUES Emerge participant ready to share their insights and guide new participants toward success. They are:
Participants can then opt in to the competition phase to have their business cases reviewed by a judging panel of credit union CEOs. Five finalists will be invited to present their business cases during the dynamic CUES Emerge pitch show, happening online October 1. Three top presenters will receive a tiered learning and coaching package, with the ultimate winner being named the 2025 CUES Emerging Leader. Shanece Robinson shared her thoughts on CUES Emerge in the CUmanagement.com article, Passionate About Learning & Development. “I thought the program was phenomenal,” Robinson said. “There were multiple components, but what I most enjoyed were the breakout sessions. Having the opportunity to have small-group discussions about what’s working at our credit unions and what challenges we’re facing, to brainstorm and learn from each other, and to take ideas back to our respective credit unions was one of the most impactful things for me.” View the full list of 2025 CUES Emerge cohort members and follow along on their journey at CUESEmerge.com or #CUESEmerge.
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 While on a stop at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Vice President J.D. Vance shared a personal story about how the Marines kept him from making "one of the worst financial decisions" and pointed him to Navy Federal Credit Union.
“I was going to buy a used Honda Civic at one of those used car dealerships, and the dealership was kind enough to offer me the low, low interest rate of 21% to buy that used car,” said Vance. “And it was a Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, Gunny Arledge, who said, ‘You know what? Why don't you stop being an idiot? Go to Navy Federal Credit Union and get a better deal. And Gunny Arledge saved me from making a terrible mistake.” America's Credit Unions President/CEO Jim Nussle shared the below statement after hearing the Vice President's praise: “Thank you, Vice President Vance, for recognizing the important role that credit unions play in so many people's lives, and especially in those of our military men and women. Credit unions across the country serve more than 140 million Americans and are passionate about building their financial confidence and stability,” said America’s Credit Unions President/CEO Jim Nussle. “Their not-for-profit status allows them to offer those better rates, provide options to people who may not have strong credit, and be a trusted partner at life's most critical moments. We look forward to continuing to share the credit union difference with the Trump Administration and working to ensure all Americans can experience what it means to be a credit union member, just like Vice President Vance."  Matt Wolf, Greenlight Alkami Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKT) ("Alkami"), a leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider for financial institutions in the U.S., announced today its partnership with Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc. ("Greenlight"), a leading family fintech company that empowers kids and teens with smart money management skills. With money habits forming as early as age seven, Greenlight's family finance application (app) can give kids and teens hands-on money management interactions with parental supervision, while providing a channel for banks and credit unions to grow deposit accounts.
Through this collaboration, Alkami's clients can now offer their account holders access to Greenlight, a debit card and finance mobile app experience that enables kids and teens to earn, save, spend wisely, and give. Greenlight also gives parents tools for monitoring transactions, automating allowances, and tracking spending—all integrated within Alkami's Mobile Banking Platform. "Our partnership with Greenlight aligns perfectly with our mission to empower financial institutions with innovative, user-centric digital solutions," said Josh Winstead, vice president, corporate development at Alkami. "By integrating Greenlight's financial literacy tools, we are enabling banks and credit unions to offer families an invaluable resource for teaching responsible money management—helping attract and retain depositors by providing a trusted, youth-friendly banking* solution that seamlessly transitions kids into adult accounts." With built-in parental controls, chore tracking, and interactive educational features like Greenlight's curriculum-based Level Up™ financial education game, families can build healthy financial habits in a fun and engaging way. Through Alkami's integration, parents can link existing Greenlight accounts or register for new ones directly through their bank or credit union's mobile banking platform, making financial education more accessible than ever. "Greenlight partners with financial institutions across the country because banks and credit unions are uniquely positioned to help younger generations develop strong financial habits," said Matt Wolf, senior vice president of business development at Greenlight. "Working with Alkami to bring Greenlight's suite of family banking* tools to its customers advances our mission to help parents raise financially-smart kids." "At Valley Strong Credit Union, we are committed to providing our Members with innovative tools that support financial well-being, including kids and teens to help them spend and save with confidence," said Christina Trayers, vice president of product at Valley Strong Credit Union. "Integrating Greenlight through Alkami's Platform has allowed us to offer families a powerful way to educate their kids on financial responsibility—right from their mobile banking experience." Greenlight will also be attending Alkami's Co:lab conference in Nashville from March 31 – April 2, 2025, where attendees can meet with the Greenlight team in the Innovation Lab to learn how financial institutions can equip families with youth banking* solutions that drive financial literacy. More details on Alkami's Co:lab can be found here. To learn more about Alkami's Digital Banking Platform, visit here. Alkami has been certified by J.D. Power for providing "An Outstanding Mobile Banking Platform Experience1."  Denny Howell United Consumers Credit Union (‘United Consumers’), a Missouri-based credit union committed to working hard with the hardworking, has selected Mahalo Banking to reimagine its digital banking platform and enhance the overall member experience. This collaboration aligns with the credit union's broader initiative to advance its core transaction system and elevate its digital offerings.
The credit union selected Mahalo for its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options and tight core integration with United Consumer’s new core provider, Corelation Keystone. A key factor in the decision to partner with Mahalo was its ability to provide members with a unified experience across all digital touchpoints. United Consumers plans to implement several new functionalities including:
"We were impressed by Mahalo's ease of use and the wide range of customization options available for our members," said Jay Neathery, President of United Consumers. "Technology and member expectations are changing rapidly, and Mahalo is continuously adapting to keep pace with industry innovations. We believe Mahalo will be an adept partner that evolves quickly alongside us, ready with solutions that cater to the diverse needs of our membership base." Mahalo Banking provides modern online and mobile banking solutions specifically designed for credit unions. Its platform is built on superior architecture with deep integration to core processing, providing a robust feature set across all delivery channels for a true omnichannel experience. Mahalo's CAT solution prevents fraud attacks and protects member data, while its Thoughtful Banking® technology offers neurodiverse functionality to optimize the user experience for all members. “We are excited to partner with United Consumers Credit Union as they embark on this journey to elevate their digital banking capabilities,” said Denny Howell, COO of Mahalo. “Member expectations for convenient, secure, digital-first banking experiences continue to rise, and credit unions must be prepared to deliver intuitive technology that not only meets these expectations but exceeds them. Our dedication to ongoing innovation enables us to tailor our platform to meet the unique needs of their members, ensuring United Consumers has the tools necessary to thrive and maintain a competitive edge as the industry evolves.”  The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) has named its 2025 Maurice R. Smith Leadership Award recipients, who will be honored during the 2025 AACUC Annual Conference on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at the Hotel at Avalon in Alpharetta, GA. The Honorees include:
The biennial awards, renamed in 2023 in honor of AACUC’s Immediate Past Chairman and author of the 8th Cooperative Principle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Maurice R. Smith, recognize credit union trailblazers who have demonstrated:
“This year’s Honorees’ influence spans continents and communities, including African American, African, women, LGBTQ+, Latino and immigrant communities,” said AACUC President/CEO Renée Sattiewhite. “Their impact is exactly what the legacy of this award represents.” Carlos Calderon, I-CUDE, serves as President/CEO of OAS Federal Credit Union. He has shared his expertise with various credit union organizations and industry boards in the U.S. and abroad. His interest in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and helping the community led him to co-found the Network of Latino Credit Unions and Professionals and ACCESO, which supports the underserved immigrant community in Washington, DC. He was awarded the World Council of Credit Union’s Silver Award and named CEO of the Year by NAFCU in 2019. He holds an executive master’s degree in leadership from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from Marymount University. Ronaldo Hardy is a two-time credit union CEO and the current CEO of BALANCE, a national leader in financial wellness. His passion is helping leaders break free from mediocrity and build bold, trust-driven, innovative cultures. He has led award-winning transformations, including turning Southwest Louisiana Credit Union into a certified CDFI and securing $950,000 in federal funding. As former CEO of NACUSO, he championed nationwide innovation and collaboration. He has also owned a consulting firm focused on leadership and cultural transformation. Today, he speaks on Audacious Authenticity, Training Trust, and Future-Ready Leadership—empowering leaders to ditch the masks, lead boldly, and build thriving organizations. Susan Mitchell is a passionate believer in making a difference! As CEO of Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates, her innovative consulting services, strategic planning, board governance, and online education are impactful. She is a successful entrepreneur who forges alliances with Fortune 500 companies nationwide, facilitating the Global Future Forum and creating the Underground. She serves on the Board of the Worldwide and Via Stella Foundations and is the founding Chair of GWLN with 5,000 members from 88 countries, receiving WOCCU’s Distinguished Service Award. She received CCUL’s inaugural Diversity/Visionary Award, was honored with NCUF’s Outstanding Individual Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into America’s Credit Union Museum HERstory. For over three decades, Jim Morrell has dedicated his career to financial inclusion. As CEO of Peninsula Credit Union for 13 years, he’s been a driving force in empowering those living at a household survival budget. His commitment to financial well-being and advocacy has led him to serve on boards of the World Council of Credit Unions, America’s Credit Unions, and local organizations. As a I-CUDE with certifications in the U.S. and Africa, he’s a global advocate for cooperative finance. Morrell enjoys exploring the world with his husband Chris, savoring Northwest wines, and spending time on the water. George Ombado, I-CUDE, HSC is the Executive Director of the African Confederation of Co-operative Saving and Credit Association (ACCOSCA), which is a regional association representing credit unions/co-operative financial institutions in Africa. Currently, he serves as a Board Member of the World Council of Credit Union based in Madison, Wisconsin, Treasurer of Cadasta Foundation based in Washington, DC, Board Member of the Africa Co-operative Development Foundation (ACDF), and Chair of the Management Committee of Proxfin Network established by The Desjardins International Development of Canada as a platform for dialogue with the financial inclusion space. He is also an AACUC African American Hall of Fame Alumni. Joe Thomas, President/CEO of NextMark Credit Union in Fairfax, VA, has served the credit union community for nearly 40 years. Since 1999, he has led NextMark in delivering accessible financial services to local government employees and community members, with a focus on the needs of low- and moderate-income households. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions and is a board member for the Virginia Credit Union League. His credit union journey began as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, Africa. Joe holds an M.B.A. from Averett University and B.A. from Assumption University.  Ana Fonseca Ana Fonseca, President & CEO of Logix Federal Credit Union, is set to testify on Wednesday, March 26, before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions in a hearing titled "A New Era for the CFPB: Balancing Power and Reprioritizing Consumer Protections". The hearing begins at 10 a.m. ET and will be available online via the committee’s YouTube channel.
Fonseca will share America's Credit Unions' recommendations to increase transparency and accountability at the CFPB, including:
Additionally, Fonseca will detail how costly compliance burdens impact credit unions and their ability to meet members' financial needs. Read Fonseca's written testimony.  Global Credit Union hosted its 30th Annual Alaska Military Appreciation Breakfast on February 14, 2025, to honor the Alaska Armed Services YMCA’s 13 Service Members of the Year recipients and the Military Spouse of the Year.
Service members from all active-duty branches, as well as the Guard and Reserves, were nominated by their supervisors. Each nominee was then interviewed by a panel for recognition and awards based on their outstanding achievements. Guests included the command teams of the honorees, Global Credit Union Board members, and other members of Global’s senior leadership team. “This year marks the 30th anniversary of our Military Appreciation Breakfast. A tradition that allows us to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Alaska’s military,” said Geoff Lundfelt, President and CEO, Global Credit Union. “Their dedication to serving our nation inspires us to try and live up to their example every single day. We cannot thank them enough for their contributions to the community.” The Global Credit Union’s Military Appreciation Breakfast took place in conjunction with the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s annual Salute to the Military event. Addition Financial Credit Union and Envision Credit Union Submit Merger Application to Regulators3/25/2025  Addition Financial Credit Union and Envision Credit Union are pleased to announce they have submitted their merger application to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation (OFR). This marks a significant step forward in the planned merger of these two award-winning institutions, which aims to expand service to members across Central Florida, North Florida, and South Georgia.
Under the terms of the agreement, the combined credit union will continue to operate as Addition Financial Credit Union under the leadership of current President and CEO, Kevin Miller. Pending the approval by the NCUA and OFR, and an Envision Credit Union membership vote, the merger is expected to be finalized by the end of 2025. Founded in 1937 and 1954 respectively, Addition Financial, based in Lake Mary, Florida, and Envision, based in Tallahassee, Florida, share similar histories, philosophies, and values. Both credit unions were created by small groups of educators seeking better financial options than those provided by banks. “Submitting our merger application to the NCUA brings us one step closer to uniting our teams and building on our legacies of service,” said Darryl Worrell, President and CEO of Envision Credit Union. “Bringing Envision Credit Union into another people-first organization like Addition Financial will enable us to provide more access to services, broaden offerings of innovative products, and deliver personalized support to every member and future member.” Kevin Miller, President and CEO of Addition Financial Credit Union added, “This merger application submission is a crucial milestone in our journey to better serve our members and communities. By joining forces with Envision Credit Union, we are poised to make an even greater impact to the areas our credit unions have served for the greater part of the last century.” Both boards of directors and leadership teams unanimously support the merger. While Addition Financial and Envision will work in concert, the credit unions will remain separate entities until an anticipated approval vote by the Envision CU membership, later this year.  Apiture CEO Chris Babcock Apiture, a leading provider of digital banking solutions, today released key findings from a Q1 2025 Datos Insights online survey of more than 1,000 U.S.-based small businesses on Winning Market Share Among Millennial-Run Small Businesses. The study finds that more than half (55%) of millennial-run small businesses would prefer to bank with a community financial institution if it offered similar products and capabilities to a large bank.
To attract and retain these businesses, financial institutions must adopt strategies that appeal to younger owners. This report examines millennial-run small-business expectations and provides recommendations for community financial institutions to best position themselves to win in this segment. It explores areas such as payment preferences, invoicing and money management tools, interest in AI use cases, and other expected digital banking capabilities. "The small business landscape is rapidly evolving, and the expectations for success are higher than ever. Community institutions must adapt to the needs of millennial owners, or they risk losing one of their most valuable customer segments and revenue streams," said Christine Barry, Strategic Initiatives Leader, Research at Datos Insights. "Those that prioritize ongoing investments in their digital banking capabilities, offer new payment methods, and develop a forward-looking roadmap tailored to today’s increasingly digitally savvy small business owners will best position themselves for success." Key findings include:
"Understanding how younger generations prefer to bank is critical for financial institutions to remain relevant and competitive. Our research with Datos Insights provides valuable insights to help banks and credit unions compete with larger players, attract younger business owners, and ultimately grow deposits while retaining existing accounts,” said Apiture CEO Chris Babcock. “At Apiture, we are dedicated to delivering the cutting-edge online and mobile banking solutions needed for community institutions to thrive with younger consumers and achieve long-term success." To learn how community financial institutions can succeed among millennial-run small businesses, download Winning Market Share Among Millennial-Run Small Businesses here.  Rize Credit Union (Rize) team members came together with Operation Gratitude and other supporting organizations to assemble 10,000 care packages for first responders and National Guard members who bravely served on the frontlines of the recent wildfires. The LA-based nonprofit will deliver these care packages, filled with handwritten letters, useful items, and heartfelt tokens of appreciation to those who risked their lives to protect Angelenos.
“As our communities begin the difficult process of rebuilding, we recognize that the devastation could have been far worse without the incredible efforts of first responders and National Guard members,” said Jennifer Oliver, president and CEO of Rize Credit Union. “At Rize, our commitment to making a difference runs deep, and that’s why 170 Rize team members came together to support Operation Gratitude and express our profound appreciation for those who worked tirelessly to safeguard our communities.” “Operation Gratitude is proud to lead this national expression of thanks,” said Meg Barron, executive director of Operation Gratitude. “This is more than a single event—it’s a powerful demonstration of appreciation from people across the country, showing First Responders that their sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.” In addition to partnering with Operation Gratitude, Rize has launched essential item donation drives to support impacted families, opened their Southern California branch locations as temporary community workspaces, implemented a dedicated hotline for impacted members to access emergency financial relief, and created three fundraising options for those who wish to contribute to recovery efforts, ensuring support reaches those in great need. For more details on Rize Credit Union’s wildfire relief and recovery initiatives, visit RizeCU.com/SupportLA. |
Author: Mike LawsonMarried to a most gorgeous and wonderful wife, raising 5 kiddos (including twins!), enjoy helping others tell their stories, and love surfing SoCal waves. Keep it simple. Archives
January 2026
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