​CUES is pleased to announce that Mark Robnett, President/CEO of Justice Federal Credit Union, will assume the role of CUES Board Chair effective April 1, 2026, following the retirement of immediate past Board Chair Richard Romero, who has served the CUES board with distinction for six years.
 
Robnett was elected to the CUES board in 2020 and appointed Vice Chair in 2023. He brings extensive experience in credit union governance as well as fiscal, strategic, and operations leadership. In his new role, he will guide the board as the organization continues advancing leadership development across the credit union movement.
 
“Mark has been a valued member of the CUES board and a thoughtful leader within the credit union system,” said Heather McKissick, CEO of CUES. “As a Certified Chief Executive (CCE) obtained through CUES CEO Institute, his insight, strategic perspective, and commitment to strengthening leaders will serve the credit union community well as CUES continues to evolve and expand our impact.”
 
The leadership transition also marks the retirement of Richard Romero, who concludes a distinguished period of service on the CUES board.
 
“Richard’s leadership and dedication have made a lasting impact on CUES and the leaders we serve,” said McKissick. “We are deeply grateful for his years of service and thoughtful guidance during a period of continued growth for the organization. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

America’s Credit Unions today announced Kathleen Coulombe as Chief Advocacy Officer, bringing nearly two decades of experience leading federal policy and advocacy strategies for national organizations. 
 
Coulombe will join America’s Credit Unions beginning April 20, following an extensive national search led by search firm Korn Ferry that attracted a highly competitive pool of candidates from across Washington’s policy and financial services communities. 
 
“Throughout this search we had the opportunity to meet an impressive group of candidates, which speaks to the strength and future of the credit union movement,” said Scott Simpson, President and CEO of America’s Credit Unions. “Kathleen stood out for her strategic leadership, deep understanding of Washington’s policy landscape, and proven ability to lead successful advocacy efforts on behalf of large and diverse memberships.” 
 
Coulombe most recently served as Senior Vice President of Federal Relations at the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), where she led federal advocacy strategy on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies for the life insurance industry. 
 
During her time at ACLI, she helped guide the industry’s policy agenda, worked closely with senior policymakers and regulators, and led advocacy campaigns addressing complex financial services issues. 
 
Prior to joining ACLI, Coulombe spent more than a decade at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), where she played a key role in developing and executing national advocacy strategies on workplace and labor policy. 
 
Earlier in her career, Coulombe held positions at the U.S. Department of Defense and the Office of Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn. 
 
“Credit unions play a vital role in helping millions of Americans access affordable financial services and achieve financial security,” said Coulombe. “I’m honored to join America’s Credit Unions and look forward to working with policymakers, regulators, and credit union leaders to advance policies that support the credit union mission and the communities they serve.” 
 
As Chief Advocacy Officer, Coulombe will lead America’s Credit Unions’ federal advocacy strategy, working in close coordination with state Leagues across the country, and oversee the organization’s efforts to advance policy priorities on behalf of credit unions nationwide. ​

​Pioneer Federal Credit Union today announced a partnership with Veep, a leading AI-powered fintech, to offer AnytimePay, a next-generation earned wage access (EWA) solution that is modern, compliant, and member-focused.

Unlike traditional EWA models, AnytimePay is built specifically for financial institutions, ensuring flexibility for members, safety for credit unions, and responsible access to earned wages when needed. AnytimePay is a full-service platform that provides convenient access to earned wages using a credit union’s existing digital banking channels.

AnytimePay uses AI to analyze member behavior and assess risk, preventing over-advancement and providing liquidity without undue financial stress. Allowing access to earned wages before payday in a “financially responsible way” helps reinforce sound money management, improve financial security, and reduce dependence on high-cost, risky payday lending options.

“Pioneer wants to offer their members the very latest in financial wellness and after reviewing the market Veep was our number one choice. Pioneer cares about attracting new members but also supporting our current members with a full suite of financial products to suit what they need and when they need it.” said Tracey Miller, EVP/VP of Operations. “AnytimePay is an innovative solution that we are thrilled to offer to all Pioneer members.

Sharon Kirby-Wright, Global Partnerships Director, Veep:
“Pioneer is incredibly forward thinking and actively research innovation for their members. It is no surprise to me that Tracey and her team at Pioneer will be one of the first credit unions in the US to enable access to pay, anytime. With Pioneer leading the way we continue to see significant sign up to AnytimePay across the country.”

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is announcing the release of a streamlined Phase 1 system for new charter applications, with additional updates to the remaining Phases planned. Phase 1 of a new charter application focuses on obtaining a preliminary approval of the proposed credit union’s field of membership.
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“Chartering remains one of my highest priorities,” NCUA Chairman Kyle S. Hauptman said. “Streamlining and systematizing the chartering process, as well as reducing unnecessary requirements, represents meaningful progress in easing the burden on organizers who want to establish a new credit union. Anyone who seeks to form a credit union should have a fair and accessible opportunity to do so.”

In December 2024, the NCUA Board approved $2 million to develop the online chartering system. Work continues on streamlining charter applications, and NCUA expects to release a fully automated system for processing charter applications in 2027.

The NCUA is the federal agency created by the U.S. Congress to regulate, charter and supervise federal credit unions. With the backing of the full faith and credit of the United States, the NCUA operates and manages the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.

​Glia, the leading platform for intelligent banking interactions, today announced Glia CoPilot — a self-learning AI knowledge tool for every role — and Glia Banker, the next generation of the Glia Virtual Assistant (GVA), the banking industry’s most widely adopted AI for automating customer and member interactions.
 
The announcement arrives as regional and community institutions face mounting pressure on every front: fintechs capturing new accounts, megabanks outspending on technology, and the race to grow loans and deposits. One solution for many is the accelerating shift toward the Universal Banker — a staffing model in which a single agent, empowered by AI, combines the roles of a teller and a personal banker.
 
By promoting generalist roles, institutions can reinvest or reallocate the efficiency gains from AI to other areas of the institution. Glia CoPilot was designed to support this transition by surfacing critical information during and outside of live interactions. This allows agents to spend less time searching for answers and more time building the high-value relationships that fuel growth.
 
“Our platform wasn’t built to replace banking teams, but it was built to support them as their roles evolve in the AI era,” said Dan Michaeli, CEO and Co-Founder of Glia. “We want institutions to have the autonomy they need to double down on what makes them different, while providing the financial education and guidance their communities rely on them for.”
 
Glia CoPilot includes two powerful tools:
 
• Knowledge CoPilot brings agentic intelligence directly into the flow of live interactions. Rather than pausing a call to search policy documentation, query their personal AI chatbot, or ask a colleague, agents receive context-aware, source-backed answers in real time, either by selecting from proactive prompts that support the live conversation or by typing questions in natural language. Knowledge CoPilot doesn’t just surface data — it actively captures and applies institutional expertise by learning from approved content and trusted agent interactions. Over time, the system improves — scaling what top performers know across the entire organization.
 
• Knowledge 360 extends this same self-learning intelligence beyond live interactions, giving every member of the banking workforce — tellers, training teams, loan officers — access to answers from approved institutional knowledge at any time. 
 
Whether used in a live conversation or as a research tool, Glia CoPilot capabilities include:
 
• Context-Aware Precision: Knowledge CoPilot understands the nuances of a live transcript — what’s been clarified or ruled out — to deliver situation-specific answers rather than generic search results.
 
• Proactive Next-Best Guidance: Instead of forcing agents to craft the perfect prompt, Knowledge CoPilot suggests relevant questions based on the unfolding conversation.
 
• Self-Improving Institutional Expertise: The system captures real-world expertise from top-performing agents, historical interactions and screen recordings, automatically scaling that knowledge across the entire organization.
 
• Deep Thinking for Complex Reasoning: For highly technical inquiries, employees can trigger an advanced reasoning mode that uses more intensive models to provide comprehensive, analytical responses.
 
• Institutional Governance: Institutions maintain total control by defining which data sources inform the AI. They can restrict sensitive topics, and determine which agents’ interactions train the system, ensuring every response is compliant and on-brand.
 
“Our entire banking AI platform is self-learning,” said Justin DiPietro, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of Glia. “This architecture ensures that every institution has a unique, always-improving banking brain to power both its AI and human workforce. Glia Banker is already doing this for hundreds of banks and credit unions. It’s so much more than an assistant. It executes complex, authenticated actions like a human would, with the nuance and security essential to banking workflows.”
 
Key capabilities of Glia Banker include:
 
• Human-Like Self-Service: Glia Banker transcends basic chatbots and IVRs by using advanced AI to resolve up to 80% of routine inquiries autonomously. With deep contextual understanding of banking nuance, it delivers the intuitive experience customers and members expect from a live banker, while significantly reducing abandonment rates and wait times.
 
• ChannelLess® Architecture: Glia Banker handles customer and member interactions across digital and voice channels. It recognizes when a complex request requires a human touch and executes a warm transfer to the right specialist — providing the agent with full conversational context so the customer or member never has to repeat themselves or start from scratch.
 
• Compliance and Security: Built specifically for the regulated financial industry, Glia Banker eliminates the risks of generic AI tools through a contractual guarantee against AI hallucinations and prompt-injection attacks. With 1,000+ pre-built, optimized banking goals, institutions can deploy a responsible AI workforce that is secure, compliant and ready to deliver immediate, measurable value across the organization.
 
“In the five months I’ve been overseeing the Glia platform for my organization, I’ve seen firsthand how it keeps getting better as the AI models evolve,” said Skyler Martin, Consumer Process and Systems Administrator at Busey Bank. “Glia Banker is clearly the next step in that journey, and the impact is already noticeable.”
 
Glia’s commitment to banks and credit unions goes beyond its technology. The company ensures that every institution is supported by a specialized Banking AI Advisor. This evolution of the traditional customer success role reflects Glia’s deep domain specificity. These advisors serve as dedicated strategic partners, guiding institutions through seamless implementations and helping them maximize the ROI of their AI workforce.
 
“Glia continues to be a valued partner, always forward thinking in identifying new AI capabilities, which have been integral in our success in managing our business and supporting our member’s needs,” said Mindy Coopersmith, Director of the Member Experience Center at Diamond Credit Union.
 
Glia will offer additional information via an educational webinar Thursday, April 9, at 2 p.m. ET titled “How Banks Resolve Up to 80% of Inquiries with a Self-Learning AI Workforce.” Registration is open now on Glia’s website.

​Digital banking solutions provider Tyfone, today announced that Metro Credit Union (Metro) has selected the nFinia® Digital Banking Platform to enhance its digital capabilities, strengthen member engagement and support future growth. The credit union cited nFinia’s flexibility, faster payments capabilities, open banking architecture and scalable security as the decisive factors in its decision. 
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Headquartered in Chelsea, Mass., Metro is the largest state-chartered credit union in Massachusetts with more than $3.2 billion in assets and 200,000 members. After a comprehensive evaluation, Metro selected nFinia for its ability to deliver real-time, secure money movement options, seamless self-service options for members and embedded third-party integrations within a unified, configurable digital banking experience. Additionally, platform flexibility is paramount for the credit union as it navigates the dual challenge of supporting its current business model, while building for the future.

“About a year ago, we realized we were at an inflection point in digital banking,” said Traci Michel, PMP, SVP Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, Metro Credit Union. “We have a lot of very differentiated solutions, however, we struggled to stitch it all together in the digital environment. Tyfone’s nFinia platform will allow us to do unique work with integrations and present those as Metro branded experiences within digital banking. Our members will not need to leave the nFinia platform to experience all of those differentiated products and services.”

The credit union also pointed to strong cultural alignment and Tyfone’s collaborative approach as key differentiators in the evaluation process. During the evaluation, Metro’s team presented Tyfone with a range of complex scenarios and edge cases. In each instance, Tyfone’s team identified a solution, either within the existing nFinia platform or through a custom approach, demonstrating the problem-solving ethos and industry expertise Metro requires in a long-term partner.

“One of the main factors that influenced our decision was Tyfone’s company culture and commitment to excellence,” Michel continued. “Tyfone is an extension of our team. Defining our exact needs over the next five years would be challenging given how fast the environment is changing, but with Tyfone, we are confident that our teams will collaborate to ensure we are prepared. Whatever business model we decide to innovate for in the future, we believe it will be supported through this platform and partnership.”

The nFinia platform will also deliver a dramatically improved employee experience. Today, Metro’s staff must navigate multiple disparate systems to assist members. With nFinia’s AI-powered admin tools and centralized portal, employees will have a single, intuitive interface that brings together the information they need to serve members quickly and effectively. Metro’s operational teams can easily access data needed for day-to-day priorities, while strategically pairing data with broader member intelligence for more effective business decisions and marketing campaigns.

“Metro is exactly the kind of institution for which nFInia was built,” said Siva Narendra, CEO of Tyfone. “The credit union has a clear vision for delivering differentiated, modern banking experiences, and we are committed to bringing that vision to life. Together, our teams are focused on deploying a flexible, secure platform that supports their current needs, as well as ensuring they are positioned to thrive in the future.”

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) has surpassed 10 Bitcoin safeguarded in its CU-Digital Asset Vault™, reaching the milestone within the first weeks of availability to members.

The milestone reflects growing participation from within its existing membership base of more than 28,000 members. In addition to Bitcoin holdings, members are also safeguarding Ethereum and USDC within the platform.

While modest in size compared to institutional holdings, the milestone reflects a distinct model. The assets are safeguarded on behalf of individual members within a local community, rather than concentrated in corporate treasuries or large custodial platforms.

The early pace of adoption provides an important signal for credit unions. Members are already engaging with digital assets and choosing to safeguard digital assets within their primary financial institution, rather than relying solely on external platforms or fully self-managed approaches.

“That early adoption tells us something important,” said Jed Meyer, CEO of SCFCU. “When this capability is brought into a familiar environment, members respond.”

For credit unions, this creates a tangible use case. Safeguarding digital assets allows institutions to retain both the relationship and the financial activity associated with a growing segment of member wealth.

The CU-Digital Asset Vault™ operates on a safe-keeping model, allowing members to maintain control of their digital assets while leveraging infrastructure built directly into the credit union’s core systems. Assets are held off balance sheet, and the credit union does not transact on behalf of members.

The platform was examined by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) in Q4 2025, reinforcing alignment with existing regulatory expectations.

The rollout remains in its early stages and is currently limited to members. SCFCU plans to expand access in the coming months, including lending capabilities that allow members to utilize digital assets without needing to liquidate them. This is increasingly relevant as digital assets begin to be recognized within traditional financial frameworks, including recent developments enabling crypto-backed mortgage structures. The roadmap also includes small business vault capabilities and broader geographic availability.

“Our role is to make sure members can participate in what’s next safely and in a way that fits into their everyday financial lives,” Meyer added.

SCFCU views this milestone as an early indicator of how credit unions can extend their role into emerging financial ecosystems while maintaining their focus on member relationships, trust, and community-based service.

​Driven by its mission to unlock human potential through financial empowerment, Rize Credit Union (Rize) has been recognized with several national awards celebrating its leadership, community impact, and brand innovation. Awards span multiple categories, highlighting Rize’s commitment to strengthening the communities it serves throughout Southern California and Nevada.
 
“At Rize, we believe lasting financial security begins with access, knowledge, and a community that cares,” said Lenny Vallone, chief growth officer for Rize Credit Union. “These acknowledgements reflect the work our team does every day to expand opportunity and empower the communities we serve. When our communities thrive, we all rise.”
 
Rize’s president and CEO, Jennifer Oliver, received the Distinguished Service Award at the 2025 Credit Union Awards, hosted by Nevada and California Credit Unions to celebrate excellence across the industry. This award honors credit union professionals whose sustained contributions have strengthened both the credit union movement and the communities it serves. She was also honored by the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles for Rize’s continued community impact, particularly in establishing the Amigo Lounge, which provides a welcoming space for families to access financial education and pathways to economic opportunity.
 
“From community partnerships to outreach initiatives and beyond, none of this would be possible without the dedication and leadership of our president and CEO, Jennifer Oliver,” continued Vallone. “Jennifer is a testament to our industry and our organization, and it’s her unwavering compassion that allows us to serve our communities with heart.”
 
Additionally, Rize was honored at Comfort Cases’ 2025 Glitz & Glamour Gala as the Milton Hershey Award recipient, an award given annually to an organization demonstrating a major impact in the community in partnership with Comfort Cases. In 2025, Rize donated 1,000 Comfort Cases with Barely Canadian hoodies directly to youth in foster care in Southern California and Southern Nevada. Rize also works with foster youth to open bank accounts, learn financial responsibility and prepare for their financial futures.

Extreme weather doesn't follow a schedule. Wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes arrive with little warning, leaving families with damaged homes, unexpected costs, and a long road to recovery.

Credit unions support members through it all—before disaster strikes, in the critical hours after, and during the months-long rebuilding process. It's what they've always done as institutions rooted in the cooperative principle that neighbors help neighbors. Now, as federal disaster resources face cuts and delays, that mission matters more than ever.

Preparing Before The Storm
The best disaster response begins before anything happens. Credit unions help members build financial resilience through emergency savings programs and financial preparedness workshops, covering everything from creating emergency kits to safely storing important documents.

With 60% of U.S. credit unions located in areas prone to extreme weather, these communities aren’t preparing for hypothetical scenarios, but for events they know will happen.

Showing Up When It Matters Most
When disaster hits, credit unions keep running. They reopen branches during evacuations, operate from parking lots when buildings are damaged, and deploy mobile units so neighbors can still access cash and critical services.

After Typhoon Halong struck Alaska in October 2025, Credit Union 1 (CU1) joined forces with the American Red Cross to deliver winter gear, baby supplies, bedding, and hygiene kits to families hit hardest. CU1 employees volunteered on the ground, coordinating donations statewide and helping Alaskans rebuild household by household. 

In California, Redwood Credit Union's Community Fund has provided wildfire relief since 2015, delivering $41,000 in direct support after the 2024 Boyles Fire destroyed at least 35 homes in Lake County. Following the 2017 Tubbs Fire, Redwood raised and distributed over $32 million in just four months. When the devastating Los Angeles wildfires struck in 2025, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union supported members with emergency loans, deferred payments, and one-on-one recovery help.

On the East Coast, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union has a long history of hurricane response. After Hurricane Sandy devastated Long Island in 2012, FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage) raised over $104,000 for victims and made substantial donations to the American Red Cross.

The immediate crisis passes, but recovery takes months. Insurance claims move slowly, contractors are booked, and bills pile up. Credit unions help members navigate this gap with skip-a-payment options, fee waivers, and low-interest disaster recovery loans that help homeowners and small businesses start repairs before insurance settlements arrive.

When Federal Support Falls Short
As extreme weather events become more frequent, federal disaster support faces serious constraints. FEMA is cutting thousands of workers this year, with some divisions losing up to half their workforce. Federal disaster aid has always been essential, but it's also slow and often insufficient for middle-income families who face devastating losses but don't qualify for maximum assistance.

Credit unions fill this gap because they're structured to respond locally. They know members by name, make decisions at the community level, employ staff who belong to the same impacted community and can provide immediate access to funds without bureaucratic delays. As not-for-profit cooperatives owned by their members, credit unions return more than $37 billion annually through lower fees and better rates. When disaster strikes, that same cooperative structure means that supporting members’ recovery also supports the institution’s recovery.

Extreme weather isn't slowing down, and federal resources are shrinking. But credit unions are proving that local institutions with deep community roots can provide support that helps families not just survive disasters, but recover from them, offering preparedness tools that mitigate impact, immediate emergency aid, and flexible recovery support that lasts.

Want to Learn More?
Backbone is a national coalition of credit unions strengthening financial well-being through community. From disaster preparedness to emergency recovery support, we highlight how credit unions help everyday Americans in their own communities navigate uncertainty and rebuild after a crisis.

Reach out to [email protected] or visit backbone.us to learn more.