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2021 Schedule

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 10:00 – 11:00 AM CT

Opening General Session: Decision-Making Perspective: Seeing Challenges from a Different Point of View

Sponsored by Fiserv

Maurice Ashley, International Grandmaster of Chess

Chess is known as a thinking game. In order to beat your opponent, you must step into their shoes and think about how they think. In this compelling speech, Maurice shows how to transfer the chess move thought process and adapt that same way of thinking to the critical decisions you make in business and life. This fascinating session will help you shift your decision-making perspective and adapt your thinking in ways you never expected.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 11:00 – 11:15 AM CT

Sponsored by Federal Home Loan Banks

Check out the amazing sponsors in the Solutions Marketplace. Don’t forget to “Scan Badge” when you arrive on their page.  And give a shoutout in chat on their site.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM CT

Is Big Data a Big Deal?

Mark DeBree, Managing Principal, Catalyst Strategic Solutions

What's the key to a credit union's success? That's an easy one. It's the members. What can we do to gain more insights into our members? Two words: BIG DATA. Sounds scary, but credit union leaders can improve the way they serve their members by understanding them. Credit unions have vast amounts of information available to them. Learn how you can use this information to gain a better understanding of "who your members really are."

 

Concentration Risk Management: Harmonizing Regulatory Expectations with Balance Sheet Performance

Sponsored by Plansmith

Chris Dahlgren – Director Regulatory Affairs, Stifel

Frank Santucci – Managing Director, Stifel

Over the past 11 years, NCUA has repeatedly identified concentration risk management as one of its top supervisory priorities.  In the current economic environment, it has become increasingly difficult to balance NCUA’s expectations for concentration risk compliance with member needs and balance sheet performance.

In this session Chris Dahlgren, a former NCUA Specialized Lending Examiner and a Director in Stifel’s Balance Sheet Management Services’ Department of Regulatory Affairs, and Frank Santucci, Managing Director in Stifel’s Credit Union Strategies Group will:

  • Briefly review the 2010 Supervisory Letter on Concentration Risk Management
  • Share current regulatory expectations for managing concentration risk
  • Discuss industry best-practices for developing a concentration risk policy and policy limits
  • Give examples of concentration risk monitoring tools and early warning triggers
  • Demonstrate analytical techniques to test policy limits that can help credit unions maximize member needs and maintain balance sheet flexibility and performance.


From Accounting Intern to CFO: Building Your Career Path in Business Finance & Beyond

Shannon Carpenter, Sr. Manager, FP&A, CUNA Mutual Group

Laurie Winger, EVP, Chief Financial Officer, CUNA Mutual Group

Kelly Zimmer, Organizational Development Manager, CUNA Mutual Group

In this interactive session, you will learn helpful career lessons and development insights that shaped these female financial leaders’ journeys, and how you can apply them to your own professional growth.  

Hear from Laurie Winger about how over the course of her 30-year career at CUNA Mutual Group, she ascended from an accounting intern to become the 85-year old company’s first female CFO in January 2020.  Shannon Carpenter has also carved a career path as an emerging leader in Finance, while serving as a mentor to young professionals early in their careers.  Kelly Zimmer is a key partner to leaders at CUNA Mutual Group and is committed to helping teams align their organizational and talent strategies. 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 12:15 – 1:00 PM CT

Take a quick snack break and make sure to visit all our solution providers in the Marketplace.  Don’t forget to “Scan Badge” when you arrive on their page.  If you want to set up an appointment with a solution provider scroll to the bottom of their page and click on “Meeting Scheduler.”

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 1:00 – 2:00 PM CT

General Session:  What are Crypto Assets and Are They in Your Future?

Sponsored by OM Financial Group

John Best, Founder and CEO, Best Innovation Group

Some cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum have very large market capitalizations and are also trading at a premium, according to reports from The Block Crypto. As a result, this makes them more attractive for lenders who can lend in fiat currencies or government-backed stable coins. This combined with the rise of Decentralized finance is creating yet another way that the Credit Union industry could be disrupted. 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 2:00 – 2:15 PM CT

Networking Break – Visit the Solutions Marketplace

Have you downloaded any of the resources from our Solution Providers?  Check out their sites to see their offerings.   

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 2:15 - 3:15 PM CT

Causality Based Planning:  Connecting Strategy, Operations, and Finance to Create the Agile Credit Union

Steve Wofford, CEO, Kohl Analytics Group

Planning and forecasting is one of the most cumbersome, time consuming activities a credit union does. It is also commonly out of date by the time it is put into action. To make matters worse, it is often not member focused, disconnected from the credit union strategy, and disconnected from the methods for understanding overall membership value.  This session will lay out a framework to address all of this by demonstrating how to assemble an integrated Strategic, Operational, and Financial planning and analytics environment that enables the credit union to be more efficient, flexible, and thus far more responsive to changing market conditions.


Strategic Loan Participations

Ian Lampl, CEO, LoanStreet Inc.

Loan participations provide a unique lever for balance sheet optimization. Historically credit unions have avoided loan participations because they believe it to be overly burdensome, or they perceive participations as simply a liquidity tool OR an asset purchase tool. More and more credit unions are seeking a nimble balance and recognize that loan participations are a critical pathway to achieving that end. Every credit union should be buying and selling not just for liquidity or for new assets, but to optimize their balance sheet, buying and selling frequently in various sizes with many partners. This is the essence of a strategic approach to loan participations.

Fully Invested in Creating Member Value

Sponsored by National Cooperative Bank

Chuck Crouch, Partner, Financial Management Services, Inc.

Brad Spears, SVP/Director, Membership Relationships, FHLB-Des Moines

Bill Stewart, VP & Credit Union Market Leader, National Cooperative Bank

Dr. Brian Smith-Vandergriff, Chief Financial Officer, Ohio University Credit Union – moderator

A panel of experts from various organizations will offer their insights into how actively managing your credit union’s liquidity position and investment portfolio can lead to increasing the ability to serve your members.  With perspectives that span experiences in individual credit unions, advisory roles, and wholesale institutions, they will draw on their collective experiences that span virtually every type of financial institution.  With demands for loans and deposits often at odds, proactively managing both sides of your balance sheet can lead to increased financial performance and ultimately drive the benefits provided to your members.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 3:15 - 3:30 PM CT

Engage in one more conversation with a solution provider in the Marketplace. Don’t forget to “Scan Badge” when you arrive on their page.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 3:30 - 4:30 PM CT


Pandemic Recovery: Safe & Sound Investment Options for Offsetting Benefit Expenses

Rich Brock, National Practice Leader, Gallagher Executive Benefits

Jeremy DeBruin, Area Vice President, Gallagher Executive Benefits

Kraig Klinkhammer, Chief Operating Officer, Gallagher Executive Benefits

Liz Santos, Chief of Staff, Gallagher Executive Benefits - moderator

Now entering our second year of pandemic life, organizations are optimistically envisioning what a post-pandemic operation looks like. This includes retaining the key leaders who navigated your credit union through the pandemic and are now responsible for its recovery. Employee benefits are a critical component to this endeavor and investing to offset the impact can be especially challenging in the current interest rate environment. When properly designed and managed, these investment programs can reduce the net impact of benefit expenses to your bottom line.

Our panel will take a 360-view of investments appropriate for credit unions. We’ll discuss the market outlook for various investment vehicles, as well as regulatory, design, and administrative considerations. Given the increase in charitable giving, we’ll also look at options for funding your philanthropic activity.


Addressing CECL Q&E Factors in a Volatile Economy

Dean Rohne, CPA, CIA, Principal, Financial Institutions, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA)

Brittany Stern, Manager, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA)

The impact of COVID 19 has affected all credit unions. With the timing of the pandemic and the pending implementation of CECL understanding how qualitative and environmental (Q&E) factors can impact estimating the allowance for loan losses under the new accounting standard is essential for projecting long-term financial success of credit unions. This session will cover the CECL standard using case studies of financial institutions that have implemented CECL and how these institutions used Q&E factors under CECL.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 10:00 – 11:00 AM CT

CFO Exchange: Leading in a Remote Work Environment

Sponsored by Corporate One Federal Credit Union

Steve Arbaugh, CFO, SECU - moderator

Julie Cosgrove, Chief Talent Officer, Affinity Plus FCU

Jennifer Kimmell, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, TruWest Credit Union

Chris Saneda, Senior EVP/COO, Virginia Credit Union

Last year was a year like no other in the financial industry, however credit union executives around the country rallied to lead both their teams and community through the crisis.  One of the significant changes that has come from the crisis is the advent of remote work in financial institutions, however as we plan our return’s to the office many of us are wondering what the future of remote work looks like across our industry.  Join us for a panel session of fellow credit union executives as we discuss the changing dynamics of the workplace and how remote work has influenced their business models and leadership style.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM CT

Have you let the Solutions Providers know you stopped by their site?  Start a Chat or Scan your Badge on their page.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM CT

Last year was like no other year we have ever experienced in the Credit Union industry, however once again credit unions led the charge to serve our communities and Members.  Each year we acknowledge those leaders that have come to meet the task at hand and help drive our industry.  This year we are acknowledging a couple more areas where finance professionals helped drive change, influence and development of our communities and team.  We are excited to present (4) awards: Professional of the year, Influencer of the Year, Rising Star and Mentor/Mentee of the Year.  Please join us as we celebrate those who have made a difference!

In addition, we will also be honoring those credit unions that really stand out in terms of providing financial benefits to their members in the form of lower loan rates, higher-than average deposit yields, and fewer/lower fees compared to other financial  institutions. The top credit unions in each asset size category whose household benefits exceeds other local financial institutions will be recognized for their dedication with a Member Benefits Top Performance award. 

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 12:15 – 1:00 PM CT

Learn more about what our Solutions Providers have to offer by scheduling a meeting. Click on their page and scroll to the bottom to the Meeting Scheduler.  It’s that easy!

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 1:00 – 2:00 PM CT

ALM Fundamentals - Understanding NII, Gap, NEV/EVE

Sponsored by Trust for Credit Unions

Thomas Griswold, Managing Director, Advisory Services, ALM First

High performing credit unions begin with sound asset liability management (ALM). In this session, we will define interest rate risk and review different measurement tools including gap and net interest income. Building on the fundamentals of ALM, we will further discuss interest rate risk, economic value and how to interpret your credit union's NEV/EVE results.


Income and COVID-19

Charley McQueen, President & CEO, McQueen Financial Advisors

COVID-19 has affected everyone's personal and business life.  Unfortunately, credit unions have had significant detrimental effects to earnings.  The net interest margin has been squashed with painfully low interest rates.

Join our session to explore earnings enhancements in a pandemic. 

We will dive deep into loans, investments, leverage, and noninterest income.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 2:00 – 2:15 PM CT

Networking Break – Visit the Solutions Marketplace

Set up an appointment for later this afternoon or tomorrow morning with one or two of our solution providers

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 2:15 – 3:15 PM CT

Successful Change Management with ERM

William Hord, VP Enterprise Risk Management Services, Quantivate

Managing change, whether it is related to operational processes, new technology and products, compliance or strategic initiatives, is constant and necessary for growth and profitability. A well-defined change management process is critical to minimizing credit union impact.

Leveraging the data that your ERM program contains is an effective way to help create and manage this process. Your ERM program assesses and maintains detailed information related to strategy, operations and the remediation plans needed to mitigate impact.

When a credit union utilizes this information aggregately and leverages it with a well-defined change management process, your ability to proactively manage change increases your overall effectiveness. The end result is the ability to streamline your allocation of capital and resources. Join us as we discuss the various tangents of data and the change management process that will help you make better risk-based business decisions to save time and money for your credit union.

 

Changes in Consumer Payment Behavior and Impacts to Interchange Income

Tom Bennett, Principal Consultant, PSCU’s Advisors Plus

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting consumer preferences were becoming apparent in card payments. The pandemic fast-tracked these changes and reshaped payments over the past year, impacting interchange income for credit unions. This session takes a look at payment trends, major changes, interchange implications, and considerations for credit unions to thrive in this evolving environment.

 

Digitizing to Meet Member Expectations on a Credit Union Budget

John Best, Founder & CEO, Best Innovation Group - moderator

Willis Chang, Kinecta Federal Credit Union

Julie Linch, Directions Credit Union

Brandon Smith, CFO, Reliant FCU

Eric Starkey, Chief Information Officer, Louisiana FCU

In 2020, many Credit Unions, made the rapid pivot to digitize as much as possible to meet member demands and expectations, but at what cost?  Video banking, digital loan originations and closings, the push to remote work, and so much more. Are all these changes sustainable and add value in the long-run?  Can Credit Unions (large and small) bear these additional costs on their own? Or, do we need more technology CUSOs to help offset the cost?  

During, this session, we will ask some top leaders across the councils what they think about these pressing questions and more.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 3:15 – 3:30 PM CT

Networking Break – Visit the Solutions Marketplace

Last break of the day.  You can do it!  Grab some nourishment before the last session.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 3:30 – 4:30 PM CT

The Interest Rate Risk Dilemma

Joe Kennerson, Managing Director, Darling Consulting Group, Inc.

The latest “S”ensitivity component to the CAMELS rating is going to bring a greater focus on interest rate risk – particularly if credit unions extend excess liquidity to protect against margin pressure. The good news is that many credit unions have a strong core deposit base and a relatively balanced asset portfolio – a risk position that may allow for some asset extension. The bad news is that traditional risk measurements have left a stigma associated with asset extension (e.g., NEV, cash + short-term investments). It’s time to dispel the stigma and take control of your balance sheet.

Key highlights include:

  • Understanding how the pandemic response has impacted interest rate risk profiles
  • 6 impediments to extending assets
  • Pros/Cons of earnings at risk vs. value at risk
  • Utilizing the right interest rate risk management tools
  • How to use your strongest weapon – core funding – to support your risk position

Incentives and Organizational Bonuses, Design to Implementation
 
Sponsored by Financial Management Services, Inc.

Mike Higgins, Partner, Mike Higgins & Associates, Inc.

Pay, Pray, and Hope.  This is how I would describe half of legacy incentive plans I am asked to review; the remainder can be described as Bonus like a Banker.  There is a better and more thoughtful way to go about it.

In this session, we’ll show how to design a plan that eliminates the moral dilemma associated with most plans.  We’ll demonstrate how to use a “Directors’ Rationale” to self-fund a plan, including how to set a minimum threshold and how much to reward for meeting performance objectives.  We’ll cover a base set of measures to use on a balanced scorecard and discuss how to use “caps” to eliminate board concerns about “sandbagging” targets.

If you are interested in this topic, it will be a fast-paced and robust presentation.  I’ll share lessons learned over the past 23 years of operating in this space.

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 10:00 – 11:00 AM CT

Economic Outlook: Returning Toward “Normal”?

Sponsored by CUNA Mutual Group

Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board

Dr. Lindsey Piegza, Chief Economist, Stifel

Jordan Van Rijn, Senior Economist at the Credit Union National Association

Will the budding U.S. economic rebound have legs despite supply chain issues?  Can expansion restore the pre-crisis economy? Are fundamental changes in the jobs market apt to cause long-term disparities?  Might federal fiscal stimulus lead to runaway inflation?  Get answers to these and other questions while gaining a better understanding of impacts on your credit union and its members.  This session will include a review, from three perspectives, of the principal forces shaping the economy and financial markets.   Plan to join our powerhouse panel as they give us this and more; you don’t want to miss out. 

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 11:00 – 11:15 AM CT

Check out the amazing sponsors in the Solutions Marketplace. Don’t forget to “Scan Badge” when you arrive on their page.  And give a shoutout in chat on their site.

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 11:15 – 12:15 PM CT


What’s Trending in Accounting

Justin Glazman, Shareholder, Doeren Mayhew

Today’s environment is unpredictable. Accounting rules are no exception to this new normal – evolving on a regular basis. Doeren Mayhew’s Justin Glazman will help you keep your finger on the pulse of what's trending in credit union accounting – from CECL to Covid, and everything in between. Walk away from this session with an understanding of the latest and impending accounting standards, accounting considerations for your credit union and more!


Cannabis and CU - Speaking from Experience

Doug Fagan, President/CFO Partner Colorado Credit Union

With the legalization of cannabis becoming more widespread, what do you need to know?  In this session, we will hear from an expert in financial services for the cannabis industry.  We will explore the regulatory landscape, liquidity concerns, concentration limits, balance sheet management, and lending.  In addition, we will discuss the examiner focus around this topic.


A Playbook for Agility during COVID-19 and Beyond

Kermit S. Randa, CEO, Syntellis Performance Solutions

Jeff Truitt, Product Manager, Financial Institutions, Syntellis Performance Solutions

The messiness of change—especially during a pandemic—demands that credit union leadership evolve. CFOs are well-positioned to evolve into Chief Storytellers and strategic advisors, but it necessitates a revamp of existing processes and workflows to reflect changing consumer expectations and the shift to remote work. In short, it requires a playbook for change during COVID-19 and beyond.

In this session, Syntellis CEO Kermit S. Randa outlines how credit unions can go beyond the ability to react to a sudden change in circumstances, such as the immediate disruption caused by COVID-19, to building a foundation and a process for resilience over time, managing change that never stops.

You will learn about:

  • The current environment – and why change is inevitable
  • A process and foundation for effecting change
  • Data-driven insights you can use to tell the story and drive better business decisions

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 12:15 – 1:00 PM CT

Check out the amazing sponsors in the Solutions Marketplace. Don’t forget to “Scan Badge” when you arrive on their page.  And give a shoutout in chat on their site.

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 1:00 – 2:00 PM CT

What Am I Supposed To Do With All This Cash?

Daniel Anderson, SVP Investment Strategist, Vining Sparks

David Visinsky, Director & SVP Loan Trading, Vining Sparks

With liquidity at levels credit unions have never experienced, many are scratching their heads about how best to deploy this liquidity and how to protect margin.  We will walk through how much has changed in the last several years and how credit unions can adjust to be effective in this new environment.  The loan participation market continues to provide opportunities, but supply has slowed as many traditional sellers are faced with the same liquidity surge and don’t need/want to sell.  What other options are available?  We will walk through some success stories of credit unions that have built out lending platforms or ventured into new niches in order to increase their loan portfolios.  Because this process takes time, we will also discuss ways to strategically deploy excess liquidity into securities and ways to better manage your securities portfolio going forward.

 

Pandemic Lessons We Learned and Those We are Still Learning

Brittni Downs, Manager of Accounting, Ohio University Credit Union
Tom Kuslikis, VP of Accounting and Finance/CFO, University of Michigan Credit Union
Justin Mouzoukos, CFO, Mazuma Credit Union – moderator
Amy Phillips, CFO, On Tap Credit Union

With remote staff, board, and annual meetings, our reporting and relationships with other stakeholders continues to shift. Exploring the positive developments from the past year and thinking about the things we want to keep, we’ll hear from a panel of our Finance Council members to gain their insights into the good things that the crisis has offered us – remote working capabilities, focusing reports on things that matter & overhauling report packages, implementing new and better systems, Q&E factors leading to CECL preparedness.

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 2:00 – 2:15 PM CT

Last chance to visit the Solutions Marketplace during the conference to leave your information with our solution providers.  

Wednesday, May 20, 2021 - 2:15 – 3:15 PM CT

Closing General Session:  How To Stay Inspired When You Are So Darn Tired!

Sponsored by CO-OP Financial Services

Christine Cashen, America’s Top Humorista

Times like these can make you feel powerless and exhausted. It is time to recharge, re-frame, and re-evaluate.  It doesn’t matter what happens, it is all about your response. Seize your time, shift your perspective, and take the reins on your life. 

• Identify Time Drainers and Energy Gainers

• Change thinking patterns

• Spark Creativity

• Create a resilient life

• Become a stress buster

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