DakCU Annual Summit - May 12-14
The Delta Hotel • Fargo, ND

Click here for the Delta Hotel attendee room block. ​Rooms starting at $149/night. If you prefer to call, 701-277-9000 extension 4 and ask for the "Dakota Credit Union Association block."
The Delta hotel block is currently full, you can ask to be put on a waitlist, but we recommend you book at room at one of our two overflow hotels:
Candlewood Suites -  Click here or call hotel at 701-282-6006 and ask for the "Dakota Credit Union" block for May 12-13. Rate: $139/night.
Expressway Suites – ​Call hotel at 877-239-4303 and ask for the "Dakota Credit Union Association" block for May 12-14. Rate: $95.95/night. ​

Full Agenda

Presenters

Crashers

Exhibitors/Sponsors

2025 Annual Summit Presenters

Check out this year's speaker lineup with expertise in many different areas that credit unions need to succeed! Our topics are certain to inspire.

 

Janine Stange
Inspirational Speaker • JanineStange.com
Janine Stange is a motivational speaker, singer, and on-air personality. She is best known for her historic journey to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in all 50 states – a mission she embarked on to honor our brave. Her story is the subject of “National Anthem Girl” a documentary by Kelly’s Filmworks now streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Janine has been featured on every major television network, and appeared on national news shows including: TODAY Show, Fox & Friends, NBC Nightly News, and Fox News @ Night. She can be heard every Thursday morning on Sirius XM’s ’60s Gold with Phlash Phelps. 
Stange has spoken to groups across the country ranging from Fortune 500 companies to inner-city public schools.  She connects to all ages and backgrounds providing a sense of citizenship, duty, and what service-over-self really means. She works closely with non-profits that empower and give back to our military and their families. In 2015, Janine also became the first person to sing the national anthem every hour, 24 hours straight as part of an effort to raise funds for a military charity.

 

​Steve Rick​
Chief Economist • TruStage
Steven Rick is director and chief economist at TruStageTM. His primary responsibilities include conducting strategic research, analysis and forecasting of the financial services industry, with special emphasis on the consumer and credit union markets.
Rick’s forecasts serve as a starting point for the strategic planning process and help to create a clear understanding of the underlying trends and links between the general economy, the financial services industry, and the company’s policy owners.
Rick publishes the Credit Union Trends Report, a monthly “pulse check” on the economic state of the credit union movement. He has authored a textbook on asset-liability management for credit union executives.
Before joining the company, Rick was the senior economist for CUNA & Affiliates’ economics and statistics department for 22 years. Rick also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Wisconsin Credit Union, a $5 billion financial institution.
Rick holds a senior lecturer position with the economics department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he teaches money and banking, and macroeconomics courses. He is also the facilitator and instructor for CUNA Management School’s Stanford Bank Game, a computerized bank simulation, and has two years’ experience as a bank simulation advisor for the Prochnow Graduate School of Banking.
Rick has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Moorhead State University, a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Moorhead State University, and a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also obtained a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Jeff Salzenstein
​Keynote Speaker • JeffSalzenstein.com
As a former top 100 world-ranked tennis player, two-time Stanford All-American national champion, and team captain, they have had to refocus on specific pro fundamentals many times throughout their career to overcome adversity and setbacks—and to sustain peak performance.
Whether it was their serve, a painful losing streak, feelings of isolation on the tennis circuit, or career-threatening injuries that nearly ended their professional career prematurely, they learned time and time again that success meant far more than just lifting a trophy.
As a coach and entrepreneur, they have also faced their fair share of setbacks—but each time, they have learned and refined how to access their zone of excellence by honing their physical, mental, and emotional health.

 

Patrick Pierce
​President/CEO • City & County Credit Union
America's Credit Unions Board Chair
Patrick Pierce has been a leader in the credit union movement for over 35 years. He has had various roles including Chairman of the Minnesota Credit Union Network as well as Chair of the Political Involvement Committee. Mr. Pierce is a past member of the CUNA State Charter Enhancement Sub Committee and the CUNA Advocacy Committee. Mr. Pierce is currently the Chairman of the America’s Credit Unions Board and serves on the America’s Credit Unions Executive Committee.
In addition, Pierce is a Certified Credit Union Executive with over 25 years’ experience as a CEO. He has been the recipient of many credit union and civic awards including the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders Award in 2016. Pierce’s passion for credit unions and money management started at University of Wisconsin – River Falls where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and passed his Certified Public Accountants exam on his first attempt. Patrick Pierce currently lives in River Falls, Wisconsin and is married with three grown children and three grandchildren.

 

Chad Richter
​Principal • Jackson Lewis P.C.
Chad Richter is a principal in the Omaha, Nebraska, office and the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Chad is also a member of the board of directors. Chad’s practice is divided into three areas: (1) preventive counseling and training; (2) traditional labor law; and (3) workplace litigation. With regard to his preventive practice, he routinely provides day-to-day advice and counseling to management on a variety of employment law matters including human resource management, traditional labor relations, employment discrimination, wage and hour, privacy, disability leave management, and reductions in force.
Chad routinely assists management in workplace audits, preparing contracts and workplace policies, complex employment investigations and developing and presenting training curriculums on numerous employment and labor law topics. He has developed and facilitated hundreds of management training seminars educating all levels of management from front-line supervisors to the most senior executives and board members in organizations. He develops training that is highly interactive, engaging and educational. 
Chad also assists organizations during labor organizing campaigns, labor negotiations and routinely represents management in labor arbitration proceedings nationally. Provided litigation arises, he also defends management before federal and state administrative agencies and before federal and state courts throughout Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa.

 

Catie McDonald
Advisor • FarWell
Catie McDonald is a trusted strategic partner and leader passionate about the credit union movement. Known for her ability to ask thought-provoking questions and listen intently, Catie leverages her communication skills to drive successful outcomes in her work.
Throughout her career, Catie has collaborated closely with CEOs, executive leadership teams, and various Boards, bringing clarity to strategic vision and aligning stakeholders to produce remarkable results.
Known for her facilitation skills, Catie consistently receives feedback for her ability to make strategy sessions engaging and enjoyable. Participants are often surprised by how much fun they have while discussing critical matters, a testament to Catie’s talent for creating a collaborative and energizing environment.
This passion is reflected professionally in her leadership on the Financial Well-being for All program while at CUNA – helping Boards and credit unions understand how to serve their members better and incorporate financial well-being and diversity, equity, and inclusion into their strategic plans.
As a strategic partner and leader, Catie McDonald combines her expertise in the financial services and credit union industry, exceptional communication skills, and a genuine passion for making a difference. By working with Catie, you can unlock the full potential of your credit union or organization and create a lasting impact in the communities you serve.

 

Pete Lunenfeld
Founder/CEO/CTO • CurrentWave AI
Pete brings over 30 years of experience navigating the tech landscape with a blend of leadership and customer-centric wisdom. From igniting innovation in startups to successfully leading large enterprise teams, Pete's career is marked by groundbreaking achievements.
Prior to CurrentWave AI, Pete served as Chief Technology Officer of Truckstop.com, a powerhouse SaaS freight services company.  While at the helm, he oversaw all aspects of technology, R&D, software development, infrastructure, and service delivery, with over 350 engineers on his team.  Pete also served as Truckstop's Chief Product Officer, showcasing his skill in solving customer problems and capturing customer loyalty.
During his tenure at Truckstop, Pete pioneered the transportation industry’s first generative AI products (patents pending).  This achievement highlighted his ability to build applications that customers love and was his inspiration to establish CurrentWave AI and bring the transformative power of generative AI to the rest of the world.
Pete has also played a pivotal role in shaping startup companies, including RMIS, an industry-leading (SaaS) provider of logistics and real-estate compliance services.  As the CTO and Executive Vice President, Pete led the way in creating an industry darling. From inception to acquisition and exit, Pete led the software development, engineering, customer success, and product teams, showing his ability to create innovative technology and deliver superior product-market fit.

 

Adam O'Connell
VP Sales & Strategic Partnerships • Pulsate
Adam O’Connell is a proven leader with deep expertise in fintech. As Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships at Pulsate, he helps credit unions strengthen member relationships through personalized, timely digital engagement—driving deeper connections, higher member satisfaction, and increased profitability. 
Before joining Pulsate, Adam led Channel Sales at Evo Payments, later acquired for $4bn by Global Payments. Originally from Ireland, he relocated to Denver, CO, in 2024 to support Pulsate’s expansion. Adam holds a degree from Dublin City University and Diploma from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Outside of work, he is an avid cyclist and distinctly average snowboarder. 

 

Jon Waldman
President and Co-founder • SBS CyberSecurity/SBS Institute
Jon Waldman is a co-founder and President of SBS CyberSecurity and the SBS Institute. Over the past 20 years, Jon has helped hundreds of organizations identify and understand cybersecurity risks to allow them to make better and more informed business decisions. Jon is incredibly passionate about cybersecurity training and education, which lead him to be a driving force in the development of the SBS Institute. The Institute is uniquely designed to serve the banking industry by providing industry specific cyber education. It has grown to include ten certification courses and holds State Association partnerships in over 30 states.
Jon maintains his CISA, CRISC, and CDPSE certifications. He received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and his Master of Science in Information Assurance with an emphasis in Banking and Finance Security from Dakota State University, a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education designated by the NSA.
Along with being an instructor for SBS Institute courses, Jon frequently speaks on cybersecurity topics at a variety of events and trainings across the country. Additionally, he is a blog author, has had multiple articles published, and regularly hosts educational webinars. Jon strongly believes the more knowledgeable and educated we all are - Directors, employees, and customers alike - ​when it comes to cybersecurity, the more risk we reduce as a whole.

 

Crystal Steeper
League Service Lead • ViClarity
Crystal Streeper is a seasoned professional in the financial industry with almost two decades of experience working in various roles at credit unions. Her areas of expertise include lending, compliance, operations, and Staff Training. Currently serving as the League Service Lead with Viclarity, Crystal provides extensive compliance assistance to our affiliated leagues and credit union clients nationwide.

​More speaker bios to come!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Credit Union Member & Guest Registration

Early Bird Pricing: $429 • Deadline: April 18
Regular Pricing: $479 • Deadline: May 2

Exhibitor/Sponsor Info & Registration

Thanks to Our 2025 Sponsors

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DakCU Code of Conduct/Cancellation Policy