DakCU News & Notes

Johnson named Top Producing Loan Officer; Capital CU announces Business Services VP; WCCU is hiring; FREE webinars; and more!

Peter Johnson Named a Top Producing Loan Officer by Minnesota Housing
Peter Johnson, Executive Mortgage Officer at Town & Country Credit Union in Fargo, has been recognized as a Top Producer by Minnesota Housing for his loan production volume in the homeownership program during 2024.
 
Since 2010, the Minnesota Housing Top Producing Loan Officer Program has acknowledged individual loan officers who achieve the highest volume of Minnesota Housing Program loans. Recognizing that housing is essential for success, Minnesota Housing Top Producers are committed to helping homebuyers build equity and wealth through effective homeownership.
 
Peter brings 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry and has served as an Executive Mortgage Officer at Town & Country Credit Union since 2015. He helps homebuyers benefit from programs like those offered by Minnesota Housing, which provide fixed interest rates and down payment and closing cost assistance. 

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​Capital Credit Union Announces Business Services Vice President Anthony Bruhn 
Capital Credit Union recently announced the hiring of Anthony Bruhn as Business Services Vice President at their Veterans Blvd. Branch, located at 3216 Veterans Blvd. in Fargo. Bruhn has 14 years of professional experience in the financial services industry.  As a Business Services Vice President, Bruhn will be responsible for delivering business and agriculture products and services to existing and prospective credit union members in our Fargo-area market. He will also look for opportunities to provide additional products and services to business and agriculture members.
 

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Western Cooperative Credit Union is Hiring
Western Cooperative Credit Union’s Hebron Branch is seeking a full-time Branch Manager (approx. 40 hours/week) with a background in consumer and/or agricultural lending preferred. This leadership role oversees a small team (fewer than 10 employees) and is responsible for branch operations, staff management, loan processing, member service, and community engagement. The position offers competitive pay with bonus opportunities and a full benefits package—including 100% company-paid individual medical insurance, 401(k) match, paid leave, and more. Application deadline is Monday, July 28. To learn more or to apply click here.
  
Sales CU Webinar: How to Get Your Team to Finally Sell at Your Credit Union
Tuesday, July 29 at 11:00 AM CST | Thursday, July 31 at 2:00 PM CST
Join Nick Brown, founder of SalesCU and speaker at this year’s New Ideas Conference, for a webinar on building a sales culture that empowers growth—not just sales. It’s not about pushing products or hitting quotas, but creating the right mindset, structure, and expectations. Designed for managers and leaders across branches, contact centers, lending, HR, and training, this session will explore common pitfalls, the gap between goals and performance, and how beliefs shape team behavior. Walk away with practical strategies to boost product penetration, member growth, and long-term success. Register here.
 
CU4Kids ATM Fundraising Webinar
July 31, 2025, at 1:00 PM CST
Join Credit Unions for Kids for a special webinar and discover how your credit union can easily raise meaningful funds through ATM fundraising—one of our top priority activations for 2025 and beyond. Hear firsthand insights and success stories from industry leaders Darren Williams, President/CEO of Wescom Financial; Ron Amstutz, EVP of Desert Financial Credit Union; and Merry Pateuk, SVP of Industry Engagement at Velera. If your credit union’s ATMs are powered by Velera or Fiserv, you’re in luck—both providers have generously agreed to waive their fee for increasing your ATM surcharge, making it easier than ever to start raising funds for your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital through Credit Unions for Kids. Register here.
 
TruStage Discovery 2025 Conference
Registration is open for the Discovery2025 Conference with TruStage. This annual virtual conference is your gateway to strategic industry insights you need to help navigate the evolving financial landscape and the diverse needs of members. The free event takes place on Thursday, August 7, 9:00 a.m. (CT) – 4:00 p.m. (CT). Join this valuable virtual conference to uncover actionable data and trends designed to empower your credit union to engage with members in digital, yet profoundly human-centered, ways. Click here to register and review the full agenda.
 
Bank of North Dakota offers FREE Communications Workshop to Communications Teams
Bank of North Dakota is sponsoring a special education event for all North Dakota financial institution communications staff on Monday, August 11, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. It will be held at the ND Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND. The workshop entitled “A Sense of Place and Storry,” will be led by Emmy Award Winning journalist and film producer John Hubbell. Hubbell will weave North Dakota themes throughout the day to inspire communicators to share their financial institution’s story so they create stories that resonate with your credit unions’ clientele.
 
Attendees are responsible for their own meals. There is no restriction as to the number of team members who may attend, but each person must register because seating is limited. Seats will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Janel Schmitz, BND Communications Manager at [email protected] or 701.328.5880 with questions. Register here.
 
Alloya Corporate FCU Hosts Credit Union Leadership Symposium
Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union will host its 11th annual Credit Union Leadership Symposium on September 3–5 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. The event will feature top-tier speakers, including industry experts and economist Elliot Eisenberg, plus an inspiring keynote from 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey captain Mike Eruzione. Attendees can expect valuable networking, engaging sessions, and memorable experiences like a Red Sox game at Fenway Park and Alloya’s popular Football Night. The corporate’s Annual Meeting will take place on September 4, with no separate registration required. Find event details and registration here.
 
Building Leadership Resilience: A Step-by-Step Succession Planning Workshop
ViClarity Q3 Town Hall
September 24, 2025 1:00 PM CT/12:00 PM MT
Leadership continuity is a vital component of credit union resilience. With the NCUA’s succession planning rule going into effect January 1, 2026, federally insured credit unions must adopt and maintain a formal succession plan covering key leadership positions.
 
This focused town hall workshop will provide practical, step-by-step guidance on building a compliant plan, assessing leadership gaps, preparing for both emergency and planned transitions, and aligning succession with your credit union's long-term strategy. Join us for this session and leave with actionable tools to strengthen your governance and exam-readiness, because strong leadership keeps your mission moving forward — even through change. Register here. 
  
Jackson Lewis, P.C. – Your Trusted Partner in Employment Law
Jackson Lewis, P.C., a DakCU dues-supported benefit, specializes in labor and employment law to help employers proactively reduce workplace legal risk. With 1,000+ attorneys in 61 locations—including South Dakota—they provide practical, effective solutions backed by national expertise. For over 65 years, they’ve focused on top-tier client service, from preventive guidance to litigation defense. Learn more here.
 
SalesCU Training
2025 dates are now available for SalesCU workshops! SalesCU training offers practical and proven sales techniques and strategies that actually work in a credit union setting to bring affordable and convenient sales training to our Dakota credit unions. If you want to develop employees who know how to sell in a way that adds value to the member, and sales leaders who are empowered to drive results through developmental coaching and meaningful accountability, we have an award-winning solution for you! Additional information on upcoming sessions available here or contact George McDonald, Senior VP/Chief Officer Partnerships & Engagement at 701.250.3942.
 
Leadership Development
Our iLead@11 DakCU Emerging Leader Program is designed specifically for credit union professionals in the credit union industry interested in enhancing their careers for advancement. Based on the popular Leadership@11 program designed by Eleven Performance Group, it is an ongoing program that allows participants to start whenever they want and determine their own pace. For a limited time, reduced pricing of just $1,999 per person and scholarships are also available! Learn more here.
 
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