DakCU News & Notes

Holiday closing; chapter meetings; webinars; and more!

​Holiday Schedule – Closed Monday
Dakota Credit Union Association offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, in observation of Labor Day, to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. Please have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.
 
FREE Holiday Signs
DakCU has an assortment of messages for upcoming 2025-2026 federal holidays FREE for your use on your credit union branch doors, websites, and social media. The signs can be downloaded here. If you need a different size and/or format, don’t hesitate to contact Lindsey Hefta at 701.250.3968.​
 
Capital Credit Union Promotes Vadnais
Nick Vadnais was recently promoted to consumer loan specialist at Capital Credit Union’s Veterans Blvd. Branch, in Fargo. As a consumer loan specialist, Vadnais is responsible for consumer lending including auto, recreational vehicle and home equity loans; delivery of deposit products such as checking and savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit; and actively soliciting, promoting and servicing credit union products and services.
 
United Chapter Meeting
The Credit Unions United Chapter has scheduled their meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 9. Meet at 6:30 p.m. for dinner followed by speaker Tonya Hetzler from the Attorney General’s Office with the topic of “Fighting Consumer Fraud”. RSVP to Jennifer Jerauld at Town and Country Credit Union no later than Tuesday, September 2nd.
 
SD Central Chapter Meeting
The South Dakota Central Chapter is holding a meeting on Tuesday, September 16 at 6:00 pm for a presentation on "Current Frauds/Scams” led by Jody Gillaspie, Attorney General. This event will take place at Fire Pit Pizzeria. Please RSVP to Tiffanie Kouf by noon on Tuesday, September 9.
 
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.
 
Combating Elder Fraud – Roundtable Discussions
Join AARP and elder fraud expert Paul Greenwood for a 90-minute roundtable addressing the impacts of fraud on older adults, common misconceptions, investigation strategies, and ways to support victims. Greenwood, a retired San Diego Deputy District Attorney and AARP Fraud Ambassador, will lead discussions on best practices and prevention efforts. Sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, September 23 in Bismarck (Event Center – Prairie Rose 101) and Wednesday, September 24 in Fargo (FARGODOME – Rooms 101-102), both from 1:30–3:00 p.m. Register online at events.aarp.org or contact [email protected] / 866-554-5383.
 
Alloya’s Economic & Investment Conference
Credit union professionals are invited to attend Alloya’s Economic & Investment Conference on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Hosted in collaboration with Alloya Investment Services, a division of Alloya Solutions, this one-day event is tailored for CEOs, CFOs, portfolio managers, and board members. The agenda includes expert insights into the U.S. economy, inflation, interest-rate trends, and projections for savings and loan activity in 2025 and 2026. Featured speakers include Tom Slefinger of Alloya Corporate FCU and Steven Rick, Chief Economist at TruStage™, offering a forward-looking forecast for credit union performance. The $100 registration fee includes access to all sessions and up to 4.0 CPE credits. It's a valuable opportunity for credit union leaders to learn, network, and plan for the year ahead. Learn more and register here.
 
Marketing Association of Credit Unions (MAC) Offers VIP Discount to DakCU for 2025 Annual Conference in Fort Lauderdale
The Marketing Association of Credit Unions (MAC) is hosting its 2025 Annual Conference October 27–29 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, featuring dynamic keynote speakers Rocky Garza, Amy Downs, and Brian Galke, plus engaging breakout sessions, networking events like a yacht party and beachside fun, and the prestigious MAC Awards. Dakota Credit Union Association members can snag a VIP all-access pass for just $1,499—plus a free 2025 MAC membership—using code MACVIP25. Learn more and register at MAC 2025 Conference.
 
Deep Dive: Velera Payments Index – August 2025 (Economic Uncertainty)
Velera’s August Deep Dive takes aim at the latest twist in consumer behavior—how growing economic uncertainty is shifting payment trends. Expect data-backed insights into consumer responses to inflation, tariffs, and tightening confidence, highlighting shifts in spending across sectors, digital wallet adoption, and delinquencies. This report unpacks how credit unions can pivot—offering stability, flexible payment experiences, and targeted engagement strategies to stay top-of-wallet in unpredictable times. Be sure to explore past editions of the Payments Index as well, for a broader view of evolving consumer and market trends month to month here.
 
NCUA Launches AI Resources for Credit Unions
The NCUA has launched a new webpage offering credit unions guidance on adopting and managing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The resources cover AI implementation, risk management, data security, cybersecurity, and practical use cases—helping credit unions make informed decisions whether they’re just exploring AI or looking to strengthen existing AI practices. Explore the page 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. It is $1,999 per person and scholarships are also available! Learn more here.
 
Help Us Stay Up to Date with Your Staff
Please help us to make sure that your employees are receiving the Memo and are in our database for other important information. We strive to bring you the latest important information related to advocacy, compliance, networking and educational opportunities, and more. Is everyone at your credit union receiving this information? Be sure we have the names, title, and email address of any new employees. The more information your staff has, the better for all of us!  Email Annie Elhard to be added to our distribution list or sign up directly here on our website.
 
Share News
Submit your news to Annie Elhard. Employee promotions, awards, new products or services, community involvement/recognition, job openings, all are welcome!