Dakota CU News & Notes

We have a special guest at our next CEO Town Hall! Plus, FREE understanding credit scores workshop today; upcoming chapter events, and more. 

Tanya Otsuka

Special Guest at Next CEO Town Hall
NCUA Board Member Tanya Otsuka will make a guest appearance at our next Dakota CEO Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday, April 9, at 3:00 p.m. (CT) 2:00 p.m. (MT). Director Otsuka will share her insights as well her objectives as the agency’s newest member. Calendar invites have been sent to CEOs via email; if you would like to join the call, please reach out to John Alexander.
 
Before joining the NCUA Board, Tanya served as Senior Counsel for the majority staff of the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee where she has handled the Committee’s work on banking and credit union issues since March 2020. In 2019, she also served on the Committee staff through the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University’s Capitol Hill Fellowship Program, on detail from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
 
Prior to her time with the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Otsuka was a staff attorney and counsel at FDIC where she worked on a broad range of banking issues. She began her career at the FDIC as a law clerk in 2010 and an Honors Attorney in 2011. Otsuka earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School and B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia.
 
Sioux Vally Co-op FCU Seeking Loan Officer/MSR
Due to an internal promotion, Sioux Valley Co-op FCU, located in Watertown, SD with over $37M in assets, is now seeking a loan officer/MSR. In this position, you will play a pivotal role in providing financial services and support to our members. You will be responsible for assisting members with their loan applications, providing guidance on financial products, and delivering exceptional customer service. For additional information or to apply, click here. For general questions, contact Tyler Gross at 605.882.2706.
 
Credit Unions United Chapter Meeting
The Credit Unions United Chapter has scheduled their next meeting for Tuesday, April 9, at Sleep Inn – 2400 10th St SW in Minot. Meet at 6:00 p.m. for social, followed by dinner and the Annual Meeting, along with a credit union CEO panel discussion. Kindly RSVP to Jennifer Jerauld by April 1st.
 
SD Central Chapter Meeting
The South Dakota Central Chapter has scheduled their Annual Meeting for Tuesday, April 16th at Gigi’s, 349 Wisconsin Ave SW in Huron. Meet at 6:00 p.m.; the evening’s program will be Debit Card Overview by Teresa Thill from the Advantage Network. Please RSVP to Tiffanie Kouf no later than April 9.
 
CUNA Awards Program Suspended for 2024
As you know, on January 1, CUNA and NAFCU merged to create America’s Credit Unions. As part of this transformative journey, America’s Credit Unions has decided to suspend the CUNA Awards program for 2024. This hiatus will allow time to carefully evaluate the best way to acknowledge the exceptional contributions of our industry, aligning with the vision, mission, and purpose of our new national organization. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Hughes, Affiliation Specialist at 608.231.4866. *NOTE – this does NOT affect DakCU’s 2024 Summit Awards Banquet being held on May 16. All 2023 Dora, Louise, and Desjardins award applications were considered and will be announced as usual.
 
SWAP Contributors – FREE Job Postings on Try a Credit Union!
Contributing SWAP members have access to FREE job postings on the Try A Credit Union website! To have a job posted, contact Lindsey Hefta with your job description and she will be happy to assist you. The successful results we are seeing with our state-wide awareness program (SWAP) means we are increasing credit union awareness and consideration of credit unions as a better financial services option for consumers all across the Dakotas! It’s not too late to get on board for 2024. Contact Lindsey to find out how SWAP can reach more consumers in your area.
 
Register Today for DakCU Summit!
Registration for the Annual Summit is open! This year’s event takes us to Grand Casino & Golf Resort just outside Sioux Falls, SD. Be sure to check out the expanded three-day agenda and new attractions! Register by April 12 for early bird pricing of just $409 per person. For your convenience, a block of rooms is reserved at Grand Casino & Golf Resort under Dakota Credit Union Summit. You must call the hotel directly at 712.777.7777 to receive the special group rate starting at just $124.95 per night.
 
FREE Understanding Credit Scores Workshop Today
Credit scores can be somewhat of a mystery, especially if you or a member you are helping feel they have done everything right, but still don’t have a stellar score. Having a less than stellar score can impact a number of things in a person’s life, including access to credit and loans, interest rates and terms, employment opportunities, insurance rates and premiums, and more. 
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This workshop will demystify how credit scores are calculated, and what to do to build a great credit score for you, and your members. Participants will learn: how credit reports and scores started; how a score works and the various scores out there; the 5 scoring factors; how to build a great credit score and fix a poor one; and much more! This session will be presented by Nick Brown, president of SalesCU. Join this 85-minute live virtual workshop on Thursday, March 28, from 12:30 – 1:55 p.m. CT. Register here.
 
SalesCU Training
2024 dates are 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, Chief Officer of Strategic Services at 701.250.3942.
 
Leadership Development
Our iLead@11 DakCU Emerging Leader Program is designed specifically for emerging leaders in the credit union industry, 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. Scholarships are also available; complete the application form found 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 Shawn Brummer to be added to our distribution list or sign up directly here on our website.
 
In the Spotlight
Do you know someone at your credit union or another credit union, either employee or volunteer, who has an interesting story?  Nominate them for the CU Professionals Spotlight by emailing their name and a brief explanation of why they are “Spotlight” material to Shawn Brummer.
 
Share News
Submit your news to Shawn Brummer. Employee promotions, awards, new products or services, community involvement/recognition, job openings, all are welcome! 

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