Leadership Link: Keller Connection

DakCU President & CEO Joe Keller begins visiting credit unions across the Dakotas to listen and learn from members.

Listening, Learning, and Building the Future of DakCU Together
One of the commitments I made when joining the Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) was to spend time listening to the people and organizations that make our credit union movement strong. That commitment is now becoming reality as we begin visiting credit unions across North Dakota and South Dakota.

These visits are not simply introductions—they are an opportunity for meaningful conversations about the challenges, opportunities, priorities, and vision that exist throughout our membership. Every credit union has a unique story, and understanding those stories will help shape the future direction of our association.

As I have shared before, my approach is straightforward: listen first. The strength of DakCU comes from the collective experiences, insights, and dedication of our member credit unions. Understanding what is working well, where improvements can be made, and how DakCU can better support your success will help us build a stronger organization and a stronger movement.

Those conversations are especially important as we continue navigating an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory environment. A recent example is the significant advocacy victory in Illinois, where lawmakers approved a one-year delay of the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA), pushing implementation to July 1, 2027. While the issue may seem far removed from the Dakotas, its potential impact reaches credit unions nationwide. The delay provides valuable breathing room as legal and regulatory challenges continue and highlights the importance of a strong, coordinated advocacy effort at both the state and national levels. Protecting the payments system and preventing costly operational disruptions remains a priority for the credit union movement, and victories like this demonstrate the value of working together to address issues that affect us all.

The credit union philosophy is rooted in cooperation, collaboration, and people helping people. Those same principles will guide these conversations. My goal is to gather feedback from across our membership and bring those insights back to the DakCU team so we can develop a member-focused strategy that reflects the needs and priorities of credit unions throughout the Dakotas.

This association belongs to all of us. DakCU exists to serve, advocate for, educate, and strengthen credit unions across our two states. We can only do that effectively when we take the time to understand the challenges and opportunities our members face every day. The more we listen, the better we can deliver meaningful value and support to the credit unions and communities we serve.
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I am excited about the opportunity to learn from our members and deepen our understanding of the issues that matter most to credit unions across the Dakotas. Together, we can continue building a stronger association and an even stronger credit union movement for the future.

​Joe Keller
​DakCU President & CEO