On Stage at the Summit!

​Opening ceremonies with Jeff Olson last evening brings credit union professionals from across the Dakotas together to reconnect and reenergize. 

​The 2022 Summit officially kicked off in Rapid City, SD with Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday evening, May 10th. DakCU President/CEO Jeff Olson began by welcoming attendees and setting the stage for our signature event. With more than 230 registrations this year, Summit attendance is at near record numbers, as credit union professionals from across the Dakotas gathered to reconnect and reenergize! 
 
Olson began by thanking Dakota’s credit unions for all they did to help their members and communities through the pandemic. While North and South Dakota credit unions have a proud history of serving the Dakotas, this is the 16th combined meeting since the two leagues merged! 

The CUNA-League system continues to be strong; in fact, of all trade associations, credit unions continue to be ranked among the top of advocacy groups working in DC. It truly is 360-degree advocacy! To illustrate the point, Olson provided an overview of the association’s success in pushing back against the NCUA proposed strategic plan that would have negatively affected ag lending and energy producers in the Dakotas.
 
Jim Nussle, President/CEO of CUNA, also sent his well wishes through a video message, congratulating our states for their continued success in credit union advocacy and advancing our communities.
 
Finally, Olson provided an overview of the recent whitepaper released by CUNA that shows credit union members nationwide are more likely to say that credit unions improve their financial well-being compared to customers of other financial institutions. Credit union members are also twice as likely to take advantage of financial counseling and education classes, engaging with their not-for-profit, member-owned credit union to build a more stable foundation for success. In addition, the whitepaper revealed that credit union members are more likely to say that their financial institution has a “very positive” impact on their financial well-being than those who identified as bank-only customers. “Financial Well-Being For All” will continue to headline credit union discussions and goals moving forward.
 
Our conference continues on Wednesday, May 11th, with a full day of entertainment and education, including mainstage attractions and breakout sessions featuring topics that have been front of mind in the Dakotas. This year, DakCU is delivering an incredible speaker lineup, including:
 

• Expert on Change and Workforce Trends: Karen McCullough
• Keynote Motivational Speaker: Sam Glenn
  CUNA Chief Economist – Steve Rick
• Secure Network Technologies President – Steve Stasiukonis
• CU Doctor President – Diane Reed

 
Later this afternoon, our Annual Business Meeting will take place, and the grand finale takes place this evening, with our elegant Awards Banquet.
 
Be sure to stay tuned to the Memo for more Summit news this week and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest from our 2022 #DakCUSummit!