Summit Crashers Announced!

​These 13 individuals will be joining us at the 2024 DakCU Summit where they will gain valuable knowledge, connections, and experience! Congratulations to… 

DakCU is thrilled to announce that we have chosen 13 young professionals as Summit Crashers for our 2024 event near Sioux Falls! These emerging credit union talents will be attending all general sessions and will also be engaging in specific Crasher activities led by Christopher Morris, Engagement Consultant at America’s Credit Unions. Crashers should prepare to be inspired and invigorated in their knowledge and enthusiasm for the industry!
 
Congratulations to:
 
Taylor Holweger, Loan Officer, University FCU, Grand Forks, ND. Taylor has been a member of a credit union since she was born, as her mom has been a longtime CEO! She says the members are the best part of her job, and she finds it rewarding to help them make life-changing financial decisions. She describes herself as determined and optimistic. At the Summit, she is hoping to advance her leadership skills and make some new connections. An interesting tidbit – Taylor holds a key to the city to both Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks, MN! Sounds like there is a story to be told!
 
Dylan Schnabel, VP of Information Systems & Technology, Hometown CU, Kulm, ND. Dylan has been a lifelong member of Hometown. In his role, he troubleshoots, repairs, and deploys workstations, supporting all IT-related policies and procedures. He is a community-minded individual who is proud to work in the credit union industry. He describes himself as curious, passionate, and kind, and is looking forward to creating relationships with other like-minded professionals. Dylan was previously a sportswriter with over 130 articles to his name, and he has personally edited over 30 novels!
 
Hannah Taylor, Business Intelligence Analyst, Highmark FCU, Rapid City, SD. Hannah has been a credit union member since childhood. In her role, she performs data analysis for executive management. In the past year, she has been programming the core systems to build custom programs for front line staff to use and increase efficiency.       She describes herself as competitive, innovative, and analytical, and is looking forward to learning from others how they are improving their members’ experience and financial health. In her free time, Hannah tends to her hydroponic garden in her home office, nurturing ten different fruits and vegetables!
 
Brian Kuyper, Loan Officer, Voyage FCU, Sioux Falls, SD. Voyage was Brian’s first full-time opportunity after graduating from college nearly four years ago. Working primarily in consumer lending, his main responsibilities include underwriting loans, fielding applications, and maintaining a portfolio of booked loans. He especially enjoys developing rapport and trust with members and helping them to achieve their goals. He describes himself as genuine, determined, and reliable, with a thirst for knowledge. At Summit, he is eager to learn more about the association, and build a network of other industry contributors. Brian is not often lonely, as he has three pets at home – including a dog, a cat, and a chinchilla!
  
Thomas Hansen, People & Culture Specialist, Bluestone FCU, Sioux Falls, SD. Thomas first learned about credit unions after applying for a job when he moved from Nebraska to Sioux Falls. Three years later, he finds himself happily involved in community engagement through the credit union’s Care Committee and corporate sponsorships, and he especially enjoys the many opportunities to give back through volunteering. He describes himself as strategic, caring, and thoughtful. Thomas and his wife have a goal to see all the national parks in the USA; so far, they have visited 3, with 1 scheduled for this fall, and then it’s just 61 to go!
 
Chelsey Francis, Risk & BSA Officer, First Community CU, Jamestown, ND. Chelsey first became involved with credit unions when she assisted at a Real World Camp youth financial literacy program in Jamestown. As Risk & BSA Manager, she oversees BSA & fraud specialists, monitoring for suspicious activity and ensuring that all regulations are followed. She describes herself as driven, organized, and passionate. She looks forward to expanding her professional network, gaining insights from industry leaders, and exploring potential collaboration opportunities. Chelsey recently began making gluten-free sourdough bread and has found the multiple trial and error batches to be a great lesson in patience!
 
Mitch Eichhorn, Branch Manager, Levo CU, Sioux Falls, SD. Mitch has been a credit union member since childhood and a staff member for nearly nine years. In his role, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the branch, finding ways to continually improve efficiencies. He also acts as leader and coach to their location’s consumer lenders and tellers, but he especially enjoys helping individuals from all walks of life and those new to the world of banking to find financial success. He describes himself as approachable, adaptable, and supportive. Mitch was once selected by his elementary school to participate in a studio recording for a South Dakota musician, Phil Baker, for his children’s music CD!  
 
Amalia Paris, Personal Financial Associate, Black Hills FCU, Rapid City, SD. Amalia has been a member of Black Hills FCU since she was seven years old, where she learned about savings, budgeting, fees, online banking, and most of all, excellent service. In her current role, she meets with members face-to-face to open accounts, originate loans, discuss budgeting, retirement, and savings goals, with a focus on guiding the financially inexperienced. She treasures the genuine connections she makes with members, and describes herself as friendly, empathetic, and loyal. Amalia is an avid reader, and if uninterrupted, can finish a 400-page novel in about 4 hours – no surprise considering she was reading at college level by fourth grade!
 
Hannah Walker, Member Business Lender, North Star Community CU, Maddock, ND. Hannah has been a lifelong credit union member. As a child, she learned all about the importance of financial cooperatives, and when she graduated from college, she knew a career in the industry was in her future. At the Maddock branch, she is responsible for supporting the agriculture community, building relationships, and serving their needs. She describes herself as approachable, motivated, and committed. She is hoping to build her credit union network and will use the information learned at Summit for inspiration to serve members and the community even better. Hannah comes from a ranching background; on her family’s buffalo ranch, she had a pet bull named Thunder. He would come into the home where Hannah would bottle feed him, and as he grew, he gave rides and would pull her in a sled during the winter months!
 
Daniel Deschamp, Branch Manager, Aspen FCU, Rapid City, SD. Daniel was recruited by a friend who was working at the credit union, and in his ten years as a staff member, has worked his way up from teller to branch manager. In his role, he provides training, coaching, and mediation for staff, while interacting with members and ensuring satisfaction with service. He says he has met many good and kind people through this industry and loves building relationships that are the most beneficial to them. He describes himself as mild, loyal, and tenacious, and is hoping to take away lessons from the Summit that will help him become a more well-rounded leader. Be sure to ask him to do his Christopher Walken impression – we hear it’s the best!
 
Joshua Fettig, Senior Financial Services Specialist, First Community CU, Bismarck, ND. Joshua first became involved with FCCU when he moved to Bismarck in 2013. He had previously worked for a large regional bank. In his current role, he works on loans including personal, auto, home equities, and credit cards. He also opens CD's, HSAs, and IRAs. He especially enjoys making a difference in people's lives and building relationships with members, and describes himself as goal-oriented, passionate, and loyal. He is looking forward to building industry connections and learning how other credit unions operate. If you happen to see “two Joshuas” – do not panic! He has an identical twin brother, and they have been best friends since the day they were born.
 
Macy Stover, Branch Manager, Dakotaland FCU, Redfield, SD. Macy is a relative newcomer to the credit union world; she was hired as a branch manager in August 2023. In her role, she also acts as business loan officer, and strives to cultivate a flourishing environment for members and staff alike. She says Abe Lincoln's, "by the people, for the people," tends to echo when she ponders why she has come to enjoy working in this industry so much; there's a sense of togetherness within the culture that brings a human element to the world of finance. She describes herself as lighthearted, authentic, and vibrant. Don’t be surprised if she throws out a movie quote or two, she knows countless lines – with Tommy Boy being top of the “most used” list.
 
Kelsey Trimble, Learning and Performance Specialist, Black Hills FCU, Rapid City, SD. Kelsey first discovered credit unions while looking for a new financial institution for her family. After learning about the great benefits of credit unions, she knew she wanted to be part of our movement! In her role, she provides training for employees on topics ranging from new hire orientation to regulatory training and enjoys having a direct impact on creating a culture that aligns with the credit union’s mission and philosophy. She especially appreciates the emphasis on financial literacy and the cooperative structure that prioritizes member well-being over profit. She describes herself as energetic, innovative, and dynamic. Several years ago, a tree from her front yard was chosen as the South Dakota State Christmas Tree. It was transported to Pierre and displayed for Christmas at the Capitol!                                                                                               
Once again, congratulations to this year’s Summit Crashers! We received far more applications than we could accept this year, and because space is limited to 13, we had some very difficult decisions to make. We urge those who were not selected this year to try again next year!
           
Not a Crasher? There’s still time to join us! Registering as a regular attendee at this year’s Summit DOES NOT exclude you from the Crasher program next year, or anytime in the future!
 
This year’s Summit takes place May 14 – 16 at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort located just south of Sioux Falls. Early bird pricing of just $409 per person is available through April 12. *After April 12, registration will be $479 per person.
 
REGISTER NOW.