That’s a Wrap, Folks!

​ULEND Academy is a success in Fargo! Are you interested in attending this amazing training later this year? Find out what one recent attendee had to say!

The first ULEND Academy™ of 2022 came to a close in Fargo on March 16, the first in-person event in nearly two years! The class was at full capacity as the event sold out weeks in advance for credit union professionals eager to attend the popular lending course provided by DakCU in partnership with CUNA Mutual Group.
 
Emily Fyre, Assistant Manager/Loan Officer Fargo VA FCU was one of the attendees who found ULEND Academy very helpful. “Learning my own behavioral style as well as how to study my members was something I never thought of – but it plays a huge role in your loan process and how to communicate effectively! Being able to slow down the process and walk through each step is so important, and ULEND helped me remember that.”
 
She went on to explain that she has already been able to incorporate some of the skills she learned during the course. “Learning how to ask more consultative questions was a great takeaway. Each member is different and has a different story, so it was nice to learn other ways to truly understand my member and what stage of life they may be in, or what services we have that may benefit them based on what they are looking to do. It also taught me how to analyze a credit report better by understanding how to identify and mitigate risks.”
 
Emily says she would definitely recommend this course to other lenders, or anyone looking to enhance their member relationships and expand their professional network. “The CUNA ULEND facilitators were informative and made it a fun, interactive conference. Making those connections with other credit union lending professionals was priceless,” she concluded. 

The recent ULEND Academy in Fargo was at full capacity!

George McDonald, DakCU’s Chief Officer of Strategic Services, stated “We have had amazing success with this educational offering, and we’re extremely happy to be working with CUNA Mutual Group, our system partner, to provide this outstanding training to our member credit unions. We are already reviewing our educational offerings for the coming year and collecting information as to potential demand for additional training opportunities. While CMG is not doing in-person ULEND sessions for leagues at this point, we have been singled out as the exception due to the effectiveness of our events and the fact that we have sold out five of these sessions so far! We would certainly appreciate the input of any credit unions who anticipate sending staff in the future so we can plan accordingly.” he added.
 
If you are interested in being placed on a “waiting list” to be contacted when the next class becomes available, be sure to contact Deb Kruckenberg.
 
The ULEND Academy™ is a hands-on, customized learning experience that helps lenders go from transactional to consultative, meeting members’ full financial needs. The curriculum guides lenders from foundational to advanced skill levels in all lending channels and across all ​stages of the loan process - origination, underwriting, and closing - with cross-selling, consultation, and compliance woven throughout. For more information, be sure to contact George McDonald.