The President's Perspective

 Welcome to the 17th Annual Summit! The DakCU Board met yesterday afternoon, a golf outing is planned for today, and Opening Ceremonies kick off this evening. 

Greetings! Our entire staff is excited to kick off our 17th Annual Summit in Fargo this week at the Delta Hotel and Conference Center. Even though this marks our 17th annual meeting as a combined Dakota league, we have a rich and successful 86 years of advocating and supporting credit unions in our two states. The best part is that spring weather is finally here, with sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s predicted for the week.  
 
We are especially grateful for the opportunity to connect and network in person. The Annual Summit is our largest and best attended educational and networking conference each year. I am extremely pleased to report that our attendance numbers are near record levels with over 265 credit union professionals, volunteers, guests, crashers, exhibitors, and business partners participating in this year’s event. The 2023 Summit is the culmination of planning that began back in late 2021. Yes, that is correct – each annual meeting takes approximately 18 months of planning and coordination. Once again, the DakCU Team has put together a terrific event featuring national keynote speakers and presenters, and we have a full Exhibitor Showcase with many business solution providers.
 
Work began on Monday afternoon as the DakCU Board of Directors arrived in Fargo early for pre-Summit meetings. In-person meetings are rare anymore, so it is always a pleasure when we can meet face-to-face to discuss business. Our agenda included a review of notes from the strategic planning session that was held earlier this year, as well as a review of ongoing Association projects, and a complete routine review of financial statements and reports.

​The 2023 Summit officially kicks off this evening with our Opening Ceremonies; but first, many of us will be enjoying a round of golf and networking at the Rose Creek Golf Course, as we tee off at about 10:30 this morning.
 
Once again, we have industry-specific general and breakout sessions planned for Wednesday, ranging from strategic trends, compliance-regulatory updates, an economic update, and board governance, along with our annual business meeting. We will also be gathering on Wednesday evening for our Awards Banquet, to honor and recognize many of our outstanding credit unions and individuals on their achievements. This is always a highlight of our Summit and is a great way to close the event. This year, I am excited to announce that Kat Perkins, finalist on The Voice and North Dakota “small town girl” will be co-hosting the awards with me! Kat is also a featured keynote this year and will be entertaining the crowd with some of her fabulous music following the banquet.
 
Stay tuned to the Memo for more Summit news on Thursday, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest from our 2023 #DakCUSummit.
 
Last chance for Foundation Vacation Sweepstakes
It’s not too late to participate in the Dakota Credit Union Foundation’s Vacation Sweepstakes, as long as you enter by 7:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 10. Each $25 donation receives a chance to win a voucher for a $5,000 dream vacation of your choice. Each $100 donation receives five chances! The money raised from this event will help support the foundation’s mission of “financial well-being for all.” You can enter here.
 
Silent Auction to raise funds for GAC scholarships.
One final reminder, the GAC Silent Auction fundraiser opens at 5:00 p.m. (CT) today, May 9, and closes at 8:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 10. The auction is conducted on a virtual platform, which means even if you are not at the Summit, you can participate, as long as you are an employee or volunteer of a DakCU affiliated credit union. Winners will be notified through the ClickBid site – if you are on location you can retrieve your prize; if you are not present, you must make arrangements for delivery of items. You can register to bid and view items here. I want to sincerely thank the many credit unions that donated items for this event.
 
Download DakCU Mobile app now for easy Summit navigation!
Finally, if you haven’t already done so, please download the DakCU Mobile app to put all Summit information at your fingertips! Be sure to opt-in for push notifications if you want a reminder of when your selected sessions are about to begin and for any last-minute important announcements. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Lindsey Hefta, our Director of Marketing.
 
Have a great week,

DakCU President/CEO