The President’s Perspective

Jeff has a quick preview of our Summit kickoff in Rapid City this year! Plus, be sure to download the DakCU Mobile app today for all Summit information! 

Greetings, and welcome Summit 2022! You may have noticed, this year’s event begins one day later than in recent years. We did this on purpose so that we could all celebrate and properly honor Mother’s Day yesterday. So, Happy Mother’s Day to all our credit union moms out there!

We are excited to kick-off our 16th Annual Summit in the majestic Black Hills this week. This year’s event is taking place at the Holiday Inn Downtown, Rapid City, SD. The best part is that it’s spring weather in the Hills, with sunshine and temperatures in the mid-sixties.

Even though this year marks our 16th annual meeting as a combined Dakota League, we have a rich and successful eighty-five-year history of advocating and supporting credit unions in our two states.

We are especially excited and grateful for the opportunity to connect and network in person. The Summit meeting is our largest and best attended educational and networking conference each year. I am extremely pleased to report that our attendance numbers are terrific, and 230 credit union professionals, volunteers, guests, crashers, exhibitors and business partners will be participating.
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Some pre-conference meetings kick off this afternoon with a DakCU Board of Directors meeting. Also scheduled for today is an optional Dakota Health Benefits Trust meeting; Trust members and prospective members are welcome to attend. Members can also attend virtually and can reach out to me for the platform link. Also, the SD GAC Committee will be meeting later this afternoon, and additional pre-conference meetings take place early Tuesday morning for the Dakota Credit Union Foundation and the ND GAC Committee. There will be remote links available for each of the committee meetings. Be sure to reach out to me if you wish to participate on one of these platforms. Please remember that all meeting times are Mountain Time.
 
Once we wrap up our committee meetings, many attendees will head to the Meadowbrook Golf Club on Tuesday morning for our annual Summit Golf Scramble. (Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. MT.) Be sure to stay tuned to the Memo this week for coverage of our signature event, as well as our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) for additional “behind the scenes” pictures and newsworthy items. We are expecting a full house and anticipate a very successful event!
 
The 2022 annual meeting is the culmination of planning that began back in late 2020. Yes, that is correct – each Summit takes more than a year and a half of planning and coordination. Once again, the DakCU Team has put together a terrific leadership and educational event featuring national keynote speakers and presenters. We have several industry specific breakout sessions ranging from strategic trends, board governance, crypto currency and cyber security planned. The annual business meeting and awards banquet highlight the day on Wednesday. Be sure to check for a recap in Wednesday’s and Friday’s Memo.
 
Download DakCU Mobile app now for easy Summit navigation!
One final reminder to download our new DakCU Mobile app – especially if you are heading to the Summit this week. The app will 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.
 
Summit Sponsors help make the event even more exciting!
Today’s Memo includes a “Summit Sponsor Thank You” which acknowledges the important role that our business partners and solution providers play in supporting your association, as well as our member credit unions. For those who are joining us in Rapid City, I encourage you to take some time to check out the exhibitor booths to learn more about the various products and services being highlighted. Not only do our sponsors help us to keep the registration fees low for this event, but they will be giving away some great prizes during our event as well! The only way to win a prize is to visit the booths and register, so don’t miss your chance to take home some bonus gifts and meet some new professional contacts.
 
Deb Kruckenberg retiring this year.
In closing, I want to send a “shout out” to Deb Kruckenberg. Since 1975, Deb has been the first voice members hear when they call the Dakota Credit Union Association; the first face they see when they arrive at an association event; and the person many reach out to when they have a question. So, it is with some sadness that we prepare to say goodbye to our association’s dedicated Member Support Specialist. If you missed Friday’s Spotlight that covers her 46-year career, you can find it here. She has officially announced her final day at DakCU will be August 31st, 2022, as she plans to retire and enjoy more time with her family and her hobbies. Be sure to stop by the Summit registration table and wish her well on this next chapter of her life. Congratulations Deb and Thank you for 46 years of dedicated service and support for our members. 

DakCU President/CEO