The President’s Perspective

​It’s time to pause and recognize the many things we are grateful for here at the association! Plus, we are ready to help you prepare the next generation of leaders! 

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving!

As we kick off Thanksgiving week, it is time to pause and recognize the many things we are grateful for at the Dakota Credit Union Association.

First, I want to thank you for your partnership, and for your continued support of our league activities, events,
and resources.

I am grateful for a dedicated and talented staff that is committed to earning your trust every single day.
As an organization, we work hard to be the best advocate for credit unions and their members. Collectively, we passionately work on our initiatives so that you can focus on your members.

I am thankful for an engaged and active board of directors, Dakota credit union leaders who are committed to promoting the financial cooperative difference, increasing market share and credit union awareness, and to ensuring we provide value, resources, and solutions for our credit unions and their members.

Finally, I am thankful for the opportunity to be your partner and lead the association at this pivotal time in our industry. Dakota credit unions truly are the best financial choice for consumers, families, and our local communities. We will continue to work hard, providing value and increasing our relevancy to credit unions of all sizes.
Thank you for your confidence and continued support.

House passes bill without IRS reporting language.
The U.S. House passed the Build Back Better Act last Friday without the expanded Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting requirements that were present in early forms of the bill. Credit unions sent more than 800,000 messages in opposition to the requirements. More than 14,000 Dakotans weighed in – thanks to your active engagement!

The bill now heads to the Senate where it will be debated fiercely and likely carved up. As this process plays itself out, we will continue to encourage lawmakers to refrain from including the harmful IRR reporting provision in their final plan.

Developing the next generation of leaders – we can help!
In response to an immediate need in our region, the Dakota Credit Union Association is partnering with the Eleven Performance Group (EPG) on a new professional development program for rising credit union leaders with the  iLead@11 Emerging Leader Program. 
 
Through multiple conversations with CEOs and managers at credit unions of all sizes, we have aligned with this strategic program to help our members develop the next generation of credit union leaders; iLead@11 is our response to those conversations. This is a long-term invest in your talent that will have a lasting ROI. I hope you take advantage of this offering. You can learn more about this program or register here on the DakCU website.
 
Reminder – Final CEO Town Hall planned in December.
We have scheduled a year end CEO Virtual Town Hall on December 14th, starting at 3:00 p.m. (CT). Dakota CEOs should have already received an invitation and meeting link via email. We appreciate the demands on your time, so we will keep the Town Hall to around 45 minutes or less. These point of contact virtual events have been working extremely well to stay connected and provide updates on league events and important communications on a quarterly basis. Please reach out to me if you need the Zoom link.
 
Season of Giving is upon us!
Don’t forget the valuable lessons we learned at the New Ideas Conference last October, particularly about “telling your story.” This simple action will provide lasting benefits to credit union awareness and consumer consideration. As we enter the “season of giving,” undoubtedly credit unions and their teams across the Dakotas will be “giving back” their time and talent in serving their communities through volunteer work, food drives, and donations. Remember to share those “stories” on social media, and don’t hesitate to send our way so we can track and share in The Memo, CU Social Good, and on our social media platforms. Working together, we can continue to advance our communities and promote credit unions as the best financial partner for Dakotans.

Happy Thanksgiving!
As a reminder, the Dakota Credit Union Association offices will be closed this Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday. As you begin a week where we all take time to spend time with family and friends and give thanks for our many blessings, I want to leave you with this Thanksgiving Poem that was published 70 years ago this week in the league newsletter, November 1951.
 
Thanksgiving ...
And is this then the only way,
The feasting and the fun,
Just to give thanks for one short day,
Then feel all is done.
 
The Pilgrims feasted long ago,
The bitter with the sweet.
Theirs was a thanks we cannot know,
We walk the road their courage blazed,
We reap what they have sown.
Yet can we praise as they have praised
For freedom, faith, and home?
 
Then thank the Giver all the way,
For sun and shadow too.
You’ll find that Thanksgiving Day
Will last the whole year through.
~Author Unknown.
 
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

DakCU President/CEO