The President's Perspective

​A big save the date request!  Plus, a look at Zoom fatigue, a Day with the ND Banking Commissioner, and a reminder to weigh in on reduced interchange fees. 

Greetings and Happy Monday!

I want to tee up this week with an important date for you to put on your calendar and mark it with a big X!  Please check July 30th, 2021 – and mark this date down today as it is going to be important!  Something very big and very special is going to take place and your active participation and engagement will be important!  We cannot divulge too much information at this time but stay tuned.  Over the next several weeks we will provide additional details as we are permitted to do so but heads up – this is going to be big!

Zoom fatigue?
Perhaps you’ve heard some of these phrases over the past several months: “Let the virtual brainstorming session begin”; “Less Monday, more coffee and chill zoom meetings”; “Another day, another Zoom meeting”; and “When in doubt, Zoom it out.”   

While we are all accustomed to virtual meetings these days, the newly coined “Zoom fatigue” effect is real and it isn’t going away.  Let’s be honest, working remotely, or from home, is here to stay and virtual meetings are here for the long run. 

As we continue to work on getting back to our normal spring and summer routines and activities again, it’s important to remind ourselves that we have learned a few things about these last 12 months.  For one, we have come to appreciate that support is important; being compassionate, caring and having empathy are important; and now more than ever we all feel the need to be reconnected with family, friends, colleagues, and our work teams.  We also need to remind ourselves that we have a great future ahead of us.

The truth of the matter is that all those things have always been true and important to us.  It’s just the last several months, the circumstances we experienced, or are experiencing, bring those dynamics and needs to the forefront.  What if we learned from all of this and took the opportunity to become more intentional about serving, connecting, and reaching out?  We can get better at these fundamental human needs.
 
How can we battle “Zoom fatigue?”  How about we shake things up a bit and pick up the phone?  Not all meetings require face time and sometimes a phone call is just as sufficient, if not more so.  Think about it, phone calls can be taken from anywhere which allows for more flexibility.  And you don’t have to get dressed up (or partially dressed up) for a phone call.  This may be nice bonus to your day.  Give it a try!

Roger Heacock Scholarship Announced
Last week in the Memo, we announced the newly renamed Roger Heacock GAC-HTH Scholarship.  This change was approved by the DakCU board of directors in honor of Roger’s 42 years of servant leadership and commitment to credit union advocacy.  Appropriately, this scholarship will provide financial assistance for affiliated members to attend the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) or the DakCU Legislative-Regulatory Hike the Hill (HTH).

I believe this is an appropriate tribute to Roger’s legacy here in the Dakotas and is well-deserved recognition of his ongoing passion for credit union advocacy.  Roger truly led by example and consistently motivated others to be engaged on all fronts.  More than anyone I have known, Roger understood that public opinion, policy shifts, and regulations affect how we serve our members, and that it is important and necessary for our movement to commit our time and resources to an effort that defines any policy debate on our own terms.  If you would like to learn more about the scholarship opportunity click here.

ND Credit Unions – A Day with the Commissioner
North Dakota credit unions are invited to a “Day with the Commissioner” on Tuesday – May 18th (tomorrow) from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (CT).  This virtual meeting agenda includes: Legislative Updates; State of Credit Unions; and other trending topics.  Be sure to register here and feel free to add any topics you wish to address.
 
One final reminder!
We are asking all credit unions to reach out to Senator Cramer’s office to share our concerns regarding another proposed reduction in interchange fees.  We know the Senator has already heard from hundreds of retailers.  There are many reasons that another reduction in interchange fees would be detrimental to credit unions and our members, and we need to make our voice heard!  It takes only a minute to send a message through our Voter Voice platform.  You can also call his office directly, Senator Cramer’s contact numbers: Washington, DC (202) 224-2043; Bismarck (701) 258-4648; Fargo (701) 232-8030. 
 
Have a great week! 

​​President/CEO
Dakota Credit Union Association