The President’s Perspective

​Dakotans to have prominent roles in new administration & Congress; Roundtable open for early bird registrations; and join us in DC for the GAC! 

Dakotans have prominent roles in new administration and in the next Congress.
President-elect Trump has appointed South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security, and it’s rumored (no surprise) he is considering appointing North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to Energy Secretary very soon. With Noem’s appointment, Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden will be South Dakota’s 34th Governor for the remainder of the term which expires in 2026.

Even though ballots are still being counted in some parts of the country, both the House and Senate Republicans return to DC this week after flipping the Senate and maintaining the majority in the House. Today, both chambers will hold leadership elections. In the Senate, Senator Thune, who currently serves as the Minority Whip, is seeking the position and could be the leading contender in a three-person race. Florida Senator Rick Scott, who challenged Senator Mitch McConnell for the minority leadership following the 2022 elections, has an outside chance as many Trump supporters have endorsed his efforts. Texas Senator John Cornyn is also seeking the leadership position. The first person to get 27 votes will be the next Senate Majority Leader in the Senate. Both Senator Hoeven (ND) and Senator Cramer (ND) announced this morning they will support Senator Thune’s efforts to be the Leader in the Senate. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), chair of the Senate Republican Conference, is running unopposed for the No. 2 spot to replace Thune as whip. McConnell held that leadership position for two decades.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the former presidential candidate who was on Trump’s VP short list, is running unopposed to take the helm as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee which serves of the campaign machine for supporting and electing Republican Senators. This means that Senator Scott, who also serves as the ranking member on the Senator Banking and Housing Committee will move up to the Chair position. It is possible that Senator Scott could be in the mix for an administrative role. Though Scott has signaled he would prefer to stay on the Hill, finance lobbyists are bracing for a scenario where he declines the Banking Committee chair, which means Senator Rounds of South Dakota would be next in line for the chair seat on that committee.

In the U.S. House, Speaker Mike Johnson (LA), is seeking another term, assuming the Republicans hold the House; they are trending to maintain a slim majority as ballots are still being counted in California and Arizona. Johnson will need to use the next few weeks to firm up support among the House GOP to avoid a repeat of what happened in January 2023, when it took 15 ballots for Rep. Kevin McCarthy to secure the House gavel. As of today, no other Republican has announced their intention to run for the speakership. However, things could get dicey again as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have vowed not to support Johnson’s bid to retain his speaker role — which could lead to a repeat of what happened at the start of the 2023 session.

No Surprises in State Election Results.
There wasn’t any mystery in the potential North Dakota Legislature outcome going into the recent general election. North Dakota Republicans maintain a supermajority in both houses of the state legislature with a 42-5 advantage in the Senate and an 83-11 majority in the House Chamber, unofficially. Republicans picked up a House seat in Fargo’s District 10 and in the Democrats picked up a Senate seat in District 9. 

In South Dakota, Republican’s grip on the legislature got even tighter by picking up a seat in both chambers. Last week’s election results mean that the Senate Republicans have a 32 to 3 majority and in the House, Republicans will have a super majority with a 64 to 6 advantage.

MonDak “Rebrands” to “The Roundtable” – early bird registration available now!
In the spirit of true collaboration, credit union leaders from the Dakotas, Montana and Minnesota will gather in Las Vegas on February 4 – 5 for The Roundtable, formerly known as the MonDak Roundtable. This event is specifically designed for CEOs, senior leadership and volunteer board members who will gather for industry dialogue, leadership workshops, and networking.

Be sure to take advantage of the early bird discount and save $50 per registration if you sign up by December 20. Our 2025 event will once again offer an exciting, fast-paced two-day schedule of streamlined sessions. The Roundtable is an amazing educational opportunity to collaborate and share ideas which will be facilitated by a professional lineup of top industry thought leaders. You do not want to miss this exclusive meeting packed with information that is invaluable for large and small credit unions alike! Learn more and register here.

On a positive note.
Med Park Credit Union (Grand Forks, ND) truly has an amazing staff and members. Because of their generosity, the credit union was able to prepare 130 "Cancer Comfort Bags" that let cancer patients know they are thought of and supported. The special bags along with a box of extras were delivered by credit union staff to the Altru Cancer Center. Well done!

Make Plans to attend the Governmental Affairs Conference.
It’s hard to believe that America’s Credit Unions annual Governmental Affairs Conference  (GAC) is quickly approaching on March 2 – 6, 2025. The GAC in Washington, DC, is the credit union industry's premier advocacy event bringing together leaders from across the industry to rally around a united cause—to tell legislators how their lawmaking affects credit unions and more than 140 million members.

For those interested in attending, DakCU has prepared a “one stop” GAC shop on our website, which you can find here. This convenience allows you to register for the conference, make your hotel reservations, and even apply for a scholarship for financial assistance. Don’t forget we have the Roger Heacock HTH Scholarship fund that specifically provides financial assistance to Dakota credit union professionals who wish to experience and take part in the GAC.

GAC Crasher applications are now open!
Speaking of GAC, the best way to ensure the continued success of our movement is to capture the attention, dedication, and enthusiasm of future leaders. That is why credit union leaders should encourage their young professionals to expand their industry network and gain confidence by applying as a GAC Crasher. Typically, one Crasher is selected from each state.

Crashers receive free conference registration. If selected, DakCU is offering a $1,000 scholarship which can be used for travel, hotel, and incidentals. No application is necessary; those selected will automatically receive the scholarship. The deadline to apply is December 1 and details can be found here.
 
Have a wonderful week,

DakCU President/CEO