The President's Perspective

Nominating committee is now accepting volunteers for the DakCU Board of Directors.  Plus, announcing the newly formed “Dakotas Sister Society!” 

Greetings and welcome to spring!  While many parts of the Dakotas were getting a late-season snow dump over the past week, it is officially spring at last according to the calendar.  I’m not sure who said it first, but I always liked the saying, “There is one good thing about this world – there are always sure to be more springs!"  Like you, I am looking forward to new life and new beauty that comes with the season. 
 
Calling for Nominations for DakCU Board of Directors.
The 2021 nominating committee is hard at work and they would love to hear from individuals interested in serving on the Dakota Credit Union Association Board of Directors.  Our board is made up of seven members, of which two positions are up for election.  The voting will take place as part of our Annual Business Meeting which will be held on Tuesday May 4 during the Summit in Fargo. 

The two seats up for election this year are: North Dakota Division C, currently held by Darla Schafer, Flasher Community CU; and Multi-State At Large, currently held by Sean Rinkenberger, First Community CU.  The deadline to submit a signed nomination is April 5, 2021.  Please reach out to the Jane Duerre, Chair of the Nominating Committee at jane@norstarfcu.com if you are interested in serving or would like to learn more.  We are always thankful for the support, guidance, and passion of our volunteers that choose to serve.

Announcing Dakotas Sister Society!
DakCU is proud to announce that a local “Sister Society” of the Global Women’s Leadership Network is now being formed in the Dakotas.  Thanks to the efforts of Nanci Wilson of University Federal Credit Union (Grand Forks, ND) along with Jaymason Bramblee from Oahe Federal Credit Union (Pierre, SD), the first meeting of the Dakotas Sister Society is scheduled for April 28th at 2:00 p.m. (CT) via Zoom.  Be sure to catch the full story in today’s Memo, and don’t forget to RSVP to Nanci Wilson if you would like to attend.

Asking NCUA for PCA Relief
CUNA and Leagues, including your association, worked together to call on the NCUA board to adopt an interim final rule to provide Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) relief.  The 2020 interim final rule (IFR) on PCA expired December 31, 2020.  In part, the letter said, “We ask the NCUA to adopt an IFR essentially identical to the 2020 IFR adopted last year that provided relief to credit unions experiencing PCA issues related to an increase in share growth.  The relief should remain in effect until the end of the pandemic as determined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or other federal entity authorized to make such a determination.” 

Send a Young Professional to the Summit!
Speaking of Nanci Wilson, she will once again be leading our Summit Crashers in Fargo this year.  If you have an emerging leader at your credit union, consider having them apply.  Crashers receive free conference registration!  This is a great way for them to build a network of peers and to experience the industry on the next level.  Details here – apply by March 31.

Credit Union Leaders Host Virtual Hike the Hill Meetings with SD Congressional Delegation.  
Last week, several South Dakota Credit Union leaders joined the DakCU Advocacy team for virtual Hike the Hill meetings.  During the meeting, we thanked our South Dakota delegation for their leadership during the COVID crisis and for their actions that helped credit unions remain in a position to serve their members during the pandemic.  As Congress considers additional pandemic recovery legislation, South Dakota credit unions also encouraged our delegation to support inclusion of temporary flexibility provisions for NCUA to offer forbearance from prompt corrective action for certain credit unions.  Other topics included data security, modernization of the Federal Credit Union Act, and preserving the tax status.  Thanks to all those who participated and showed their support.
 
Unfortunately, North Dakota Congressman Kelly Armstrong had to postpone his Virtual Town Hall with North Dakota Credit Union leaders last week. We are still working with his staff to reschedule it for later this month or in early April, and we are also working on securing a meeting with Senator Cramer. 
 
Upcoming Events to Keep in Mind
Dakota Credit Union CEO Virtual Town Hall
We have sent email invites for our next Virtual Town Hall for CEOs that will take place on Thursday, April 1 at 11:00 a.m. CT.  We will be providing updates on our legislative work in both South Dakota and North Dakota, share important updates on regulatory matters, and introduce the new strategic leadership partnership exclusive to DakCU affiliates.  If you did not receive the invite, be sure to contact me. 

Position Your CU for the Future
You can still register for Ctrl+Alt+Innovate on April 7 – 8, a virtual innovation conference featuring demos and panel discussions from six technology companies, as well as three “tech talk” breakouts, and a keynote session.  Advance your fintech knowledge, power your financial growth, and position your credit union for the future.  Two half-days for just $99!

Our Signature Event – The Annual Summit
We are now only five weeks away from our biggest event of the year – the Annual Summit May 3 – 4 in Fargo. This year we have exceptional educational sessions including branding, credit union law and compliance, succeeding in a competitive market, as well as industry economics and leadership development.  Along with our Annual Business Meeting and elegant Awards Banquet, this is the one event you do not want to miss. 
 
​Have a great week everyone! 

​President/CEO
Dakota Credit Union Association