The President's Perspective

Congratulations to our Summit Crashers; in-person meeting with Senator Cramer this Thursday; DakCU hosting Small CU Webinar tomorrow, and more. 

Greetings and Happy Monday! 

​We are just four short weeks away from our 15th Annual Summit meetings in Fargo, May 3 – 4.  It has been over a year since many of us have had a chance to reconnect.  The desire to meet in-person is a strong one; credit union folks, after all, are social creatures and we crave personal and peer connections.
 
Over 25 percent have of the population in the Dakotas has already been vaccinated.  Nearly half have had their first dose, and more and more are receiving their shots every week.  Fortunately, most of our communities have been open throughout most of the pandemic and people are beginning to attend more events and gatherings.  If you are ready to reconnect with your credit union friends, we hope you will register now.  We have exceptional keynote speakers and breakout presenters lined up, and there will be something for everyone, from leadership to strategic discussions for volunteers and emerging leaders.
 
Congratulations to our Summit Crashers!
I want to give a shout-out to the 13 Dakota credit union young professionals that have officially been selected as Crashers for the 2021 Summit.  I also want to thank Millennium Corporate Credit Union for their generous sponsorship and support of this terrific mentorship program.  I am looking forward to their active engagement at our event and in the credit union movement for years to come.  Be sure to check out the related story in today’s Memo for a little background information about each Crasher.

S & P Global Ranks Town & Country CU among Top 100 CUs in the U.S.
Congratulations to Town & Country Credit Union (Minot, ND) for being recognized by S & P Global Market Intelligence as one of the Top 100 performing credit unions in the United Sates.  Town & Country ranked 41st overall, and they are the only credit union in the Dakotas to make the list.  The five metrics used for the report included: member growth; average loans, net of PPP loans, per member; net worth as a percentage of total assets; delinquent loans as a percentage of total loans; and return on average assets.  To determine its rankings, S&P Global looked only at credit unions with more than $100M in assets with a net worth ratio of at least of 7 percent, or a pool of 1,727 eligible credit unions.  Town & Country CU has over $564M in assets and serves more than 23,000 members. 

In-District “Hike” meetings with Senator Cramer scheduled this week.
I am looking forward to joining several North Dakota credit union advocates for an in-person meeting with Senator Cramer (R-ND) this Thursday at his Bismarck Office.  The senator serves on the Senate Banking Committee.  The number of participants for this meeting is limited, but we do have a few spots available, so be sure to contact Jay Kruse at [email protected] if you are interested in joining us.
 
As we shared last week, Senator Cramer recently joined a bipartisan group of 30 Senators in sponsoring the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, which would provide a safe harbor for credit unions and depository institutions seeking to serve legitimate cannabis-related businesses.  Credit unions are backing this bill.  Also, Senator Cramer was a key sponsor on the Fair Access to Banking Act legislation.  This bill prevents discrimination by banks and financial service providers against constitutionally protected industries and law-abiding businesses and is a response to recent pressure from special interest groups and agenda driven organizations to force financial institutions from financing certain industries, such as pipelines, or fossil fuel producers, for example.
 
Thank You for attending our Virtual Town Hall.
It was great to connect with many of you last Thursday during our quarterly Virtual Town Hall.  I understand your time is in high demand, so I truly appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy day to attend.  If you were unable to join us, be sure to check out Friday’s recap in the Memo. 

DakCU hosting CUNA Small CU Webinar tomorrow.
I sincerely hope that you have been taking advantage of the CUNA Small CU Webinar Series.  These weekly virtual workshops are a collaborative effort between the Leagues and CUNA’s Small Credit Union Initiative.  Topics each week vary and are designed to help small credit unions navigate through the ever-changing financial service environment.  I am pleased to share that the Dakota Credit Union Association will be hosting the next national webcast and presenting “Show me the Money: How grants can benefit your credit union, your members, and your community.”  DakCU’s Amy Kleinschmit will be joined by Tawney Brunsch, Executive Director of Lakota Funds, the first-ever Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) on a reservation, and Mike Beall, former League President of the Heartland Credit Union Association as well as the Maryland-DC League.  Mike currently specializes in credit union strategic planning and grant writing.  You can still register here for the April 6th webinar that starts at 2:00 p.m. CT.

In case you missed it!
Two of our Summit keynote speakers have shared video messages for their upcoming Dakota audience.  I encourage you to take a moment to view each of these outstanding presenters’ messages for an introduction to their style and sessions.

Entrepreneur and Business Excellence Expert – Michael Burger.  Keynote Michael Burger will share his passion for business excellence, inspiring you with valuable takeaway tools to become better communicators, remain relevant, and succeed in your mission and your profession.  View his message here.
 
International Keynote Speaker & Brand Storyteller – Melanie Spring.  Melanie Spring will demonstrate how humans are at the center of every successful venture.  Her extensive corporate and personal branding experience will show you how to speak with confidence, how to create a branded experience, and how to tell your story and amplify your voice.  View her message here.

I look forward to connecting with you soon! 

​President/CEO
Dakota Credit Union Association