Member Login

THE MEMO

DAKOTA CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION
  • Advocacy
    • Bill Tracking
    • Grassroots Action Center
    • Political Fundraising >
      • Holiday Sweepstakes
  • Compliance
    • Compliance Solutions >
      • AffirmX
      • ComplySight
      • CU CMS
      • InfoSight360
      • Jackson Lewis
      • PayLynxs
      • ViClarity
      • Training
    • The Memo: Compliance
  • Member Resources
    • DakCU Awards
    • Financial Well-Being for All
    • Professional Development >
      • Chapters
      • Emerging Leader Program
      • Sales CU Training
    • Strategic Partners >
      • CAP Program Directory
      • Compliance Solutions
      • Pee Wee and Friends®
    • Credit Union Awareness
  • News & Events
    • The Memo
    • Events Calendar
    • GAC
    • Sales CU Training
    • The Roundtable
  • About Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • DakCU Foundation >
      • Donor Wall
      • Memorials
    • DakCU Health Benefits Trust

The President's Perspective

9/16/2025

 
Picture
Scott Simpson joins our next CEO Town Hall,  advocates make an impact in D.C. and upcoming fall events. 
Picture
Q3 Town Hall - Scott Simpson, president/CEO of America’s Credit Unions
Tuesday, October 7  3:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM MT
We are thrilled to announce that Scott Simpson, the new president and CEO of America’s Credit Unions, will be our featured guest at the upcoming Virtual CEO Town Hall on Tuesday, October 7. This will be Scott’s first appearance with our Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) leadership network—and a unique opportunity to hear directly from the person now guiding the national credit union movement.
 
Scott brings a powerful message: credit unions are not just financial institutions; they are vehicles for life-changing impact. In a recent CU Daily interview, he shared that while credit unions deliver on the promise of cooperative finance in ways our founders could scarcely imagine, it’s vital that we ensure their human stories remain front and center.
 
“It’s not just about telling good stories—it’s about being really good at humanizing why we exist,” Scott explained. “Our success has been so strong that sometimes it can feel transactional. But every day, miracles walk out of our branches—life-changing milestones made possible by the credit union model. We need to capture and amplify those stories, so the human element keeps pace with our growth.”
 
Scott also believes that as credit unions evolve, our leagues and associations must evolve alongside them—intentionally and boldly.
 
During a conversation with Jim Nussle at the ACU Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C. last week, Scott shared that ‘we owe it to our credit unions to evolve with intention, not by accident,” he said. “Leagues were born to deliver shared services, and we’ve grown into powerful advocacy organizations. Our future success depends on aligning that work nationally and across every state. When we get that all moving in the same direction, we’re absolutely unstoppable.”
 
This is a conversation you—and your leadership teams—won’t want to miss. Email invitations with the meeting link have been sent. If you’d like additional senior team members or volunteer leaders to join, please forward them the invite link so they can tune in as well.
 
Dakota Advocates Work the Hill
DakCU delegation once again made its presence felt in our nation’s capital last week during the 14th annual Legislative and Regulatory Hike the Hill, where Dakota credit union leaders engaged directly with federal lawmakers and regulators on the issues shaping our industry’s future.
 
This year’s advocacy trip was especially memorable as it also marked the very first day on the job for our newest team member, Kenley Lamberty, DakCU’s new director of political strategy & engagement.
 
Hitting the Ground Running: Welcome, Kenley Lamberty
There’s no better way to understand the credit union difference than by seeing advocacy in action—and Kenley wasted no time doing exactly that. His first official day with DakCU began not behind a desk, but on Capitol Hill, joining our Dakota advocates in meetings with members of Congress and key regulatory agencies.
 
Kenley brings experience in economic development and municipal affairs through his collaborations with city officials, along with a foundation in federal advocacy from his internship with U.S. Senator John Thune. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Dakota. We are thrilled to welcome Kenley to our DakCU team and look forward to the energy and strategic insight he brings as we continue advancing the credit union cause. 
 
A Fresh Push to Elevate Credit Union Awareness
Alongside our work on Capitol Hill, DakCU is also driving a major new initiative closer to home with the launch of our refreshed state-wide awareness program (SWAP) a bold new campaign designed to raise awareness and boost consumer consideration of credit unions across North and South Dakota.
 
I hope you have noticed our campaign’s powerful new theme, “Your Money. Your Values. Your Credit Union,” speaks to what sets credit unions apart: local service, member-first values, and community commitment. Developed in partnership with a local production firm, the campaign features authentic, locally produced creative assets that reflect the real people and places of the Dakotas. Read more about the new campaign here. 
 
New Ideas Conference – New Crasher Opportunity
The 2025 New Ideas Conference in historic Deadwood is designed to help you reset, recharge, and refocus.
  • When: October 14–15
  • Where: Deadwood, SD
  • Who:  The sessions are designed to deliver insights that apply across different roles, whether you’re in leadership, marketing, operations, or on the front lines.
  • Focus: 1.5 days packed with innovation, networking, and practical solutions you can put to work right away.
 
Special Crasher Offer: If you’ve participated in DakCU’s Summit Crasher program within the past three years, you’re eligible for an exclusive offer—50% off registration for the 2025 New Ideas Conference! This special opportunity is designed to keep Crashers connected, engaged, and growing as leaders while experiencing the same high-impact professional development, networking, and inspiration that make DakCU events so valuable. Use the promo code Crasher Special when registering to claim your discount. Register here before October 3. 
 
*This promotion is available exclusively to Summit Crashers from the past three years. If a non-Crasher registers using the coupon code, the invoice will be adjusted to reflect the full registration value.*
 
International Credit Union (ICU) Day
October 16, 2025, | Celebrating 77 Years
For more than 75 years, International Credit Union (ICU) Day® has been a moment to reflect on our movement’s history, honor our achievements, and celebrate the impact we’ve made in communities worldwide.
 
On Thursday, October 16, 2025, credit unions will mark the 77th anniversary of ICU Day under the theme “Cooperation for a Prosperous World,” joining more than 82,000 cooperatives serving 403 million members globally. Find out more here. 

DakCU Compliance Conclave
October 20–21 | Bismarck, ND
We’re thrilled to introduce the all-new DakCU Compliance Conclave—a dedicated professional development experience built specifically for credit union compliance professionals.

  • When: October 20–21, 2025
  • Where: Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Focus: Emerging compliance risks, evolving fraud trends, payments innovation, regulatory updates, and practical strategies to strengthen your policies, procedures, and consumer protections.
 
This 1.5-day event will deliver actionable takeaways and real-world solutions you can immediately implement back at your credit union. Choose one day or both!  Register here by October 10. 
 
North Dakota DFI Credit Union Summit
October 22 | Bismarck, ND
While you’re in Bismarck, plan to stay an extra day for the first-ever North Dakota DFI Credit Union Summit (formerly Day with the Commissioner). Hosted by the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions in collaboration with National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors  (NASCUS), this in-person summit brings together regulators, executives, and industry thought leaders for focused, high-level discussions on the future of North Dakota’s credit union system. 
 
Member Spotlight
Kahler Named to “20 Under 40”
Join us in celebrating Austin Kahler, Vice President of Credit at Capital Credit Union, on being named one of the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC’s 20 Under 40 honorees! This prestigious recognition highlights Austin’s exceptional leadership, commitment to the credit union philosophy, and positive impact on both our industry and the community.

Congratulations, Austin — we are proud to see your contributions recognized among the region’s top emerging leaders. Read the full issue and meet Austin here.

​Have a wonderful week! 

Picture
​​DakCU President/CEO

Comments are closed.

    The Memo

    The Memo is DakCU's newsletter that keeps
    ​credit union professionals updated on current news and information. ​

    Memo Home

    Want the Memo delivered straight to your inbox?
    Sign Up Now


    Archives

    November 2025
    October 2025
    September 2025
    August 2025
    July 2025
    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021


    Categories

    All
    Action Alert
    Advocacy
    Awards
    Awareness Campaign
    Capitol Connection
    Compliance
    CUPAC/CULAC
    Dakota CUs Give Back
    Events
    Financial Well Being
    Foundation
    Fraud Alert
    Grants
    In The Spotlight
    Leadership Link
    Marketing Tips
    Member Solutions
    Miscellaneous
    ND Legislative Update
    News And Notes
    President's Perspective
    Press Releases
    SD Legislative Update
    Webinars

Copyright Dakota Credit Union Association.  All Rights Reserved.
2005 N Kavaney Dr - Suite 201 | Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: 
800-279-6328 | [email protected] | sitemap | privacy policy
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Advocacy
    • Bill Tracking
    • Grassroots Action Center
    • Political Fundraising >
      • Holiday Sweepstakes
  • Compliance
    • Compliance Solutions >
      • AffirmX
      • ComplySight
      • CU CMS
      • InfoSight360
      • Jackson Lewis
      • PayLynxs
      • ViClarity
      • Training
    • The Memo: Compliance
  • Member Resources
    • DakCU Awards
    • Financial Well-Being for All
    • Professional Development >
      • Chapters
      • Emerging Leader Program
      • Sales CU Training
    • Strategic Partners >
      • CAP Program Directory
      • Compliance Solutions
      • Pee Wee and Friends®
    • Credit Union Awareness
  • News & Events
    • The Memo
    • Events Calendar
    • GAC
    • Sales CU Training
    • The Roundtable
  • About Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • DakCU Foundation >
      • Donor Wall
      • Memorials
    • DakCU Health Benefits Trust