The President’s Perspective

Time to tee up our Pints & Politics; next Bluestone FCU president announced; congratulations to Kathy Lentsch on her retirement; and much more! 

Time to tee up Pints & Politics chapter activities.
Now that the primary elections in both North and South Dakota are in our rear view mirror, its time to shift our focus to the general election on Tuesday, November 5. While voter turnout in both states was light this month, we anticipate a much higher turnout this fall as the presidential race is the top draw.

As we reported here in the Memo, in South Dakota, surprisingly, 13 incumbent seats were flipped, including some tenured Republicans in leadership positions across various districts in South Dakota. We backed 47 candidates and made $11,470 in contributions to their primary races.

In North Dakota, we backed 20 candidates; however, one did not accept our contribution. Of the 19 candidates we supported, 16 were successful in their contested primary. In one district, we backed three candidates as all were either a credit union member or have supported our issues in the past.

Now that the fall election lineups are in place, we are shifting our focus to lawmaker education with our “Pints & Politics” meet and greet chapter events that bring credit union professionals, lawmakers and candidates together for an evening of educating policy makers on the credit union difference.

I have said it repeatedly: Advocacy is at the heart of the Dakota Credit Union Association’s purpose and is our top priority. I truly believe that over time, advocacy will be our greatest contribution to industry sustainability and relevancy.

Credit unions play a very important role in the financial landscape of our two states. We are unique in our structure; we’re member owned, not for profit financial cooperatives that returns its earnings back to its members. Unfortunately, many lawmakers don’t fully understand that structure, so education is key.

Our approach to credit union advocacy is about defining the debate on our terms. We know that decisions are going to be made by legislative leaders and policy makers that will have an impact on our credit unions. If we as a movement are not advocating for our position, for our membership, for our institutions in this process, someone else will be making those decisions with or without our input.

Most of our regional and chapter “Pints & Politics” events are already scheduled somewhere near you. Be sure to check our events page and pencil in the dates on your fall calendars; if you have any questions please contact John Alexander (ND) or Chesney Garnos (SD).

Alayna Johnson to be next president at Bluestone FCU.
At their recent Annual Meeting, Bluestone Federal Credit Union announced that Alayna Johnson, current vice president, will succeed Jeff Jorgensen as president, effective January 1, 2025. Jorgensen plans to step down after 34 years as president/CEO.

Johnson has played a critical leadership role at Bluestone as they have undergone many changes, such as the rollout of new ITMs, the launch of digital forms for both membership and loan documents, as well as conversions of their debit and credit card processors. 

Congratulations to Alayana on her succession announcement and to Jeff on his remarkable career as a successful servant leader. Bravo to you both!

Kathy Lentsch is retiring after 45 years in the credit union industry.
It’s always a happy and sad moment when a valued credit union professional and friend announces their retirement. Kathy Lentsch, CEO of Sioux Valley Co-op FCU, has announced her final day is June 28. Kathy has been a credit union CEO for 45 years; 37 at Sioux Valley, and prior to that, as CEO at Watertown Rubber Workers FCU, before the two merged. The credit union is holding an open house and the public is invited to stop by any time on June 28 between 10 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at 712 9th Ave SE in Watertown.

I would also like to congratulate Tyler Gross, who will be taking over for Lentsch. Tyler currently serves on the board of the Dakota Credit Union Foundation and is a strong and extremely competent credit union executive. I know Kathy is leaving the credit union in competent hands, ensuring their continued success.

Operation Thank You begins fourth consecutive year.
For the past several years, the Credit Unions United Chapter has organized a project to assist veterans in need by collecting personal care items for local veterans’ organizations. With more than 7,000 items collected and distributed to date, this charitable project has been a great success! Now through July 15th, donations are being accepted at participating Minot area credit unions. In addition, if you would like to make a cash contribution, please contact Sandi Widdel, Branch Manager at North Star Community Credit Union. “They were willing to give all; so let’s give back where we can.”

 TruStage Discovery 2024 Conference open for registration.
Registration is open for the Discovery2024 Conference with TruStage. This annual virtual conference is your gateway to strategic industry insights you need to help navigate the evolving financial landscape and the diverse needs of members. The free event takes place on Thursday, August 8, 9:00 a.m. (CT) – 4:00 p.m. (CT). I encourage you to join this valuable virtual conference to uncover actionable data and trends designed to empower your credit union to engage with members in digital, yet profoundly human-centered, ways. Featured keynotes include world-renowned futurist, Brett King, and motivational storyteller and author Kevin Brown. Click here to register and review the full agenda.

ViClarity Q2 town hall webinar – hot topics & upcoming rules review.
Finally, as a reminder, you are invited to join ViClarity for a free webinar exploring the latest trends and challenges in fraud, cybersecurity and fair lending. Learn about strategies to assist with fraud prevention, gain a better understanding of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and ensure your credit union maintains adherence to fair lending regulations. There will also be a of review upcoming rules and regulations from NCUA and other agencies that impact credit unions. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and stay ahead of upcoming changes in an ever-evolving compliance environment. The webinar takes place on June 26 at 1:00 p.m. (CT) and you can register here.
 
Have a great week,

DakCU President/CEO