ACUMA ONpoint

Temperatures have risen in late June and all of July, and chaos ensues in our Nation’s Capital. It’s anyone’s guess what will happen next, according to Zach Pfister, Policy Director for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLC. Speaking with ACUMA President Peter Benjamin, CMB, in the latest OnPoint Podcast “Policy Series” episode, Pfister sheds light on the continuing junk fee debate and participants’ “race to the bottom” in attempting to manage the issue. And don’t even try to understand the shifting sands underlying the presidential race with its quick, dramatic changes. All will be revealed in November (maybe), but right now, give a listen and gain some crucial insights. Sponsored by Lender Price.

Credit unions have inherent advantages in helping members master the mortgage loan process. That’s a given. However, in today’s purchase market, it will also take foresight, planning, and a deliberate effort to reach those members first, according to Chris Perry, VP of Sales and National CU Manager at MGIC. Chris and ACUMA President Peter Benjamin put their heads together in this OnPoint Podcast, the second in ACUMA’s MI Mini series, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing today’s movement. Tune in so your credit union isn’t left out of the mortgage lending race. Sponsored by LoanCare.

Do you want to know what’s percolating for ACUMA this year? Tune into the latest ACUMA ONpoint Podcast featuring ACUMA’s staff of crack professionals – who grill President Peter Benjamin, CMB, about the association’s future while sampling an array of hot sauces with “tots and tenders.” Recorded at ACUMA’s recent Denver Workshop, the crew gets into serious discussion, not to mention laughs, trivia, and games, while climbing the Scoville hotness scale one painful, fiery rung at a time. HINT: Big news is coming for ACUMA members in August and December that may signal a “spicy” end to 2024. Don’t miss this one!

In the current legislative/regulatory environment, junk fees are a popular talking point, especially in light of an imminent and disruptive presidential election. But such fees originated generally to protect both consumers AND lenders. In a time of a polarized, often inactive Congress, regulators have begun painting everything with the junk-fees brush, and that sets a dangerous precedent. Join ACUMA President Peter Benjamin in this next Policy Podcast as he and Leah Dempsey, Shareholder, and Annmarie Conboy-DePasquale, Policy Advisor with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, unwind those and other concerns facing credit unions lost in the currently regulatory haze. Sponsored by Lender Price. 

Credit unions’ ability to meet their “people helping people” mandate improves when those CUs embrace their traditional methodologies, augment them with new technologies, and wrap mortgage insurance into the mix to extend their reach and serve even more members. That’s the message of this ACUMA ONpoint podcast, the first in a new mini-series devoted to Mortgage Insurance. Ira Oskowsky, VP of Sales for Arch MI, joins ACUMA president Peter Benjamin CMB to discuss how MI can help CUs better serve their members without losing the human touch that separates them from the competition. Sponsored by LoanCare.

As a credit union leader, are you cultivating, educating, and enhancing the value your young professionals bring? Staff members with the courage to step forward, ask questions, and, most importantly, find answers through their peers will benefit personally and professionally. That’s the purpose of ACUMA’s Young Professionals Network, led by ACUMA Associate Director of Events & Member Relations, Camryn Hinton. Join Camryn and YPN co-chairs Liam Carothers, Business Development Manager at Class Valuation, and Alberto Climaco, Real Estate Lending Manager at Justice Federal Credit Union, as they explain to ACUMA President Peter Benjamin why and how investing in younger staff members will yield bountiful returns for all. Sponsored by Class Valuation.

Live from the Denver FOCALpoint Workshop, Peter Benjamin, President of ACUMA, sat down with two of our attendees, Brittany Breakiron from ENT Credit Union and Andrew Martin from Canvas Credit Union, to discuss the high points of day one and what they are looking forward to the most from day two. They are sending the message that credit union professionals must do a better job putting themselves out there to capture their members' attention. This is one you aren't going to want to miss. Tune in now!

Artificial intelligence has exploded across the landscape, with little understanding of its ramifications and even less guidance by regulatory agencies. Credit unions may run the risk of violating consumer protection laws, but no one seems sure, and that’s dangerous for both lenders and borrowers alike. In this edition of ACUMA’s ONpoint Podcast series, Zach Pfister, Policy Director with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and ACUMA President Peter Benjamin discuss AI issues being considered by regulators. Will AI technology be good for CUs? Congress doesn’t seem to know yet. CFPB’s latest actions also pop up in the conversation. Sponsored by Lender Price.

The only constant is change, as the saying goes. However, the mere thought of change creates a fear of the unknown in many, even though failure to change often means the end of even the most successful enterprises. Daisy Romo, Ph.D., Executive Vice President for On Tap Credit Union, has studied change and has learned that the more we think we know, the less likely we are to change. As she tells ACUMA President Peter Benjamin in this podcast, it’s important for us to “humble our minds” to let new ideas and strategies come in. She has other great ideas, too, but you’ll have to tune in to find out what they are. Sponsored by Curinos.

We all like to be with – and do business with – people we like, who share our values and interests, and who see as many benefits in knowing us as we see in them. That’s a simple concept but a difficult practice for many of us. Josh Tindel, SVP of Sales for Atlas Title Company, has mastered this talent through concerted effort. Where to start? Put yourself out there and get to know others on their turf. What else? Join Josh as he and ACUMA President Peter Benjamin outline the secrets to becoming an industry leader by first knowing others.