Read the full shownotes and transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome John Wilkening, EVP and Chief Banking Officer at Tech Credit Union, to explore why small credit unions are choosing extinction over growth, what the Great Recession taught leaders about managing both sides of the balance sheet, and how removing pressure from employees creates better results than adding quotas.

Credit unions promote people into executive roles based on tenure and technical skills, then wonder why leadership feels like amateur hour when the stakes keep getting higher. The industry that prides itself on developing people has somehow forgotten that managing databases doesn't prepare you to manage board dynamics, and knowing compliance doesn't teach you to read the room.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Jason Tilley, CIO at First Advantage Federal Credit Union, to explore what separates truly effective executives from those who struggle to deliver results, why credit unions are focusing on the wrong part of the digital asset opportunity, and how cybersecurity preparation separates the survivors from the statistics.

• What does it actually take to be a great executive right now?
• Credit unions are chasing custody when they should be chasing payments
• Cybersecurity preparation separates survivors from statistics

• Develop political intelligence alongside technical competence to succeed in executive roles
• Digital asset opportunity lies in payment infrastructure, not custody services
• Cybersecurity preparation requires cultural discipline and regular exercise, not just policy documentation
• Executive greatness demands synthesizing diverse input into clear direction while maintaining team alignment
• AI-powered threats require proactive policy development to protect institutional data

"You have to trust your staff. You have to get input from your staff. Seek out external sources of truth. You don't know everything you don't know." - Jason Tilley

"There is a diplomacy piece to being a CEO that is something that is not as applicable or as important in the other areas of the C-suite." - Becky Reed

Head over to growyourcreditunion.com to see all of our episodes and full transcripts.

How does your board member selection process compare to your hiring procedures for other positions? Many credit unions have detailed vetting for staff roles that includes background checks and multiple interviews. Could similar rigor benefit board recruitment?

In this episode, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Stacie Sloan, COO at Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union, to explore the impossible choice between digital perfection and community roots, why board recruitment feels like amateur hour compared to executive hiring, and how the GENIUS Act could determine whether credit unions control payments or become glorified middlemen.

Key Topics

• Can you really choose between digital perfection and community roots?
• Why board recruitment feels like amateur hour
• The payments war credit unions are losing by default

Key Takeaways

• Stop treating digital tools and community relationships as competing priorities
• Board recruitment requires the same rigor as executive hiring, with skills matrices replacing referral networks
• Payment innovation through stablecoin technology will separate leaders from followers
• The institutions building payment capabilities now will own their member relationships tomorrow

"Hands down, relationships. That's what credit unions are all about. But if you want to keep them and you want to engage them, we have to deliver digitally as well." - Stacie Sloan

"If credit unions wait to get engaged in this space, they're going to be beholden to the same giant fintechs that provide them technology today." - Becky Reed

Credit unions pride themselves on member service, yet they systematically withhold information about products that could save members thousands annually.

In this episode, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Anand Solanki, CFO and head of product management at Citadel Credit Union, to explore why the shift from service to sales culture starts with purpose, how Silicon Valley product thinking can transform credit union innovation, and what really drives merger decisions when there's no financial windfall waiting.

Key Topics

• Sales isn't a dirty word when members are leaving money on the table
• Credit unions move at the speed of snails while fintechs eat their lunch
• The merger question isn't about survival, it's about member impact

Key Takeaways

• Reframe sales as member education and value delivery
• Member expectations are set by their best digital experiences, not banking ones
• Innovation velocity matters more than scale in today's environment
• Merger decisions should be driven by member value, not leadership convenience

"We are doing our own members a disservice if we did not show them all of the value that our product offerings can have." - Anand Solanki

"Selling is service and service is selling." - Becky Reed

Visit growyourcreditunion.com to read the full transcript

Your apps are better, your processes smoother, your metrics stronger. But as members go increasingly digital, are you accidentally engineering yourself out of their lives?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Tim Schmitt, Chief Experience Officer at PFP Services, to explore why the biggest member experience mistake might be hiding in plain sight, how protection products can become trust-builders instead of payment-killers, and what's actually driving credit union growth.

A huge thanks to our sponsor, PFP Services. 

Credit Unions know that engagement is key to success. PFP Services brings expertise, resources, and passion to help you build strong connections with your members. Our goal is to grow your credit union together, forming lasting bonds every step of the way. Partnering with us means a mutually beneficial relationship with absolutely no cost! Visit familysecurityplan.com/credit-unions/ to learn more.  

Read the full show notes and full transcript on growyourcreditunion.com   When conditions get unpredictable, staying boring can be the boldest move if it’s part of a broader strategy. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed are joined by Kevin Dougherty, COO at Addition Financial Credit Union, to break down how his team is adapting, from strengthening cyber resilience to scaling visibility with the next generation, while challenging the industry’s reliance on the status quo and pushing for smarter, faster responses to today’s biggest threats.

Listen now to stay ahead of what is shaping the movement. 

Note: At the time of recording, Pam Cohen held the position of Chief Administrative Officer at Affinity Federal Credit Union. She has since transitioned to the role of Chief Operating Officer.

All links and a full transcript can be found on growyourcreditunion.com.

Some credit unions are waiting years to fix broken tech stacks. Others are launching AI tools in a weekend and proving that speed isn’t just about technology, it’s a leadership imperative that affects how credit unions serve, grow, and stay relevant.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest Pam Cohen, Chief Operating Officer at Affinity Federal Credit Union, to talk about simplifying tech stacks, reducing employee turnover, and using AI to expand financial inclusion.

Listen now to stay ahead of what’s shaping the movement.

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Some credit union leaders still treat the NCUA like an adversary—or an oracle. But the truth is, regulators are paying attention, especially when the feedback is thoughtful, specific, and backed by real solutions.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay  and co-host Becky Reed are joined by guest Elizabeth Eurgubian, former Director of External Affairs and Policy Advisor to the chair of the NCUA, to talk about what the agency’s recent leadership shakeups really mean, how to be heard in the rule-making process, and why this is the right moment to reshape the relationship between credit unions and regulators.

Listen now to stay ahead of what’s shaping the movement.

Some credit union leaders are building small business programs, investing in community growth, and doing the hard work. Others are still hiding behind “we can’t”—and it might be costing the industry its future.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest John Holt, CEO of Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, to talk about the controversy around CEO golden parachutes, the untapped opportunity in small business lending, and whether chasing CDFI grants is really worth it.

A huge thanks to our sponsor, PFP Services.

Credit Unions know that engagement is key to success. PFP Services brings expertise, resources, and passion to help you build strong connections with your members. Our goal is to grow your credit union together, forming lasting bonds every step of the way. Partnering with us means a mutually beneficial relationship with absolutely no cost! Visit familysecurityplan.com/credit-unions/ to learn more.  

Listen now to stay ahead of what’s shaping the movement.

Check out the post for this episode of Grow Your Credit Union.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host James McBride, CEO, Connects Federal Credit Union and guest Michael Powers, CEO of Garden Savings Federal Credit Union. Together, they discuss the following:

• Which regulations do the most harm, 
• How to make financial advice stick digitally, and 
• How to spot a merger that strengthens - not swallows - a credit union.

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, PFP Services

Credit Unions know that engagement is key to success. PFP Services brings expertise, resources, and passion to help you build strong connections with your members. Our goal is to grow your credit union together, forming lasting bonds every step of the way. Partnering with us means a mutually beneficial relationship with absolutely no cost! Visit familysecurityplan.com/credit-unions/ to learn more.