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.

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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.

Credit unions talk about being community-focused. But what if real connection meant showing up in the moments that matter, like when someone’s buying groceries?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest Jennifer Borowy, President and CEO of Michigan First Credit Union to talk about how mentorship can accelerate leadership, what lessons credit unions can borrow from banks, and whether in-store branches really drive growth.

Also, we talked with Bradley Hickey, Manager of Application Development at American Airlines Federal Credit Union, to hear why CU Build is a must-attend for any credit union team looking to innovate from within.

Register here: https://www.cubuild.org/register-now

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growyourcreditunion/

Too often, payday lenders are easier to find than a credit union. What if we flipped that script and brought financial services straight to the communities being exploited?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest Michael Crowl, President and CEO of University Federal Credit Union to talk about:

• How UFCU is beating industry trends with explosive membership growth.
• How mobile branches are combatting predatory lenders.
• What new legislation could mean for small business lending.

Listen now to stay ahead of what's shaping the credit union movement. 

Live from NACUSO Reimagine in Las Vegas, this episode tackles one of the most disruptive weeks in credit union oversight, offering a real-time gut check on leadership, advocacy, and opportunity in a time of uncertainty.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer at Credit Unions First, to talk about the unexpected NCUA terminations, what deregulation could unlock, and how to make smarter tech investments through CUSO collaboration.

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

In a time when speed matters and trust is everything, the right partnership can be the difference between steady growth and a breakout year.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed and guest Mike Valentine, President and CEO of Baxter Credit Union, to talk about the power of partnerships, why branch expansion still matters, and how vendors can break through the noise to connect with credit union leaders. 

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

Credit unions have long been risk-averse by design, but today’s environment is pushing the industry to think less about what’s safe and more about what’s best for the member. That shift, from compliance-first to consumer-centric, is reshaping everything from governance to payments to technology strategy.

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by guest co-host Stacy Armijo, Chief Experience Officer at Amplify Credit Union, and returning guest James McBride, CEO of Connects Federal Credit Union, as they talk about:

• Board engagement and what strong governance really looks like
• Real-time payments and the risk of falling behind
• Open banking as a competitive mandate, not just a regulatory issue

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

A huge thanks to our sponsor for this episode, InvestiFi

InvestiFi delivers an integrated digital investing solution built to enable investing directly from checking accounts, helping Credit Unions to retain more deposits and attract new members. Give your members a new tool to navigate the complexities of financial markets with ease from within their current online banking experience through InvestiFi.

With policymakers revisiting the debate over credit unions’ tax exemption, what’s at stake for the industry? And if the exemption were to disappear, would it really be as damaging as some fear?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Michael Goad, President and CEO of Dow Credit Union, to discuss why credit unions are buying banks, the impacts of credit unions losing their nonprofit status, and whether or not we should be optimistic for the rest of 2025.