“To connect with people emotionally is really the key to good work.” – Josh Streufert

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guest on today’s show is Josh Streufert, Principal / Creative Director at Strum. Josh starts off by tracing his own path, which includes childhood dreams of archaeology, a strong Indiana Jones phase, film school, history studies, and eventually saying “yes” to a lot of opportunities that led him into creative leadership. It’s a reminder that most meaningful careers aren’t straight lines but are rather collections of curiosity, timing, and a willingness to try things before you fully know where they’ll lead!

In our conversation, Josh and I discuss what Strum does for credit unions and why branding is so much more than just logos and taglines. Josh shares a simple but powerful idea: when products are largely the same, people choose the organization they like best. From there, we get into how storytelling, creativity, and culture shape trust, loyalty, and the overall member experience. A big part of our discussion is also centered around change and burnout, with Josh introducing a mindset shift: moving from being a “gatekeeper” who protects the status quo to a “curator” who actively searches for better answers. He also talks about the concept of an “optimal rate of failure” and why failing occasionally isn’t a weakness but evidence that you’re still growing.

As we wrap up the conversation, Josh shares how he manages a work-life balance, what book he would recommend reading, and why he idolizes a former high school teacher! Enjoy my conversation with Josh Streufert!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Josh:
Josh Streufert, Principal / Creative Director at Strum
strumagency.com
Josh: LinkedIn
Strum: LinkedIn

Book mentioned: Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne
Song mentioned: “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck
TV series mentioned: The Office

“AI is going to be transformational for the credit union industry.” – Steve Rick

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together. 

Today's episode is the second part of a very special four-part series brought to you by TruStage! My guest on today’s show is Steve Rick, Chief Economist at TruStage. Listen as he takes a good look at what 2026 may have in store for credit unions and the members they serve. We start with where inflation, GDP, and the labor market appear to be heading—as well as why tariffs and immigration policy are likely to show up in everyday prices sooner than expected. Steve explains why inflation could push past 3% in early 2026 and how that reality continues to shape the Federal Reserve’s cautious approach to interest rates.

Steve gets into what many leaders are watching the most closely: rate cuts. He breaks down why the Fed is expected to gradually ease rates throughout 2026, how close we are to what economists consider a “neutral” rate, and why concerns about rising unemployment are guiding such decisions. From there, our conversation turns to credit unions, with Steve sharing his outlook for loan growth, deposits, and earnings, and we talk about consumer uncertainty, the impact of loans made during the ultra-low-rate years, and what all of this means for balance sheets this coming year.

As we wrap up the episode, Steve and I spend time talking about workforce trends and AI, where productivity gains are changing hiring patterns, reshaping call centers and lending teams, and even impacting recent college graduates trying to enter the job market. I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Steve Rick!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Steve:
Steve Rick, Chief Economist of TruStage
trustage.com
Steve: LinkedIn
TruStage: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

In this episode:
[0:52] - Steve reveals how tariffs and tighter immigration push prices higher, potentially lifting inflation above 3% in early 2026.
[2:17] - Expect gradual Fed rate cuts toward a neutral 3% as officials guard against rising unemployment.
[4:05] - Steve explains how loan growth improves to about 5%, while deposits rise 6%.
[5:25] - Earnings improve as margins widen and costs stay in check, with AI playing an expanding role.
[6:48] - AI-driven efficiency slows hiring, cutting projected workforce growth to roughly 1% next year.
[7:59] - Steve further touches upon how recent graduates face tougher entry as unemployment nears 10%.

“Use AI where it can make a difference to the organization and members.” - Shane Butcher

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guest on today’s show is Shane Butcher, Chief Operating Officer / Chief Risk Officer at Optiri, a Trellance Company. Shane and I talk about how a teenage dream of becoming a fighter pilot turned into a career spanning the military, IT, operations, and ultimately the credit union space.

In our conversation, Shane walks us through the evolution of Optiri and what it means to optimize, refresh, and innovate credit union technology without losing sight of the people whom it’s supposed to serve. We talk about why credit unions have unique technology and security needs and how Opitiri focuses on doing the behind-the-scenes work so that credit unions can spend their energy on members.

A big part of our conversation, though, is centered around AI as something already embedded in everyday tools. Shane breaks down what credit unions really should be thinking about right now—understanding where their data lives, tightening permissions, updating vendor policies, and choosing intentional use cases instead of chasing every new idea. We also break down how AI is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides, fueling more convincing attacks while also giving defenders faster, smarter ways to respond.

As we wrap up the episode, Shane shares some lessons that he learned from a Navy mentor who led through calm problem-solving. He also talks about his love of good restaurants and unique experiences, why he loves Las Vegas, and has a book recommendation for us. Enjoy my conversation with Shane Butcher!

“Ask questions. Have a culture of inquiry.” - Deedee Myers

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guest on today’s show is returning guest Deedee Myers, CEO of DDJ Myers, Ltd. She comes back to discuss leadership as we unpack what’s forming the future of credit union leadership. From a huge wave of CEO retirements to board turnover to executive teams changing under new leadership, Deedee lays out what this really looks like in the concrete data that her team has been collecting for years.

In our conversation, we talk about numbers and how many CEOs are expected to exit in the coming years. We talk about why so many delayed retirement after COVID and how that pent-up shift is finally arriving. Deedee also explains the generational turnover that is hitting boards and executive teams simultaneously, creating something close to a perfect storm. One of the biggest themes that we talk about, however, is responsibility. Who owns succession? Who’s accountable for readiness? What should each party be doing to prepare for the leadership needs of the next decade? In addition, Deedee and I cover the programs, institutes, and coaching experiences that are truly accelerating leadership growth right now.

As we wrap up the episode, we go through our traditional lightning round of questions as I ask her about the little things as well such as the purchases that she swears by, the rituals that keep her grounded during nonstop travel, and the guiding principle that she believes the industry desperately needs more of. Enjoy my conversation with Deedee Myers!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Deedee:
Deedee Myers, CEO at DDJ Myers, Ltd.
ddjmyers.com
Deedee: LinkedIn
DDJ Meyers, Ltd.: LinkedIn

Want to hear more from Deedee? Click here.
Previous episode featuring Deedee: “Advancing leadership”
Podcast mentioned: The Diary of a CEO
Podcast mentioned: Freakonomics

“Every employee, from the C-suite to the teller, has a role in advocacy.” – Jason Stverak 

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guests on today’s show are returning guest Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer at Defense Credit Union Council, and Elizabeth Eurgubian, Government Relations and Advocacy Consultant at Atlas Advocacy. They both join me for this episode for a conversation that cuts right to the heart of what credit unions need most right now: stronger advocacy, louder storytelling, and a clearer understanding of what sets us apart!

In our conversation, Elizabeth opens with something that she has witnessed from both sides of the table: policymakers are brilliant with statutes and frameworks, but they often have little sense of what day-to-day life looks like inside a credit union. She talks about the power of real-world examples and cautions that if we’re not bringing those stories forward, we’re leaving influence on the table.

Jason also jumps in with the compelling argument that advocacy isn’t a job title; it’s everybody—teller to CEO—every interaction with a member, every community touchpoint, every small moment of goodwill becomes part of what reaches Congress. He shares some incredible behind-the-scenes stories from the recent government shutdown and how lawmakers were reaching out because they’d noticed credit unions stepping up while others hesitated.

As we wrap up the episode, Elizabeth closes by previewing what’s coming from the NCUA in the year ahead—such as stablecoin and digital-asset rulemaking under the GENIUS Act, a much needed regulatory clean-up, and increased vigilance around cybersecurity. She also challenges all of us to think several years ahead about the skills we’ll need, not the ones that we’ve always relied on, as necessary skillsets are always evolving with the times. I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Jason and Elizabeth!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Jason:
Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer at Defense Credit Union Council
dcuc.org
Jason: LinkedIn | X
DCUC:

“Better utilizing data can give a more-tailored member experience—which makes the member truly feel like their credit union knows them.” – Mike Kraus

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

Today's episode is the first part of a very special four-part series brought to you by TruStage! Today's discussion is with Mike Kraus (Managing Director of TruStage Ventures) and Jamie Jackson (CEO of Arkatechure), and we focus on how credit unions can make use of their data to drive better member experiences and business outcomes, with Jamie explaining that credit unions often struggle with data silos, lack of data ownership, and a culture of fear around data expertise and Mike noting that credit unions have an abundance of member data, but it is often locked away in legacy core systems. To unlock the value, it's so important for credit unions to pull all their data together into a unified platform!

In our conversation, both Mike and Jamie really emphasize the role that fintech partnerships can play, as they can provide the modern data infrastructure, analytics capabilities, and agility that credit unions often lack. However, they also caution that partnerships must be strategic, with clear alignment on goals and outcomes. We also cover why it's so important to start small and prove value via quick wins and then scaling the data strategy. Measuring outcomes, not just activities, is key, and the most successful credit unions will be those that empower all employees to make data-driven decisions!

As we wrap up the episode, we highlight how effectively leveraging data is crucial for credit unions to deliver personalized member experiences and drive sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape! I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Mike Kraus and Jamie Jackson!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Mike:
Mike Kraus, Managing Director of TruStage Ventures
trustage.com
Mike: LinkedIn
TruStage: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Connect with Jamie:
Jamie Jackson, CEO of Arkatechure
arkatechture.com
Jamie: LinkedIn
Arkatechure: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X

“Invest the time to find the purpose in what you do. Let that fuel and motivate you.” – Wes Zauner

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guest on today’s show is Wes Zauner, VP of Product at MeridianLink, returning to the show from episode 96. Wes jumps right in with what he’s hearing across the industry—younger generations expect financial services to move at the pace of their everyday digital lives, and they won’t wait three days for an answer on a loan application. We also talk about the pressure that puts on credit unions that are still relying on paper-heavy workflows and why modernizing the “digital front door” is no longer optional.

In our conversation, Wes gives a clear picture of what instant decisioning, automation, and personalized offers look like when they’re done right and why they matter so much if you want younger members to stick around. He also talks about how MeridianLink is supporting more than 2,000 institutions and handling tens of millions of applications and account openings!

We dig into strategy and how credit unions can build a realistic technology roadmap without trying to be everything to everyone, as well as how understanding the specific people in your community beats a one-size-fits-all approach.

As we wrap up the episode, Wes shares who he thinks of when he hears the word “success,” he talks about his enjoyment of pressure washing, and gives insight to balancing work, parenting, and purpose. Enjoy my conversation with Wes Zauner!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Wes:
Wes Zauner, VP of Product at MeridianLink
meridianlink.com
Wes: LinkedIn
MeridianLink: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X 

“We have to get into the game of convenience so we can continue to prove that credit unions are the best financial institutions for consumers to partner with.” - Jed Meyer

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guests on today’s show are Jed Meyer, CEO at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, and Jon Ungerland, CIO of Information/Innovation at DaLand CUSO. They join me to talk about the evolving digital asset ecosystem and the important role that credit unions can play, with Jon explaining how DaLand has been helping St. Cloud Financial stay relevant by using data and digital tools. A key focus has been DaLand's "Coin2Core" solution, allowing credit unions to connect to emerging decentralized finance (DeFi) networks and cryptocurrencies!

In our conversation, Jed shares how he recognized the impact of the digital asset space on his members' financial lives about five years ago. Initially skeptical, he eventually realized the importance of getting ahead of this trend to keep his members' wealth circulating in the local economy. Partnering with DaLand has allowed St. Cloud Financial to plug into DeFi networks and offer innovative services like their own white-label stablecoin, and both guests call attention to the need for credit unions to engage with the digital asset ecosystem rather than avoid it, with Jed stressing the importance of education both for credit union leaders and their members. He also highlights the role which credit unions can play as trusted, community-based financial institutions in this new landscape.

As we wrap up the episode, Jon notes how leaders across sectors are already deeply invested in the future of tokenized, blockchain-based money, and he cautions that credit unions must act quickly to avoid being left behind. Our conversation also emphasizes the potential of digital assets as well as the need for credit unions to shape this change to best serve their members and communities. Enjoy my conversation with Jed and Jon!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Jed:
Jed Meyer, C.E.O. at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union
scfcu.org
Jed: LinkedIn
St. Cloud Financial Credit Union: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok

Connect with Jon:
Jon Ungerland, C.I.O. of Information/Innovation at DaLand CUSO
dalandcuso.com
Jon: LinkedIn
DaLand CUSO: LinkedIn | Twitter | 

“When we combine our skills and expertise with (credit unions’) ability to service members, it’s a very synergistic relationship.” - Mitch Pangretic

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guest on today’s show is Mitch Pangretic, SVP and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Elan Credit Card. He joins me to discuss his career journey and the value that Elan brings to credit unions as well as so much more, such as how he initially wanted to be an astronaut but ended up in the payments industry, working at companies like Discover, American Express, and US Bank before joining Elan in 2007.

In our conversation, Mitch explains Elan's "agent issuing" model where they act as the credit card department and servicing team for credit union partners, allowing credit unions to offer robust credit card products and features without the complications of managing it all themselves. Elan provides the technology, risk management, marketing, rewards programs, and more! Mitch also highlights how Elan can help credit unions ensure that their members have access to the right credit card products, whether that's travel rewards, cash back, or even options to help build/rebuild credit. He discusses valuable member-facing features such as the Elan mobile app, which provides free credit scores, budgeting tools, and the new "Extend Pay" installment lending feature.

Mitch notes Elan's expertise and how it can complement the deep member relationships of credit unions. By combining Elan's credit knowledge with the credit union's understanding of their members, they can help provide the best financial guidance and education to help members improve their credit. Mitch also looks ahead and shares Elan's focus on continuing to enhance the integrated technology and user experience for both credit union partners and their members.

As we wrap up the episode, Mitch talks about the leader who most influenced him, his vacation bucket list, and how he loves visiting California. Enjoy my conversation with Mitch Pangretic!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Mark:
Mitch Pangretic, SVP and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Elan Credit Card
elanfinancialservices.com
Mitch: LinkedIn
Elan Credit Card: LinkedIn

Book mentioned: Four Friends by William D. Cohan

“Work with a partner instead of just a vendor. Your success is our success. We feel very strongly about that.” - Mark Majeske

Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.

My guests on today’s show are Mark Majeske, SVP Faster Payments at Alacriti, and Matt Kinne, Senior Director of Market Solutions at Zelle. Mark and Matt discuss the partnership between Alacriti and Zelle and how the alliance benefits credit unions in offering peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services to their members. They explain that Zelle has become a household name and an expected service for consumers, with nearly 80% even saying instant payments are the most important feature their financial institution can offer.

In our conversation, we highlight how Zelle helps credit unions address the challenges they face in P2P payments, challenges such as members using external apps such as Venmo. Their directory-based approach allows credit unions to bring that business back into their ecosystem. Offering Zelle as an option also helps credit unions strengthen their position as a trusted partner compared to fintech apps by taking advantage of their existing brand, security, and personal service.

As we wrap up the episode, Mark, Matt, and I discuss the growing use of Zelle by small businesses, which now make up 15% of Zelle's total transactions, presenting an opportunity for credit unions to deepen relationships with local businesses. Our discussion also outlines the benefits of using Zelle via Alacriti as opposed to going direct, including Alacriti's role as a true partner, managing integration complexity, and providing a faster time to market! Enjoy my conversation with Mark Majeske and Matt Kinne! 

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Connect with Mark:
Mark Majeske, SVP Faster Payments at Alacriti
alacriti.com
Mark: LinkedIn
Alacriti: LinkedIn | Instagram | Threads | Facebook | Twitter

Connect with Matt:
Matt Kinne, Senior Director of Market Solutions at Zelle
zelle.com
Matt: LinkedIn
Zelle: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter