The Eltropy Exchange

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Jason Johnson, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Project Management at KEMBA Financial Credit Union. Jason shares his early career journey and the distinct ethical difference he found when returning to the credit union movement. He explains how KEMBA prioritizes serving the member and community first, using sales numbers as a measurement of how they're impacting the community.

Jason unpacks KEMBA’s strategic approach to technology, including their full deployment of Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), which allows for expanded drive-through hours from 8 to 6 to 7 to 7. He discusses how this strategy helps serve members in previously "underserved areas". Crucially, he details the successful strategy of converting indirect loan members into fully engaged, multi-product members by offering a rate reduction via their relationship pricing model. This resulted in a 40% checking penetration and 37% increase in overall average share deposits from that portfolio. Finally, Jason discusses KEMBA's thoughtful approach to AI, emphasizing the need for very clear and defined use cases and the challenge of maintaining the "small credit union" identity while benefiting from efficiencies.

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Adrienne Cabal, Senior Vice President of Digital Delivery at FAIRWINDS Credit Union, for an inspiring conversation on challenging industry norms to achieve relational growth. As a leader who transitioned from teaching to a new, enterprise-wide SVP role, Adrienne shares her unique perspective on developing people, fostering trust, and driving a digital strategy that always puts the member’s long-term financial health first.

She reveals FAIRWINDS’ aggressive three-year goal to have digital channels outpace brick-and-mortar in new member acquisition and explains the crucial mindset shift required to achieve it: intentionally blending digital efficiency with authentic human connection. Adrienne details the credit union’s “debt-free banking” philosophy, their partnership with Ramsey Solutions, and how they reward staff for counseling members away from debt—a strategy that runs counter to conventional banking but builds powerful, generational loyalty. This episode is a must-listen for leaders looking to cultivate a winning, relationship-first strategy in a rapidly digitizing financial world. Financial Freedom happens here.®

Key Links:

• https://www.fairwinds.org
• https://www.fairwinds.org/ramsey

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Matt Fehrmann, Chief Information Officer at Kohler Credit Union, for a candid conversation about the forces driving digital change in community financial institutions (CFIs). Drawing on his two decades of experience across manufacturing (including implementing complex ERP systems like SAP) and banking, Matt offers a unique, technology-forward perspective on innovation, member service, and competitive strategy.

Matt discusses the critical crossroads for credit unions: how to relentlessly innovate and embrace digital speed—the “innovate or die” reality—while still preserving the high-touch, human connection that defines the credit union movement. He emphasizes the need to meet members in their channel of choice, referencing his own experience of buying a car entirely through text. The discussion also covers the challenge of competing for deposits against non-financial players like Starbucks and Walmart, the importance of mission-driven growth and community involvement, and the need for leaders to look beyond local competitors to the world of Big Tech and FinTech. This episode offers a clear call to action for leaders to think like a technology company, personalize the member journey, and embrace a “talk to me like a buddy” mentality to build deeper loyalty.

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Lone Jensen, Chief Member Experience Officer at Alltru Credit Union, for a candid and inspiring conversation about leadership, community, and the human side of financial services. Lone, originally from Denmark, shares her unique journey to the credit union industry and how her international background has shaped her perspective on collaboration and innovation.

Lone dives into the intentional strategies Alltru is using to fulfill its mission, including the creation of a CDFI Advisory Board and a robust internal knowledge base. She reveals how these initiatives are not just about checking boxes, but about creating a confident, empowered team that is better equipped to serve members. The conversation also explores their innovative approach to financial wellness with a unique salary advance loan program designed to help employees of their partner businesses, and how they are leveraging technology like their new internal chatbot, to improve efficiency.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders who want to build a culture of empowerment, stay committed to their communities, and find a balance between high-tech solutions and a high-touch member experience.

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Kris Frantzen, VP of Product Strategy at Temenos, for a candid conversation about the forces rapidly shaping credit unions and community financial institutions. Kris, who has spent over 24 years in the financial software and service space, shares his perspective on the growing addiction to digital convenience and how it’s setting new expectations for the modern consumer. The discussion covers the industry-wide shift toward digital-first and omnichannel experiences, and the critical need to leverage data for personalized, quick, and compliant service.

Kris unpacks the challenges of managing higher delinquency rates without dramatically increasing staff and highlights the opportunities in intelligently automating both the lending and collections spaces. He details Temenos’ “Future Ready” roadmap, focusing on their Life Cycle Management Suite, which connects account origination, loan origination, collections, and recovery, emphasizing the power of integrating these processes. Finally, Kris shares a key piece of advice for credit union leaders: to always stay anchored to the “why”—the meaningful use case—before diving into new technology like AI.

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Brian Waldron, President and CEO of Dort Financial Credit Union, for a candid and energetic conversation about leadership, culture, and the future of the credit union industry. Brian shares his inspiring journey, from a chance encounter with a student-run credit union in college to leading a multi-billion-dollar institution today.

The conversation explores Brian’s leadership philosophy, highlighting why a culture of trust and transparency is non-negotiable for success. He explains how a data-backed approach to communication helps build a strong, cohesive team. The conversation also explores Dort Financial’s strategic growth, including its recent acquisition of a bank in Florida , and why taking bold, non-traditional moves is essential for credit unions looking to thrive in an uncertain market. Brian discusses his commitment to employee well-being , emphasizing that preparing the next generation of leaders is a core obligation for CEOs across the industry. This episode is a masterclass in empathetic leadership, showing how a focus on people—both employees and the community—is the ultimate driver of growth and member loyalty.

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Mike Bridges, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Five Star Credit Union, for a conversation that spans from covering national sporting events to leading marketing at a credit union. Mike shares his unique journey from a 17-year career in television, where he covered everything from the Stanley Cup to the Country Music Awards, to his current role transforming member engagement at a credit union. 

Mike explains how the principles of storytelling he learned in journalism—creating a beginning, a middle, and an end—are essential for effective marketing campaigns today. He shares how Five Star Credit Union is using a modern, multi-channel approach to social media, focusing on keywords and audience demographics rather than traditional peer-based marketing. The discussion also covers the critical role of advocacy, building relationships with legislators, and how credit unions can make a tangible impact beyond being just a logo. Finally, Mike shares powerful stories of empathy in action, highlighting Five Star’s foundation and its “Express Loan” program as a compassionate alternative to predatory payday loans. 

This episode is a masterclass in connecting with people, demonstrating how thinking differently and leading with a “people helping people” mindset can drive both member engagement and community impact.

Featured Links

• Five Star ads for a specialty debit card that accompanied radio ads for a local high school 
• Five Star Credit Union
• Five Star Credit Union on Facebook
• Five Star Credit Union on YouTube

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, Michael Pupil sits down with Peter Duffy, Managing Director of Merger Advisory Services at SRM, for a sharp, data-backed conversation on the structural challenges facing credit unions today. From his early days at Procter & Gamble to two decades advising financial institutions, Peter brings both business rigor and industry perspective to a discussion centered on scale, strategy, and the future of community finance.

He unpacks what the data actually says about the limitations of organic growth, why so many credit unions are struggling with unsustainable cost structures, and how mergers, fintech partnerships, and intentional reinvention can help institutions avoid decline. Peter also breaks down the “three-legged stool” of modern CU survival—organic growth, strategic M&A, and fintech alignment—and explains how leaders can assess where they stand and where they need to go next.

Whether you're questioning your growth model, rethinking your balance sheet, or simply trying to stay ahead of consolidation pressures, this episode offers grounded insight and a clear call to action.

Featured Links

• SRM Website 

• SRM on LinkedIn 

• Pete Duffy on LinkedIn

• Adapting to change: The new reality for credit union leaders

• SRM Perspectives Report: Navigating a Resurgence of Mergers and Acquisitions Among U.S. Financial Institutions
  

In this episode of The Eltropy Exchange, host Michael Pupil sits down with Michelle Perry, Assistant Vice President of Consumer Lending at ABNB Federal Credit Union, to talk about building strong, resilient teams in lending and collections, navigating change, and leading with empathy.

With over 35 years in credit unions, Michelle brings a rare combination of operational insight and human-first leadership. She shares how she’s earned trust by working alongside her teams, why culture starts with care, and how a few pranks can signal you’ve truly been accepted. Her approach to leadership is grounded in honesty, flexibility, and letting people show up as themselves.

Michelle also discusses how she introduces technology to a multigenerational team, what she looks for when making workflows smarter, and why automation should make work more human, not less. From shifting communication strategies to rolling out texting, chat, and screen simplification, Michelle shows how innovation is best led from within.

Whether you’re leading a team or just trying to connect better with yours, this episode offers practical, candid insight into what strong leadership really looks like inside a credit union.

In this special episode of The Eltropy Exchange, host Michael Pupil interviews a familiar face from the other side of the microphone: Mike Lawson, founder and host of CUbroadcast, the credit union industry's longest-running and most beloved video interview series.

With more than 8,000 interviews under his belt, Mike reflects on his journey from journalist to fintech marketer to industry storyteller. He shares how a mix of curiosity, collaboration, and a “let’s see if this works” mindset led him to launch CUbroadcast in 2010, well before video interviews were the norm. What began with sketchy bandwidth and skeptical guests has grown into one of the most valuable storytelling platforms in the credit union world.

Mike and Michael dive into topics including how stories make the industry stronger, why capturing personality builds trust, and how the best ideas often come from other credit unions, not boardrooms. They also explore the role of vendors in the storytelling equation, the need for a "member succession plan," and how AI and automation can enhance rather than replace the human side of service.

It’s an episode packed with reflection, inspiration, and practical insight from one of the industry’s most trusted voices.

Featured Links

• 'Joy' Riding with Bankjoy's Mike Duncan Displaying the Convenience of Mobile Voice Banking…
• 2024 CUbroadcast Blooper Reel