The Knowledge Stack

Summary

In this conversation, Ryan McEleney shares his unique journey from an accidental career in banking and HR to leading the culture and people at American Eagle Financial Credit Union. He discusses the importance of culture in organizations, the transition from a large bank to a credit union, and the strategies employed to enhance employee engagement and experience. Ryan emphasizes the role of data in understanding and improving workplace dynamics, while also addressing the challenges of privacy and the perception of data use in HR. In this conversation, Ryan discusses the intricacies of building a DEI program at American Eagle, emphasizing the importance of data privacy, the need for anonymization in analytics, and the challenges of navigating sensitive conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. He highlights the significance of creating safe spaces for employees to express their identities and the necessity of authenticity in DEI efforts. The discussion also touches on the surprisingly light pushback faced from traditional members and the importance of fostering a culture of belonging within the organization.

Key Takeaways

• Ryan's career in HR was accidental but led to significant insights.
• Culture is foundational for organizational success and change.
• Employee engagement is measured through robust processes and surveys.
• Generational differences impact communication and workplace dynamics.
• Data analytics can enhance employee development and engagement.
• Transparency in data use is crucial for employee trust.
• The importance of psychological safety in the workplace.
• Continuous improvement in employee experience is essential.
• Leveraging technology can streamline HR processes and enhance engagement.
• Understanding employee sentiment is key to a positive workplace culture. Data privacy is crucial in analytics to protect individual identities.
• Anonymization can make data useful without compromising privacy.
• DEI programs should focus on representation and community alignment.
• Inclusion encompasses diversity and equity, creating a holistic approach.
• Creating safe spaces encourages vulnerability and authenticity.
• Pushback from traditional members is common but manageable.
• Authenticity in DEI efforts attracts the right people to the organization.
• DEI initiatives must be adaptable to local conditions and demographics.
• It's important to address misconceptions and fears surrounding DEI.
• The success of DEI programs relies on genuine engagement and participation.

Keywords

DEI, employee engagement, credit union, HR analytics, workplace culture, generational differences, employee experience, data-driven HR, Ryan Macalanie, American Eagle, DEI, data privacy, analytics, inclusion, belonging, diversity, equity, workplace culture, mentorship, coaching

Check out American Eagle Financial Credit Union here. https://www.americaneagle.org/

Ryan joined the credit union movement in 2021. He proudly serves the members of American Eagle Financial Credit Union, the largest full-service community credit union headquartered in Connecticut. He leads a People & Culture team that includes Business Intelligence, DEIB, Process Excellence, Talent Growth & Engagement, and Total Rewards & People Ops disciplines. Collectively, they work to create the ideal conditions for AEFCU’s talented people to thrive in support of their mission. Previously, Ryan spent nearly twenty years at a large regional bank, in roles ranging from teller to SVP of HR Analytics, Incentives, and Technology.

Episode 8 is a quick dip in the pool of Digital Assets. Chase and I talk about the current state of play in the crypto space and discuss current and future directions for this exciting industry. I completely agree with Chase's position that digital assets are the next payment rail that FI's should be looking at. Now is the time, specifically for credit unions, to stake a claim or be left behind as we're seeing the traditional big baddies like MasterCard and Visa start to move in and plant their flags. This is an opportunity to offer a lower cost and faster speed payment option to members. For more information about what Chase and St Cloud Financial are doing with Daland see the links below.

https://www.dalandcuso.com/

https://scfcu.org/

Chase Larson, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, DaLand CUSO board member, and board member of the TriUnity Foundation, is a dynamic leader with nearly two decades of strategic experience in finance, credit unions, and community banking. His expertise spans risk management, member business lending, strategic portfolio growth, and emerging areas such as digital finance, crypto, and tokenized assets.

As the executive driving SCFCU’s digital asset strategy, Chase leads the development and execution of innovative financial solutions, including the CU-Digital Asset Vault, ensuring the credit union remains at the forefront of this evolving space. His leadership extends across all facets of lending, fostering a culture of growth and innovation. This is evident in the successful launch of the Business Services Strategy, the SBA initiative, and the insured “Extra Mile Loan Program.” He is deeply committed to people development, coaching, and creating an environment where every team member can thrive.

Chase also plays a crucial role in SCFCU’s long-term strategy, particularly in integrating lending products with fintech infrastructure like DaLand’s R Path. His deep understanding of lending, risk management, and strategic growth ensures that SCFCU remains adaptable and competitive in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

In this conversation, Charley Johnson discusses the emerging role of consciousness in the corporate world, drawing parallels between the rise of technology and the need for awareness in the age of AI. He shares his personal journey from a traditional business background to exploring spirituality and self-development, emphasizing the importance of consciousness in understanding reality and fostering unity in a divided society. In this conversation, the Chief Consciousness Officer discusses the importance of understanding consciousness and its impact on personal beliefs and societal divisions. They introduce the role of a Chief Consciousness Officer (CCO) in organizations, emphasizing the need for neutrality in addressing conflicts and enhancing workplace culture. The discussion contrasts traditional wellness programs with a more holistic approach to consciousness, advocating for a shift in perception within corporate structures. The conversation also touches on the relationship between science and consciousness, highlighting the evolving understanding of these concepts in modern business practices.

In this episode recorded on Thursday, May 1st Michael Ogden, Editor In Chief for the Credit Union Times and I discuss the recent updates regarding the termination of former Chairman Todd Harper and Board Member Tanya Otsuka from the NCUA by the Trump Administration. Both former members of the board have filed a suit challenging the terminations. Surprisingly, they were filed jointly. The case has been expedited as a result of the upcoming May 22nd NCUA board meeting and a response from the Trump Administration is expected on May 7th.

While the terminations MAY be illegal, its not without precedent. We talk through the latest updates (as of the recording date) as well as the potential impact and fallout from the action.

We also talk through the lack of voice from both America's Credit Unions as well as DCUC regarding the actions and the lack of progress at naming successors for the positions.

While filming this episode, Todd Harper appeared at the Brookings Institute to discuss the current situation. Clearly, Harper and I disagree on much of what was discussed in that interview and I wished that he took the opportunity to address the situation, fallout, impact, and the way forward for the movement rather than admonish credit unions for spending marketing dollars on naming rights for a stadium and beating the drum again on overdraft.

You can find the full interview with Brookings here: https://www.brookings.edu/events/credit-union-regulation-at-a-crossroads-a-conversation-with-ncua-board-member-todd-harper/)

You can follow along with recent updates to this saga at https://www.cutimes.com/

If you like this or really any of my podcast episodes and want to hear more, comment below, drop me a note on LinkedIn, or email @ [email protected]

In this episode, not only do we have wonderful technical difficulties, but we have Dr. William Donaldson in studio guest to talk about Systems Thinking. Willy's bio is below and is extensive and I'm hoping that we can do one or 30 more episodes with Willy in the near future.

Much thanks to Willy for this great conversation. Reference material for this episode can be found below. Please subscribe, like, share, tell your friends, and of course, buy Willy's book(s)!!

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-Donaldson-PhD/author/B01N6M4TBX?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1744067672&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=ece10c98-0f02-4c84-bb74-8469a56a9e58

Meadows-2008.-Thinking-in-Systems - https://research.fit.edu/media/site-specific/researchfitedu/coast-climate-adaptation-library/climate-communications/psychology-amp-behavior/Meadows-2008.-Thinking-in-Systems.pdf

Piaget's theory of cognitive development - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget%27s_theory_of_cognitive_development

Schema YouTube Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbRpMlEHzM

Bounded rationality - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounded_rationality

Ludwig von Bertalanffy - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_von_Bertalanffy

Systems thinking and System Dynamics courses at MIT | MIT Sloan Executive Education - https://exec.mit.edu/s/topic/systemsthinking#:~:text=Systems%20thinking%20is%20a%20process,system%2C%20rather%20than%20in%20isolation.

Margin Call Board Meeting - https://youtu.be/7prnY2FOxns?si=BtoPPNQiAxmLXt0v&t=42

Education is the Silver Bullet - https://youtu.be/IzV09gESyh0?si=0poe93drx6is4wAr

Post-it Notes: An Innovative Employee Idea That Was Originally a Mistake - https://ideawake.com/post-it-notes-employee-idea-that-was-originally-mistake/#:~:text=The%20Post%2Dit%20Note%20Was,easily%20be%20removed%20without%20residue.

The Anxious Generation | Jonathan Haidt - https://jonathanhaidt.com/anxious-generation/

Thumbelina: The Culture and Technology of Millennials: Serres Professor of History of Science Stanford University, Michel, Smith Purdue University, Daniel W.: 9781783480715: Amazon.com: Books - https://www.amazon.com/Thumbelina-Technology-Millennials-Michel-Serres/dp/1783480718

Megan Forbes is an HR Professional and former colleague. Megan and I discuss the challenges faced by young people finding their way in todays corporate world. Her story, like most, started in the service industry (Shout out to Arby's, Rockaway Sales, and Jorgensens Rest in NJ) until that first "real job" presented itself as the stepping stone to the illusive "career".

As an executive I find these conversations helpful in understanding the individuals sitting on the other side of the desk during an interview. Conversations like this also help foster the idea of mentorship and the feeling that I've had since High School that I wanted to be an educator (but discovered I really like money lol).

Guest Bio:

Hi, I'm Megan,

As promised in the intro use this link and Promo Code TILLEY100 to save on your registration to #CUGI2025 Register Now – CU Growth & Innovation Summit - The CU Growth & Innovation Summit Looking forward to seeing you there. This is NOT an affiliate link and I am not being paid for this.

Production note... I'm still learning Davinci Resolve. Deal with it. Also, the Intro has some subtle and not subtle differences from the recording. I know, deal with it.

Episode recorded 2/25/2025

Today's quick episode is an examination of the Allegory of the Cave from Plato's Republic. I also talk about the gift of fire from Prometheus and the more recent version of the same story in The Matrix.

How often do we find ourselves "in the cave" unable to illuminate real knowledge?

Are we finding it hard to see with clarity in our business and personal lives?

Are you open to receiving the flame of knowledge when its made available to you?

The lessons learned from these stories of the ancient world can have an impact if you are open to them.

In Today's episode we discuss how I acquire knowledge in general.

I also discuss the following News topics:

1. GROK 3 to be unveiled Monday: https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/elon-musk-says-xais-grok-3-chatbot-be-unveiled-monday-2025-02-16/
2. Trump Visits a Boeing Plane?? https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/trump-tours-boeing-plane-spotlight-delay-getting-new-air-force-one-2025-02-15/
3. Tupac murder trial. No, seriously. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tupac-shakur-shooting-suspect-seeks-postpone-murder-trial-1235269989/

The podcast/Youtube channels mentioned in this episode can be found here:

Business and Finance general knowledge:

• Prog G Media - Includes the Prof G Markets Pod, Prof G Pod. and Raging Moderates Pod. The No Mercy, No Malice newsletter is also a great quick listen. https://profgmedia.com/the-pod/
• The Darling Consulting Groups On The Balance Sheet podcast: https://www.darlingconsulting.com/dcg-podcasts
• CUES Podcast - https://www.cues.org/Podcast

Other Knowledge:

• Veritasium - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnyfMqiRRG1u-2MsSQLbXA
• John Malecki Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@John_Malecki
• John Malecki Unscrewed (kind of a ridiculous channel but endlessly entertaining and a go-to for me on Sat or Sun mornings) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtR-g66KS3o37mbbSTrNm2Q
• Bourbon Moth Woodworking - https://www.youtube.com/@Bourbonmoth
• Jonathan Katz Moses Woodworking - https://www.youtube.com/@katzmosestools
• Aging Wheels - https://www.youtube.com/@agingwheels

Closing out 2024 with a "hello how ya 'doin episode.

Lays out the basic podcast content and format for you. Still very much a work in progress.

Please, be my guest. Bookings link here: https://the-knowledge-stack.captivate.fm/booking

Provide your info and give me some idea what you want to talk about. I have three or four folks in the hopper.

email me at [email protected] for more info.

Just a quick "hello world" from my first podcast "episode".