In this episode of The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast, I sit down with Randy Ralston, a seasoned entrepreneur and blockchain expert, to explore how credit unions can effectively engage with cryptocurrency in a values-aligned manner. We dive into the evolving landscape of digital assets, discussing the risks of inaction for credit unions, including potential deposit losses and the need to attract younger members. Randy shares insights on the importance of integrating digital assets into credit union operations to maintain relevance and revenue streams. From digital vaulting to leveraging crypto for liquidity, we unpack actionable strategies that can help credit unions navigate this complex yet promising frontier. Join us for a compelling conversation that challenges traditional banking paradigms and highlights the future of finance.

For younger generations, the notion of depositing a check at a branch is as antiquated as the notion of booking a flight at a travel agency. The financial landscape has evolved dramatically over the last few decades, and credit unions are working hard to keep pace. 

Consolidation and growth in the credit union movement have helped some credit unions stay competitive, but at what cost? Do credit unions that are focused on aggressive growth risk losing sight of their purpose? Are they able to effectively serve their communities?

The answers to these questions are not definitive; a lot depends on the approach. We sat down with Derrick Aguilar, a 20-year veteran of the credit union movement and Chief Experience Officer at PenAir Credit Union (a PixelSpoke client), to talk about how credit unions have evolved over the last decades, and how they've stayed the same. 

We also addressed this month's BIG question:

How can credit unions grow while never losing sight of their member experience, community roots, and commitment to financial health?

The end of another year is upon us. Over the course of 2025, we’ve had the opportunity to speak to a wide range of leaders in the credit union movement, delve deep into trending topics, and stay close to industry news.

In our final episode of the year, our co-host Katie Stone, also CEO and Co-Owner at PixelSpoke, takes the guest seat, along with PixelSpoke President and Co-Owner Dave Drouin. Together, they reflect on this month’s BIG question:

When it comes to credit union marketing and leadership, what are some of the dominant themes that have emerged over the past year, and what should we be keeping top of mind for 2026?

Perhaps you're getting a little sick of all the AI hype. Perhaps you're totally into all the AI hype. Perhaps you're intrigued, but you're not sure how to leverage AI most effectively. Perhaps you're a skeptic who wishes we could turn back the clock. 

No matter how you feel about AI, the truth is, it's here to stay. So how can credit unions best leverage it without sacrificing the "people helping people" philosophy that defines the movement? 

With the technology still being so new, the unknowns can feel scary. But there are some early adopters with nuggets of wisdom and learned experience that may be able to help the rest of us. We sat down with one of these early adopters, Ken Brossman, Chief Lending Officer at Marine Credit Union, to talk about the highs and lows of Marine's five-year AI lending journey. 

We also addressed this month's BIG question:

Where is the greatest opportunity to deploy AI in credit union lending, and where is the greatest risk?

We think of finance as a science, not an art. But the truth is, when it comes to our personal finances, money is about so much more than numbers.

World-renowned financial wellness expert Manisha Thakor joins us to talk about how our emotions affect our financial decisions, what we can learn about behavior change from Weight Watchers, and what opportunities she sees for credit unions to leverage our emotional connection to money to build more authentic relationships with their members.

She also addresses this month's BIG question:

How can we use our emotional connection to money to empower credit unions to create happy members, financial resilience, and ethical business growth?

According to a survey conducted by Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), Gen Z doesn't know all that much about credit unions. Perhaps this doesn't come as a surprise, but it's most definitely an issue that the credit union movement must be actively working to address.

DCU is setting an example for how to recruit and engage Gen Z members in a way that isn't, as a Gen Z'er might put it, cringe. We sat down with Sue Burton, SVP of Experience for DCU, to talk about their efforts to date and to address this month's BIG question:

Why do so few Gen Z’ers know about credit unions, and how can credit union marketers authentically reach and connect with this rising generation?

Credit unions have reams of data at their fingertips. They can measure member satisfaction, website traffic, loan and account conversions, market trends, and financial performance.

But the one metric credit unions aren’t generally measuring just might be the most important one: member financial health.

Andy Bandyopadhyay, Founder and CEO of Attune, would like to change that. Hospitals measure patient outcomes; why don’t credit unions measure financial outcomes? If financial wellness isn’t improving, are credit unions really doing their job?

These are just a few of the questions that Andy addresses in this month’s episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast, along with our BIG question:

How can credit unions lead with financial wellness over products, and what’s in it for them?

Last year, credit union members needed more help than ever. Whether they needed help navigating online banking, making a loan payment,  accessing a stimulus check, or applying for a PPP Loan, members were overwhelming call centers and online contact forms in search of guidance and support.

While credit unions have long prided themselves on building relationships that value people over products, COVID upped the ante for prioritizing member service. Sue Woodard, Chief Customer Officer at Total Expert, joins our podcast this month to tackle this month's BIG question:

How has COVID impacted member engagement and communication efforts and what new strategies will stick as we return to “normal?”

In this special episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast, we explore the surprising parallels between beloved folk-rock band, The Avett Brothers, and effective strategies for credit union marketing.

When our host, Katie Stone, discovered that she isn't the only superfan of The Avett Brothers in the credit union movement, she invited Call Federal Credit Union's Director of Marketing & Financial Education, Greta Kidd, and Alternatives Federal Credit Union's Director of Education & Training, Brendan Wilbur, to nerd out with her, and to address this month's BIG question:

What can The Avett Brothers teach us about credit union marketing?

Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum from "Never heard of The Avett Brothers" to "I'm completely obsessed," you'll come away with valuable insights about why some folk-rock bands, and some credit unions, rise above the rest.

In the midst of what has already been a tumultuous year, the credit union movement was rattled in April by the unexpected firings of NCUA Board Chairs, Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka. There has been a lot of speculation about what this could mean for the future of credit unions and the broader financial services industry.

Elizabeth Eurgubian, a current Partner at Atlas Advocacy and the former NCUA Director of External Affairs and Communications and Policy Adviser, joins us on this month’s episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to offer both perspective and levity. We discuss some of the NCUA initiatives embarked upon during her tenure, the continued importance of bipartisanship, and of course, this month’s BIG question:

What are the consequences, either intentional or unintentional, of the recent NCUA shake-up, and how can credit unions mobilize to protect the future of the movement?