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?”

Sue shares how to create member journeys that drive engagement, human connection, and a personalized experience... even for indirect members!

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 shakeup, and how can credit unions mobilize to protect the future of the movement?

To say there is uncertainty in the credit union movement right now is an understatement. The NCUA shake-up has left many feeling… well, a bit shaken up. And though tax exemption and funding for CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are protected for now, it’s hard to say when “for now” might abruptly end.

When compared to concerns about the NCUA and credit union tax status, there has not been as much outcry over the precarious future of the CDFI fund. Considering that only about 12% of credit unions are CDFIs, this makes sense, but the loss of funding could have significant ripple effects across the movement as a whole. In this episode, we talk to Armand Parvazi, Strategic Adviser at CUCollaborate and former Chief Administrative & Development Officer at New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, to get his take on this month’s BIG question:

Why does the CDFI fund matter and how can we engage the credit union movement in protecting it?

These days, most people automatically think of technology when they think of innovation, but innovation doesn’t require fancy digital bells and whistles. In fact, sometimes the most impactful innovations aren’t about dramatic invention, but rather incremental iteration.

Philanthropy is a field that’s rife with opportunities for iteration, and Gloria Dixon, BECU’s Director of Philanthropy and the Executive Director of the BECU Foundation, isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. As one of the top five largest credit unions in the United States, Washington-based BECU is known for its massive breadth, but what’s remarkable about the credit union’s community development work is that its impact runs both wide and deep.

In this month’s episode, we talk to Gloria about how she’s steering the credit union’s philanthropic efforts and iterating as she goes. We also address our BIG question:

How can credit unions be more involved in meaningful systems change, particularly when it comes to economic inequality?

Between natural disasters, economic volatility, and political chaos, there is a lot to respond to these days. It’s important for credit unions to create contingency plans and prepare for crisis. It’s equally important to escape the reactivity trap by proactively creating opportunities for joy and connection.

That’s precisely what Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union has done with 325 Day, an event with a name that refers both to its date and the credit union’s local area code. The idea is to celebrate local businesses, gather community members, and most importantly, have fun!

This month, we’re joined by Abilene Teacher FCU’s Community Development Officer, Elizabeth Gray, and Marketing Director, Kathy Mayer, to talk about the evolution of the event and its growing impact. We also address this month’s BIG question:

During an era when so much is moving online, why is a sense of place still important and how does your credit union benefit by bringing people together in real life?

The listeners of this podcast are likely to know that credit unions are financial cooperatives — an identity that some credit unions lean into and others don't talk about much. Amongst the general U.S. population, our understanding of cooperatives is limited, at best. Most people are ill-equipped to distinguish between, say, a consumer co-op, like a credit union, and a worker co-op, like PixelSpoke! 

We'd like to change that, and we think that credit unions can play a crucial role, not only in expanding our general understanding of what co-ops are and why they matter, but also in supporting the broader cooperative ecosystem.

We're excited to be joined by two guests who have made it their life's work to expand access to ownership through the cooperative business model. Frank Cetera is the Business Transfers Program Director for the Democracy at Work Institute, which helps communities overcome accelerating economic and social crises through worker ownership, and also a Board Member of local CDFI, Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union. Stacey Smith is SVP and Head of Programs at Project Equity, which helps raise awareness of broad based employee ownership and supports businesses transitioning to employee ownership.

Frank and Stacey help us tackle this month's BIG Question:

How can credit unions more broadly support a cooperative economy, and what specific needs can they address for co-ops in their communities?

What is a micro-interaction, and why should credit unions care? Fintech growth and business transformation strategist Samantha Paxson joins us on The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to discuss how credit unions could benefit from focusing less on big loans and focusing more on daily financial activities. 

We talk about how frequently used financial tools and services, like debit cards and P2P payments, not only help keep your credit union top of mind for members but also help keep member financial wellness front and center for your credit union. We also unpack this month’s BIG question:

When it comes to sustainable growth, what underutilized, high-impact strategies should credit unions be pursuing in 2025?