Credit unions entered 2026 with more digital ambition than any segment of the banking industry. Yet 60% are still in early stages of transformation or lack clear goals.

That’s not a strategy issue. It’s an execution issue.

In this episode of The Experience Factor, sponsored by Q2, Jim Marous sits down with Jesus Garcia, Chief Experience Officer at OceanAir Federal Credit Union, to examine what the 2026 Retail Banking Trends and Priorities report reveals about the credit union sector and how one institution is moving beyond ambition to measurable results.

This conversation covers:

* The execution gap

* The branch expansion paradox

* The talent contradiction

* Fintech partnerships that actually drive impact

* The open banking blind spot

* AI: substance vs optics

This discussion isn’t about strategy decks. It’s about what’s actually working and what must change.

The Experience Factor is sponsored by Q2. Download the 2026 Retail Banking Trends and Priorities Report here.