That’s because his old man, Mike Valentine, is the longtime (and soon-to-be retired) CEO at BCU ($6.5B, Vernon Hills, IL). Dave followed in his father’s footsteps and today serves as chief lending and experience officer at Consumers Credit Union ($4.6B, Lake Forest, IL).

In this special Father’s Day Q&A, the duo reflects on their relationship, their careers, lessons they’ve learned from each other, and more.

Dave, what did you think about your dad’s job and the industry as you were growing up? Did you always want to follow in Mike’s footsteps and join the industry?

Dave Valentine: He’s been at BCU longer than I’ve been alive, so it’s always been a part of my life. There was no “work dad” or “home dad,” it all melded together. He’s the same dude at the office that he is at home. Seeing how much he enjoyed what he does, how much he genuinely cares about people, it didn’t seem like a job at times. I thought, maybe I need to do something like that.

I had the opportunity to work part time in the summer from when I was 16 all the way through college, so for the better part of about six years I was working different jobs at BCU. I thought it was pretty neat.

Mike, what advice did you give to Dave as he entered credit union leadership?

Mike Valentine: When he got out of school he went to Wells Fargo. That’s probably the best thing he could have done because he found out what not to do. He learned a lot about financial services, but then he said maybe there’s something to this credit union stuff.

If there’s any advice I gave, it was to give it a shot and talk to some people, so he talked to a couple of different credit unions and business partners.

Whenever we would talk, it was usually about golf and the [Chicago] Cubs and Bears. Now, Dave’s talking about work stuff, and I’ve got to pay attention. It’s kind of made it a different world for us because we have that in common.

Was there a point when you both started to feel like colleagues as well as father and son?

MV: In this big crazy market we’re in, our headquarters are literally two miles from each other, but I see Dave more on the weekends than at work. If there’s a conference we see each other, but Dave usually won’t say “Dad,” he’ll say “Mike.”

As he’s moved into senior leadership positions, we really have become colleagues. I ask him for advice on a number of things, especially my upcoming retirement. He’s in our market and he’s observant, so it’s neat because I feel like he really has my back.

DV: As I said, he’s been doing this longer than I’ve been alive, and there’s a lot of wisdom there that I constantly learn from. I’d say it’s more me receiving than giving, but I think there’s been some more give in the past few years, given how Consumers has grown as an organization and the added responsibilities I’ve been fortunate to get here.

How much do you talk about credit unions when you’re together outside of work? What’s the credit union topic that comes up the most?

DV: We’ll average it out to say about half the time. It’s part of the normal talk track when you’re talking with anyone — how are things going with your job, what’s new, etc. It’s just that he and I can go super deep on the topic. We both want to continuously learn, so if there’s a hot topic or organizational changes, that propels us into deeper conversation.

MV: I agree, it kind of ebbs and flows with what’s happening in the market. Talent kind of moves back and forth [from Consumers to BCU and vice versa], but I’ll get all over my team about what David tells me they’re doing over at  Consumers, and within 15 minutes of the staff meeting he’s getting a text about it because everybody at our place knows him.

Are there areas where you disagree, whether that’s on leadership approaches, how aggressively to embrace AI, or something else?

MV: I’m slower with some of the newer things out there, and you could throw AI into that. Dave has a strong marketing sense to him. It’s interesting listening to him because sometimes I just don’t understand it. A lot of times I don’t disagree; I just don’t get it. But Dave knows about things, so I bug him to tell me what he means by something, and we pitch that back and forth.

DV: I have such a passion for the people who work here and the people who report directly to me, and I know he does as well. I want to be there for him. I want to support him. It’s that kind of leadership from the heart that’s something we definitely both have.

What are some of the toughest professional questions you’ve turned to each other for advice on?

DV: For me, it’s when I’ve been presented with opportunities as we’ve either grown and scaled or just needed to make some changes. Often it’s talking about how I’m observing the situation and thinking about approaching it, either with business strategy or org design. He’s been through a lot of things I haven’t, so that helps me make better decisions.

MV: As I was going through thoughts of retirement and succession planning, David was a fantastic sounding board for me. I almost call it a switch to him mentoring me and seeing people differently than I did. That was probably one of the more helpful things for me as I was marching down that lane for the past couple of years.

Dave, what’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned from Mike?

DV: It sounds simple, but be yourself. People can suss out if you’re being inauthentic, so really lead from the heart. Take the work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously. There’s zero difference between the person he is at home and the person he is at work. That made me understand why people enjoy working with him and want to partner with him.

You’ve got to do it your own way, but I think that’s where I saw how I can be effective. You can’t compartmentalize yourself. It’s a much better balance to just generally be the same person at home and at work.

Conversely, Mike, are there leadership lessons you’ve learned from Dave?

MV: I’m at 100,000 feet most of my life at work and rarely can I get down from there, but one of the things I’ve watched with David is his ability to get to 10,000 feet, 5,000 feet, and rise. A lot of people can’t do that. They’re either micromanaging or they’re where I am. At this point in his career, it’s so important that he do that, and one of the things I’ve watched is his ability to connect with people. It’s rare to see somebody under 40 who pays that much attention.

I have a quote that I love: “Listen to understand versus listening to respond.” Dave’s not listening to respond. He’s truly taking in the information and processing it. He may go with your thought or he may not, but you know he’s listening.

For both of you, what’s something you’ve learned from each other recently that changed your thinking?

DV: For me, watching his retirement process has been interesting because there’s really awesome stuff that he’s built over there. The board and the team at BCU have such admiration for him, and he runs the credit union so well. I’ve seen him step back and say, “This is a good time to allow someone to come in and take the reins.” That, to me, is true selflessness to the organization and putting ego aside.

Top that, Mike.

MV: Sometimes I’ll see Dave doing things at Consumers that we haven’t tried, and I’ll wonder why the heck we aren’t doing that. Dave has had some success in the mortgage business with outside LOS, and now we’ve got four or five people we’ve hired doing that. In other words, I’ve heard about it, seen it, and did something about it during the past year because of conversations with Dave.

We can talk about Dave and me, father and son, but the best thing you can have is a support system. You’ve got to be all in in this business, and if you do it right, you’re going to do it well. Every time we get together there’s a credit union topic that comes up. And it’s fun. Maybe it’s a little bit too much, but it’s great.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Do you have your own credit union family history?. We want to hear about it! Email editor@creditunions.com and fill us in, and we might feature your story CreditUnions.com.

The post A Credit Union Bond Beyond Bloodlines appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

HELOC BALANCES AND UTILIZATION
FOR U.S. CREDIT UNIONS
SOURCE: CALLAHAN & ASSOCIATES

Home equity loans and lines of credit were key drivers of credit union growth in the first quarter of 2026, according to remarks in Callahan & Associates’ latest Trendwatch webinar, and credit unions are taking different approaches to capture that demand.

Eras And Roots

Baton Rouge Telco Federal Credit Union ($456.4M, Baton Rouge, LA) has reported a 20% lift in home equity lending in the past several years. The southern credit union offers only HELOCs and does not provide closed-end home equity lending.

Although the demand has been steady, HELOC requests have by no means exploded, says Katie Guylette, the credit union’s chief lending officer. That’s partly by design.

The credit union focuses on auto lending — indirect auto makes up the majority of its loan portfolio — and promotes its home options twice a year. It runs a purchase campaign in the first half of the year and a HELOC campaign in the second half.

Telco used to combine its purchase and HELOC campaigns but found those member segments’ needs were different enough to require independent, tailored outreach.

“We’ve developed a strategy of trying to get much more specific and targeted with our messaging,” says Kristin Romero, chief experience officer.

The credit union is still crafting this year’s HELOC campaign, but it typically focuses on digital channels to raise awareness with existing members. It’s also got a wildly successful past campaign to draw on.

In 2024, Telco leaned into the cultural phenomenon of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to promote HELOC opportunities. That campaign proved to be the credit union’s most successful ever, Romero says, crediting a mix of smart timing and a more playful tone.

The credit union’s 2026 mortgage campaign highlights strong roots and smart financing, and the HELOC campaign is likely to take its cues from that, possibly with a “grow your roots” theme, Romero says.

“You’ve planted roots, now leverage that so you can achieve your dreams, that kind of thing,” she says.

Regardless of the campaign, one of Telco’s biggest lessons has simply been to offer a straight-forward product and communicate the benefits to members.

“Because we’re a bit smaller, members can feel like they’re getting that personal service and handholding with something that can be stressful,” Romero says.

Same Product, New Messaging

Home equity lending at TAPCO Credit Union ($719.3M, Fircrest, WA) has increased in the past 18 months, with demand shifting from open-ended HELOCs to termed home equity loans.

The credit union processes roughly an equal number of both, but HELOC borrowers typically access only $300,000 or so of available equity, compared with roughly $3 million issued at once in closed-end home equity loans, says Jeremy Mandery, chief retail and lending officer.

In the past, edgy campaigns like its 2022 “Big Deck Envy” helped TAPCO attract local attention, borrower business, and industry recognition, but as the economy has shifted and consumer sentiment has fallen, the credit union has altered its tone to focus more on community.

TAPCO is delivering much of its latest messaging through online banking and other digital channels, which tend to provide more consistent exposure to members than a one-off promotional email, says Jacob Rose, director of marketing.

The lending team has also worked with title companies and other vendors to identify direct mail prospects who have equity in their homes and live in the vicinity of a TAPCO branch. The credit union then sends a postcard with a scannable QR code that provides information.

The toned-down messaging and focus on community is also the result of a stronger market presence. Back when it launched Big Deck, it was trying to attract attention.

“People see us now,” Rose says. “The community sees us. We don’t need to be as splashy with some of that marketing.”

Mandery also credits CEO Justin Martin with shifting TAPCO’s overall approach.

“Over the past four years, we’ve had 25% asset growth and we’ve gotten back to the roots of what credit unions do,” Mandery says. “We are certainly outspent by some credit unions and regional banks in our area, but when it comes to boots on the ground, we’re there. That puts us in the room for opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise get.”

Visions Of Success

Across the country, demand for home equity products at Visions Federal Credit Union ($5.3B, Endwell, NY) has been high for the past few years but was flat in the early months of 2026. According to the credit union, seasonality is at play, and it is taking steps to boost interest.

“The demand is out there, but it’s been a sleepy start to the year,” says Mandy DeHate, chief marketing officer. “We’re starting to get more to our stride in terms of applications.”

Visions offers closed-end home equity loans and open-ended lines of credit, although DeHate says the latter tends to be more popular. To promote its products, the northeastern credit union has embraced digital marketing in a year filled with major sporting events. Over the top — or OTT, for short — ads served direct to audiences over the internet are helping the credit union capture eyeballs during high-profile sporting events like the Super Bowl, March Madness, the Winter Olympics, and this year’s FIFA World Cup. That effort works alongside Google Performance Max campaigns to increase Visions visibility across the broader Google network.

“We’ll get [consumers] while they’re searching, we’ll get them while they’re watching YouTube, we’ll get them as they’re going about their day,” DeHate says. “Those multiple touchpoints drive home the fact we’ve got this product, and I think it leads to faster decision-making and stronger credibility of our brand.”

That same approach extends to audience targeting. The credit union is running Spanish-language digital campaigns tailored to its Hispanic communities and ran a successful geofencing campaign in 2025 to target members visiting retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot located near one of Visions’ 61 branches. That campaign drove branch traffic, DeHate says, but it tracked visits rather than whether members ultimately opened a HELOC or completed another transaction.

Ultimately, although these efforts can attract new members, most HELOC applications at Visions still come from existing members — underscoring the importance of staying visible across channels and meeting members where they already are.

See how your home lending performance compares. Demand for home equity products is rising industrywide, but how does your credit union stack up against true peers? Peer Suite gives leaders instant access to 20 years of industry data, peer benchmarks, and goal-aligned performance analysis. Start your free 30-day trial of Peer Suite.

The post 3 Ways To Market For HELOC Success appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Homeownership is a key component of the American dream; it’s also part of the credit union dream. If a member holds a mortgage or home equity loan with the credit union, odds are they’ve got other products there as well. It’s one step closer to being their primary financial institution. Although not all credit unions offer mortgages, home loans of all kinds remain a notable driver of industry growth.

This week is all mortgages on CreditUnions.com. In the days to come, keep your eyes peeled for:

• Three ways credit union marketers at TAPCO Credit Union, Baton Rouge Telco FCU, and Visions FCU are making the most of growth in the home equity market. Read more in “3 Ways To Market For HELOC Success.”
• How a rethink of closing costs, rate relief, and employer partnerships helped 7 17 Credit Union build an affordable housing mortgage program that works. Read more in “Keep The Mortgage. Ditch The Fees.”
• Two takes from TAPCO Credit Union and Appalachian Community FCU on how the two cooperatives are looking to manufactured housing to bring affordable housing to younger borrowers, rural borrowers, low-income communities, and more. Read more in “Small House, Big Opportunity.”
• New insights into the industry’s mortgage performance as of the first quarter of 2026. Read more in “Mortgage Lending Is Back, But It Looks Different.”
• Plus, exclusive client content that digs into the nuanced mortgage opportunity taking shape around first-time buyers, shifting rate dynamics, and emerging risk signals. Read more in “Mortgage Lending Rebounds With New Borrowers And New Risks.”

Now it’s your turn. What’s driving mortgage growth for your credit union? Or, if you’re pulling back, why? We want to hear how your shop is approaching the home loan market. Drop us a line, and we might feature your story on CreditUnions.com.

The post Home Is Where The Heart (And More) Is appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Manufactured homes are gaining ground as an option for affordable housing. Although prices have risen in recent years, so, too, has the quality of manufactured homes. Despite lingering stereotypes, some credit unions consider manufactured housing a solid fit for specific borrowers and markets.

“We’re in a rural area, and it’s a good niche product for us,” says Vicki Gobble, chief financial officer at Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union ($183.7M, Kingsport, TN), which has offered manufactured home loans for decades. “Not a lot of institutions in our area will do these. For a rural area, it’s an affordable housing product that helps our members get into a home they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”

Partnerships with local manufactured home dealers have helped ACFCU gain a foothold in this space. Such relationships are key to the credit union’s success. Gobble says other lenders could pursue similar partnerships but question the value of such properties compared to traditional homes rather than the ability of borrowers to repay.

“I think it’s more of a perception of the collateral itself,” the CFO says.

Don’t stop here. Lower prices and better amenities are making pre-built homes an appealing option for credit unions looking to bolster their balance sheet and borrowers stymied by the affordable housing crisis. Read more in “Manufactured Homes Help Close The Housing Affordability Gap.”

Relationships And Realty

Appalachian Community does not advertise its manufactured home loan directly to members but works with manufacturers and local real estate companies to keep the pipeline flowing. In this way, it is similar to indirect lending.

For credit unions considering this space, Gobble says dealer relationships are key. The credit union must have a solid relationship with the dealer to ensure it’s providing the same level of service members would expect to receive at the credit union.

“It’s important to partner with a reputable company,” Gobble says. “Don’t just partner with an individual contractor.”

When it comes to making the loan, the credit union runs its manufactured home loans through the mortgage department rather than through the consumer side of the shop, and Gobble says they perform well thanks both to strong member relationships and rigorous underwriting. The credit union requires that borrowers own the land — a purchase can be added to the deal as a land/home package with the vendor — and that the home sit on a permanent foundation.

The CFO is confident that the persistent high price of stick-built homes means the opportunity in manufactured housing isn’t going away anytime soon.

“We’re not in an area where prices are going to drop,” she says. “This isn’t an area they’ve overbuilt.”

The key, she says, is to change consumers’ pre-existing perceptions of manufactured homes.

“Getting people to understand how it’s built will help them get past that hump of the perception of the value,” she says.

Balance Sheet Capacity

On the opposite end of the continent, TAPCO Credit Union ($719.3, Fircrest, WA) also makes manufactured home loans, but they constitute less than 10% of its overall portfolio says Jeremy Mandery, chief retail and lending officer.

According to Mandery, only a few applications come in per month, but when they do, TAPCO is ready.

“We want to support affordable housing, especially those homes that are less expensive than the median price in our area,” he says. “We’re trying to provide financing that’s reasonable, that makes sense, and that generates a return for our membership.”

The credit union hasn’t formed any partnerships with manufacturing companies, so prospective buyers won’t see TAPCO advertising on sales lots, but Mandery is quick to note that’s because it simply doesn’t have the space on the balance sheet to do so.

“We haven’t established any relationships with manufacturers at this point as we don’t have the balance sheet space needed for this type of commitment,” he says. “If you’re going to go to a manufacturer and be tied up, you want the ability to write whatever they’re going to bring you.”

The Washington-based cooperative provides purchase and home equity loans for manufactured homes, although it only runs purchases through the mortgage side of the shop. If a consumer already owns the property and is looking to tap into equity, the consumer underwriters handle it.

Pricing is also equivalent to rates for stick-built homes.

“We charge the same interest rate whether you have a $1.5 million stick-built home on the water or a $250,000 manufactured home on the smallest piece of property in the metro area,” Mandery says. “We try to be as inclusive in our lending practices as we can.”

To keep an eye on the market, Mandery monitors the space through loan sales and participations to gain a sense of average loan-to-values, property ages, strong markets, risk levels, and more. He also monitors loss rates and often caps LTV at 80% rather than the 90% or higher it might lend on a stick-built home. But when it comes to underwriting, it approaches the process no differently than it would any other house.

“We’re not in the business of foreclosing on properties, so we try to take a person-centric review from an underwriting criteria,” Mandery says. “Are they a good credit risk? Do we think we’ll get paid back? Does the property have anything to do with that? If we think it will work, we try to write the loan.”

Although TAPCO is still testing the waters of manufactured home lending, Mandery says there’s plenty of room to grow.

“I think it’s a growth space simply because the housing market in many locations is just unattainable for people under 35 and making less than $150,000 a year,” Mandery says. “There’s going to be dramatically more demand for it, which leads to an opportunity for credit unions like ours to be back in the first-time homebuyer space again, whereas today it’s just very difficult to be.”

Looking for gaps in your lending strategy? Manufactured home lending isn’t just a niche — it’s a lens into the markets underserved by traditional mortgage products. Peer+ helps credit unions uncover patterns in home lending performance, identify where members lack access, and benchmark approval rates against peers. Request a demo to see Peer+ in action.

The post Small House, Big Opportunity: 2 Takes On Manufactured Home Loans appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

A failed payment transaction is easy to dismiss as a service issue. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union ($8.5B, East Lansing, MI) treats it differently. It uses the moment to shape the member experience and turn payments into a point of leverage for loyalty.

In late 2024, the credit union introduced a service that automatically updates card details with major platforms like Amazon, Netflix, Venmo, and more. Members can take advantage when they open a new card or need to update an expiring or compromised card.

“People don’t need a loan every day,” says Benjamin Maxim, chief technology officer at MSUFCU. “They don’t need new deposit accounts every day, but what they’re paying with is daily brand engagement.”

The credit union’s innovation CUSO, The Reseda Group, joined forces with a fintech to offer the service, dubbed “Card Updater.” That fintech, Strivve, works with banks and credit unions to manage the relationships and connectivity with digital service providers, often using AI or low-tech robotic process automation.

According to Maxim, few things erode cardholder loyalty faster than a payment that doesn’t work. This service is essential in heading that off.

“Making sure our card stays in the stored payment areas was our main focus,” he says. “Interchange revenue is a focus of ours. We’re going to cut debit card interchange in half when we hit $10 billion in assets. The more transactions we can have on the credit card side, the stronger.”

MSUFCU has linked Card Updater with both its credit and debit portfolios and has built the service into its mobile banking and online platforms. As of year-end 2025, 891 unique cardholders used the service nearly 1,300 times, according to Maxim.

Beyond Interchange

Although Card Updater will help drive interchange revenue for the cooperative, Maxim says the service is more broadly about improving the member experience.

“We’re trying to add things to the digital experience and facilitate that embedded payment experience everyone’s moving toward,” the CTO says. “Think about all the places you store your card — your Starbucks wallet, Venmo, Uber, Airbnb. When the card breaks, all those payment methods break. Is it MSUFCU’s fault you can no longer book your car or do X, Y, and Z? We want to make sure we’re not to blame, but we’re also resolving whatever you can’t do in the moment. This helps make sure all those embedded payments are working.”

Card Updater is a relatively new feature for MSUFCU, but Maxim says it has already provided a strong ROI and leadership is confident the service has prevented attrition to other plastic providers like Capital One. And, says Maxim, plenty of members have been vocal about their positive experiences with it.

“The loyalty we’ve built is probably worth its weight in gold,” he says. “It helps retain members, and if you’re new to the credit union, it helps you adopt the credit union as one that you trust and use versus needing to do a lot of work to update stored payments. If we can make it easier, you’re more likely to use this card that you chose for a reason.”

Lessons Learned

Card Updater is situational, Maxim says, and credit unions need to build it into their workflows so members have it when they need it rather than seeking it out as an extra service.

“They need it in a certain moment and you need to deliver it in that certain moment,” he says. “If you were to run ROI calculations, you need to look at how many people you issue new cards to and how many members or new cards you issue every month because of fraud or new memberships or whatever reason. That’s going to be your value. Then compare that for an ROI but also consider the lift and the loyalty.”

Loyalty isn’t accidental. MSUFCU’s Card Updater shows how removing friction at the right moment builds the kind of trust that keeps members from drifting to other providers. Gallup research shows emotionally engaged members are 5.4x more likely to stay and 5.6x more likely to trust their credit union as a financial advisor. The Member Engagement & Financial Wellbeing Consortium helps credit unions build that trust intentionally, across every touchpoint. Learn more.

The post MSUFCU Turns A Break In Payments Into A Member Experience Moment appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

If there’s one person who knows the history at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($36.7B, Tustin, CA), it’s Marina Miller. More than 40 years ago, when it was still known as Orange County Teachers Credit Union, she inquired about a summer job before college. She’s been there ever since.

Although opportunities just kept showing up, Miller says it’s the culture that has kept her there.

“We make a difference for the community members we serve, and serving the educational community is so impactful,” she says. “This is where I belong and where I can do the best work.”

For more than a decade, Miller has served as SchoolsFirst FCU’s vice president of history and culture, a job that connects her to the credit union’s roots and helps her educate others on where the credit union came from and where it’s going.

What is your elevator pitch when someone asks what you do?

Marina Miller: I’m responsible for ensuring our culture stays alive and our values are embedded into everything we do. I also get to work on finding ways to show appreciation for our team, so recognitions, rewards, and celebrations are hosted in my area. We know that if we take care of the team, they will take care of the members. That’s been our secret sauce.

We’re 92 years strong at this point. It’s important we understand where we came from so we know where we’re going. In our new corporate office, we dedicated a room to display the rich history and legacy of our credit union. We start with the beginning of the credit union movement and walk through the years of how SchoolsFirst FCU — then known as Orange County Teachers Credit Union — was formed and who our founding fathers were. We have wonderful pictures and artifacts built out in the space. It is an experience. All of our new hires go through it to understand where we’ve come from and what we’ve done.

What’s the story behind your title?

MM: Rudy Hanley was the CEO here for 32 years, and when he retired, he said the one thing that kept him up at night was wondering what was going to happen with the culture of the credit union. He led with a member-service focus, and that’s what we’re here for.

We took a lot of time trying to figure out the best way to keep our culture alive. He felt it was important to create a position, which is the position I’m in now, to preserve the history and culture for the credit union, and he felt I would be the person who could lead it. What an honor to have your CEO approach you and say, “I want to make sure our culture stays alive and that our history is always at the forefront, and I want you to lead that.”

It was an opportunity I could never say no to. I was flattered, and I hope I’ve made him proud. We’ve really grown the role, and it’s been infused into everything we do.

What makes your role interesting?

MM: To take our history and make it interesting and relevant to today in different ways has been exciting. I also lead the meeting and event technology side of the house, so we’ve been able to lean into video and technology for some of the learning tech. The more new ways to get our history in front of our team, the better. Especially now that we serve the whole state of California, folks don’t always have an opportunity to visit and explore our history room.

What part of your role energizes you? Conversely, what part challenges you the most?

MM: We serve four different generations of a workforce, and not everybody wants to be taught, recognized and celebrated in the same way. Finding ways to make those connections is a challenge, but I view it as a fun opportunity to make an impact at different levels. Trying to figure out what motivates and keeps team members engaged is interesting — you think you understand it until you don’t, and then you have to pivot.

For our Dream Team conference, an annual event celebrating all 3,000 team members at once, we needed new ways to make connections. We used to do in-person conferences, but today it’s hard to do that, so we had to find new ways to make it more engaging. We came up with an app where we can have interactive activities during the conference for team members to join remotely. That’s been different because we’re going from in-person to virtual but still engaging team members and ensuring they’re able to participate.

Are there any misconceptions about your role?

MM: People think we’re the party people; we’re always just having fun. Little do they know there’s a lot of work that goes into everything we do because everything has to be curated for the special activity or event to ensure alignment and at the same time, stay on budget. We’re very resourceful, and we have to get super creative which can be a challenge when planning over 50 events each year. Team members might not know all the details it takes to make everything come together; they just experience it when it’s pushed through.

What is the No. 1 skill you need to do your job?

MM: A passion to serve.

Could someone from outside the credit union step into this role?

MM: I don’t think you need tenure to be successful in this role. I took the responsibility of this role to a level where I would want to make Rudy Hanley proud. Everything I do is documented — we have photos, videos, we have storyboards, we have printed material about our history. If someone really wanted to be successful in this role, they could learn about it and become engrossed in it. If they have that passion to serve, they’ll figure it out.

Clearly, it would be easier if you knew a little about the credit union’s history, but you can learn that. The right person who has passion and creativity can be successful.

How does your role contribute to the success of the credit union in ways people might not expect?

MM: I have a team of four direct reports, two of whom assist me with organizational events and meetings, a manager who primarily oversees a team of 10 who runs our Dream Team Orientation and Service University, and a fourth person who supports our media and event technology. Our success is the fact that we help tell the credit union’s story. We build a foundation for incoming team members and we help tell the story through technology.

How do you define success in your role?

MM: Through our team-engagement scores and member-engagement scores. They’re outstanding — they’re top class. We try to get the pulse of our team on how they’re feeling, how engaged they are, and we have team members openly share if they have issues or concerns through our annual team engagement survey. We have a great recognition platform that we lead and host — called the Pulse, funnily enough — and our team members tell us how we’re doing.

If your role didn’t exist, what would your credit union be missing?

MM: I don’t know if we’d have as much of a focus on and respect for the past. In the next decade, there’s going to be so many tenured people, with so many years of credit union history who will be retiring and leaving the credit union in the hands of those who come behind us. It will be interesting to see whether it will continue in that same manner.

Why do credit unions need this role?

MM: We need to realize where we came from; some of those humble beginnings and how we made an impact on the lives we serve. We can shape our future with our past if we understand this is where we came from, this is what sets us up for success, and if we continue on this path, we’ll continue to grow and thrive. That says a lot about who we are. It’s all of those member stories and the impact we make in the school districts and the way we give back to the communities we serve. We are definitely here to serve our members, not ourselves, and people need to understand that difference.

What should people know about your role that you haven’t addressed already?

MM: Our stories and impact we make to the communities we serve extend beyond our doors. Whenever we need to rally on the legislative front, we have a story to tell and we’re ready to put it out in front of them. It’s not just internal, it’s about how we continue to stay at the forefront when it comes to the political scene.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Member engagement begins with employee empowerment. SchoolsFirst FCU’s investment in culture, from onboarding experiences to recognition programs, reflects what Gallup research confirms: when employees feel connected to the mission, they deliver experiences that build emotional trust and drive member loyalty. The Member Engagement & Financial Wellbeing Consortium helps credit unions activate this internal shift from the inside out. Learn more.

The post What’s In A Name: Vice President Of History And Culture appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Those developments come as the industry’s average member age remains in the mid-40s, and credit unions of all sizes search for ways to attract young members and hold them over the long haul.

From First Account To Adulthood

In 2025, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($36.7B, Tustin, CA) had more than 139,000 members who were age 17 or younger. That’s a triple-digit increase of 142% since 2010. Even better, the credit union has tracked that cohort’s engagement upon reaching adulthood and has noted a steady uptick in participation and engagement that rivals its average adult member.

SCHOOLSFIRST FCU MEMBERS WITH 4 TO 7 PRODUCTS
FOR SCHOOLSFIRST FCU | DATA AS OF 2025
SOURCE: SCHOOLSFIRST FCU

Young members of SchoolsFirst FCU have two youth account options, depending on their age. Those up to 12 years old may join the credit union’s Junior Varsity Club, whereas 13- to 17-year-olds may join the Varsity Club.

Parents generally open youth accounts when children are approximately 6 years old, although enrollment is balanced across all age groups. Regardless of age, the credit union offers age-appropriate products and services for each cohort, such as the College Saver Share Certificates and a Youth Debit Mastercard with spending and withdrawal limits. A whopping 69% of Varsity memberships carry the youth debit card, with 53% of those members actively using it.

A full 87% of youth memberships are opened in the branch, but the credit union notes a growing number of youth membership application coming in across digital channels, including online and mobile. To bolster that growth and highlight its youth offerings, the cooperative is producing web content, print materials, educational workshops, and more.

Once the credit union signs up a young member, it offers financial workshops as well as online and mobile services to serve them as they grow into adulthood. It also leans on modern communication platforms, including social media video, to connect with young members on channels they prefer.

SchoolsFirst FCU builds its youth-to-adult engagement model around four key areas:

• Early Financial Education And Workshops — This includes money management, in-school events, digital and print resources, and more.
• Youth Products — From youth debit cards to savings accounts and beyond, SchoolsFirst FCU supports all its youth products with education, resources, and guardrails like ATM usage limits to encourage responsible use.
• Parental Engagement — Those overseeing the accounts have guidance on different product tools and features, best practices to support youth financial development, and more.
• Automatic Transition To Adult Membership — This step at age 18 ensures continuity and minimizes friction to preserve member relationships. It also provides immediate access to checking and debit products, savings tools, credit-building opportunities, and more, with no new onboarding required.

No Substitute For School

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union ($2.2B, Lowell, MA) has operated in-school branches since 1997 and currently runs three, the newest of which has been in place for a decade. The credit union tracks member engagement for those who start their accounts as students and reports 80% are still active 15 years later.

What does that engagement look like? The cohort holds more than a single savings account, and credit union leaders are digging into whether those members have taken out loans and how their participation has changed over time.

“We build their trust and get them at the start of their banking relationship,” says Robin Lorenzen, chief marketing officer. “They trust us because we were there when they were growing up.”

Jeanne D’Arc recruits high school branch managers to engage with the students, teaching the basics of banking and writing scholarship recommendation letters. It also offers student interns class credit for working the in-school branch. Those interns also help spread the word about the credit union.

Even with modern digital banking and financial education tools, Lorenzen says there’s no replacement for the in-school branch experience and classroom-based financial education.

“They’re engaged on multiple levels because we’ve come to them instead of trying to get them to come to us,” she says. “We’re meeting them where they are, and those high school branches create a unique relationship with the students.”

“This generation wants to do it themselves, but they want somebody there when they need help,” she says.

But branches alone aren’t enough, Lorenzen adds. The credit union also has a six-person financial education team that supplements the in-school branches and teaches in the classroom. Those multiple touch points reinforce themselves over time, building a relationship with the students that leads to trust and long-term engagement.

The credit union provides in-person support and builds relationships through high school branches. As those members age out, they know they can still turn to a branch when they need help, but they also know how to navigate online banking and self-service resources.

The growth of self-service channels in the past 15 years has been instrumental in forging long-term engagement, Lorenzen says, because graduating students know they don’t need to find another bank or credit union after high school.

“They know they can still bank with us,” the CMO says. “That trust is there, so they take us with them.”

Lessons Learned

To replicate the success of SchoolsFirst FCU and Jeann D’Arc, both credit unions say it’s important to understand this a long-term commitment to member development, not short-term product growth.

SchoolsFirst FCU also says its crucial to empower front-line staff to act as advocates for members. Thoughtful questions paired with the right solutions, not a focus on pushing products, builds trust early and establishes the foundation for a durable relationship.

For Jeanne D’Arc, maintaining touchpoints with students is key. This includes the in-school branch as well as the classroom, student activities, Reality Fairs, and more.

Equally important? Try to keep it light.

“In high school it’s not all about selling and teaching,” Lorenzen says. “There are ways to bring in the kids to interact, whether it’s trivia or giveaways or something like that. It’s not always about banking; it’s about connection.”

The post 2 Tactics To Increase Young Member Engagement appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Coffee at the branch and a friendly smile aren’t gonna cut it anymore. Members still appreciate those amenities, but just like low rates, low fees, and a top-tier digital experience, that’s all table stakes now.

Once a conversation centered on front-line service, member experience has become an enterprise-level responsibility shaped by digital channels, data, and rising expectations.

CreditUnions.com is all about member experience this week. In the days to come, keep your eyes peeled for:

• The three C’s of the modern call center.
• Six hot takes on MX from the leaders tasked with shaping it.
• How all-digital Alliant puts the human experience first.
• FORUM Credit Union’s approach to MX oversight that ensures nothing gets overlooked.
• Callahan Client Webinar: Learn how Travis Credit Union cut contact center wait times by 90% in less than a year. Register now.

Now it’s your turn. Simply put, what is your credit union doing to maximize member experience? Drop us a line, and we might feature your story on CreditUnions.com.

The post Coffee And A Smile? Not Good Enough. appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

The contact center at University Federal Credit Union ($4.2B, Austin, TX), splits approximately 65 employees between phone and digital channels. As part of the member service department, the contact center is evolving along with the larger institution.

“Our headcount depends on where the organization is with our digital and self-service tools,” says Becca Pike, director of member services. “We’re still building the foundation of our digital transformation, so our headcount is fairly consistent today with what it has been historically, although I see that shifting as we see what volumes come in through which channels.”

UFCU typically starts all contact center staff in the phone channel so they can build a solid understanding of the organization’s systems and its sales and service model. As employees build on that foundation, gain confidence, and learn to appreciate the empathy needed, they can then shift to digital channels.

Similarly, GreenState Credit Union ($11.2B, North Liberty, IA) splits its team of 60 between phone and digital channels, with the latter group focused on chat, email, and ITM service. The credit union serves more than 400,000 members across branches in three states; the contact center alone supports approximately 50,000 interactions each month.

Staffing is split roughly 60/40 based on where the growth is at any given time. If the credit union is deploying ITMs, for example, it’s likely to increased hiring on the digital side. If it has released new products and expects an influx of phone calls, it’s likely to staff up the call side.

To create pathways for advancement and avoid turnover, GreenState employs three levels of contact center specialists that take on higher-risk tasks — from credit card advances and mortgage and wire calls to eventually call monitoring, quality assurance, training, and more. And to reassure staff that AI and automation won’t be taking their jobs, GreenState is upskilling specialists for more complex needs beyond what is now level three.

“Our North Star is always going to be member experience and reducing friction, but our star right next to it is employee engagement,” says Amy Stevens, senior vice president of member experience.

Out west, Desert Financial Credit Union ($9.5B, Phoenix, AZ) has slightly more than 150 contact center employees to serve its more than 500,000 members. It divides that group into four different teams, including service — which is the largest group with the highest turnover — sales, digital, and member loyalty. That latter is focused on member retention.

Desert Financial expects the sales team to generate at least four times the monthly revenue of a branch salesperson, and the contact center drives approximately 60% of the credit union’s lending support. Christina Mijares, assistant vice president of the member engagement center, staffs for specific teams and says moving to a universal model would change staffing needs for the entire contact center.

Integration And Food For Thought

Contact center leaders often struggle to help their staff members feel they are a part of rather than apart from the rest of the organization.

GreenState runs a relatively lean team, and Stevens says she has “lots of champions embedded in business units” across the credit union, which ensures the executive leadership team knows what’s happening in the contact center.

Stevens’ team also has monthly liaison meetings with cards, marketing, collections, and other departments to understand what’s happening in those areas. That not only keeps the contact center up to date but also creates growth and integration opportunities for those employees. Executive leadership also listens to calls every month to get a sense of what members are reaching out about.

“Senior leadership gives a lot of shout outs to this team, and it wasn’t always this way,” Stevens says. “Contact centers can have a negative connotation, and we’ve been able to garner respect.”

At UFCU, Pike says there’s a clear understanding that the contact center is the intake for the credit union.

“We’re the place people go if and when a journey broke,” she says.

That requires a high level of awareness about what’s going on across the organization. If members reach out and the contact center doesn’t know what’s going on, that doesn’t instill a high level of confidence, the director says.

To mitigate that risk, contact center leaders regularly meet with staff in key departments. For example, they meet monthly with branch and payments leaders because service inquiries frequently relate to those departments.

Desert Financial’s quarterly “Food For Thought” sessions bring in senior leaders across different departments to eat lunch and observe the contact center to gain a better understanding of how their work affects the contact center.

“Doing that repetitively and being consistent about it has created more awareness,” Mijares says.

A quarterly contact center newsletter also helps keep the entire institution informed about what’s happening there, and Mijares makes sure to mix data with photos to deepen the connection to the center.

Building Culture

The cadence of contact center work is different from the branches or back office, where there are more opportunities for employes to chat and form relationships. Because the contact center has a much faster rhythm, Mijares says she’s intentional about building a culture that matches the rest of the organization yet support contact center requirements.

“You cannot overstate how critical that onboarding process is,” she says. “It’s uncomfortable for people to take a call, have no idea what it’s going to be, and be unprepared. The call center onboarding experience is a game changer. It’s make or break.”

Since staffing the contact center can often feel like running a complaint line, UFCU’s Pike says internal culture is important.

“All of us are in it together,” she says. “How we support one another — from phone reps to leadership — is a crucial part of how we’re empowered to solve issues.”

No matter how technology, consumer preferences, or regulatory agendas change, Stevens at GreenState says culture and a laser focus on the member-service mission is critical.

“As long as you have that, you can weather whatever changes you go through,” she says. “The people on the team need the mindset that we’re going to collect feedback, do something about the feedback, and improve on that while at the same time ensuring the member that their voice was heard.”

The post The 3 C’s Of Contact Center Success appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Consumer credit card debt rose by 116% year-over-year in 2025, according to a 2026 study from WalletHub. A full 78% of that increase came during the fourth quarter. With gas prices up more than 30% since the start of the Iran war and other prices expected to remain high, consumers could be reaching more for their credit cards in the months to come.

TOTAL OUSTANDING CREDIT CARD DEBT (ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION)
FOR U.S. CONSUMERS | DATA AS OF 12.31.25
SOURCE: WALLETHUB

STRATEGIC INSIGHTS

• At $1.33 trillion, total credit card debt is only slightly lower than its $147 billion peak in 2008.
• From a credit union industry perspective, credit card loan growth closed out 2025 at 3.41%, according to data from Callahan & Associates. That’s well below the fourth quarter 2022 peak of 15.88% but in line with historical norms since the Great Recession.
• Adjusted for inflation, average U.S. household credit card debt topped $11,561 at the end of 2025, a 2.3% increase from the prior year.
• The average member balance at credit unions was $3,403 at year-end. Some of that difference could be tied to lower interest rates at credit unions, which compound into comparatively lower balances over time.
• The rise in credit card debt is augmented by increases in the BNPL space. According to a PYMNTS series, 38% of credit union members say they would use BNPL if their credit union offered it. That figure nearly doubles for millennial and Gen Z members, nearly half (48%) of whom say they’ve already used outside providers like Affirm, Klarna, and others.
• It’s unclear how many credit unions currently offer in-house BNPL solutions. A March 2024 study from PYMNTS and Velera found just 1.5% of credit unions offered the service.

The post Consumers Are Financing The Future Any Way They Can appeared first on CreditUnions.com.