As credit unions set their sights on the opportunities and challenges of 2026, the experiences of 2025 provide valuable perspective on what it means to succeed as a modern credit union.
This year, industry leaders spoke candidly with CreditUnions.com about purpose, adaptability, and serving employees as well as members amid a shifting economic landscape. The lessons featured below capture — in their own words — how credit union leaders are redefining success by focusing on purpose over profit and long-term impact over short-term gains.
Enjoy these insights.
1. Don’t Be Scared To Do Things Differently
Leaders must recognize when to release outdated priorities and trust their teams with new directions. Leading with purpose requires leaders to carefully consider what to stop doing even as the excitement of new initiatives call.
Michael Crowl began his career at University Federal Credit Union ($4.2B, Austin, TX) in 2005 as a senior analyst. In the past two decades, he’s worked his way up the org chart, becoming president and CEO in 2022. Once at the helm, Crowl collaborated with UFCU’s board and executive team to launch a transformational strategic plan that pushed the credit union to rethink the way it approaches decisions.
Read more in “Purpose, Priorities, And The Power Of Letting Go.”
2. Impact Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated
If you see a need, and you’re not meeting it, dig in. It takes a lot of bravery to do that. Impact doesn’t require a lightning-in-a-bottle moment. It needs passion, presence, and the right people at the table.
As the community development manager at Alltru Federal Credit Union ($374.6M, Wentzville, MO), Tracy Verner was not only named a “Top 100 St. Louisans to Know to Succeed in Business” by St. Louis Small Business Monthly but also was honored at the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year. She says it’s an honor to be recognized for the work that she loves, but she’s just getting started as a key advocate for financial empowerment.
Read more in “Tracy Verner Is Breaking Barriers In St. Louis Finance.”
3. Know How To Communicate A Vision
At the CEO level, at a $1.2 billion institution, what you physically do is ineffective. When you get to a certain level, it’s not what you do but how you get the people who work for you to see your vision and execute it.
Jeff Carpenter joined the credit union movement in the mid-1980s and credits Doug Fecher, former CEO of Wright-Patt Credit Union, for helping Carpenter build a leadership mindset. Carpenter later led CME Federal Credit Union before taking on his current role as CEO at WEOKIE Federal Credit Union ($1.5B, Oklahoma City, OK) in July 2020. All along the way, he’s been thankful to have found a career that balances his educational background in finance with the opportunity to help people every sing day.
Read more in “CEO Onboarding: Jeff Carpenter, WEOKIE FCU.”
4. Find Joy In Serving People
I get out of bed every day and go to work to serve our members, but equally important is empowering the team, trying to motivate them, and bringing them together to create a culture I want to work in.
Early in his career, Brent Rempe worked in education. He helped launch a high school in Kansas City, MO, and later guided middle school students through a grant-funded financial literacy program that opened more than 650 youth savings accounts at an Oklahoma credit union. That experience, along with his master’s degree in economic education, eventually led him to join the industry. Today, Rempe is the president and CEO of First Alliance Credit Union ($284.4M, Rochester, MN), where he is using that foundation of education and service to define his own brand of credit union leadership.
Read more in “Brent Rempe On Leadership.”
5. Don’t Get Too Comfortable
It’s better if the CEO has to hustle, to continuously earn that confidence and trust. Every new director needs to rehire me as the right CEO to lead the credit union forward. That’s a feature, not a bug. It means I can’t get complacent.
Jason Osterhage began his career in financial services in 2005 at Delta Community Credit Union in Atlanta. He joined Alliant Credit Union in Chicago as chief lending officer in 2012 and served nine years there before taking the helm at Everwise Credit Union ($5.5B, South Bend, IN) in 2022. In addition to working closely with Everwise’s own board of directors to mature as an institution and govern better as a team, Osterhage also serves on the board of the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce and actively participates in the Indiana chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
Read more in “Board Term Limits Drive Mature Decisions At Everwise Credit Union.”
6. “The Road Goes On Forever, And The Party Never Ends.”
There’s never a moment when the work is done. It’s always going to evolve and change. Things will never stay static. We have to be intelligent and thoughtful and willing to learn and change and grow.
Josh Haney’s path to CEO at Perfect Circle Credit Union ($65.3M, Hagerstown, IN) began at the teller line two decades ago and wound through multiple departments, with each new role preparing him to take the helm. Along the way, Haney gained a 360-degree view of operations — from lending to compliance — and built a leadership philosophy rooted in adaptability and member focus, essential skills in today’s credit union movement.
Read more in “20 Years. 6 Roles. 1 Credit Union.”
7. Redefine Resilience For A Complex World
Resilient leaders don’t just plan for change. They create adaptable, values-driven systems that thrive under pressure. True resilience includes culture, flexibility, employee engagement, and member alignment. As credit union leaders head into 2026 strategic planning, many are applying lessons from the pandemic to today’s looming “what ifs,” including tariffs, taxation, technology, and more.
Jay Johnson has spent his entire career in financial services, including more than 25 years at Callahan & Associates and nearly a decade at a top 20 bank. He served on the NACUSO board of directors for more than 10 years and currently serves on the board of NACUSO Business Services. Drawing on experience as a strategic planning facilitator, Johnson argues that resilience, not rigid roadmaps, is the cornerstone of effective strategic planning. His insights show credit union leaders how to stay agile and mission-focused as they navigate uncertainty in 2026 and beyond.
Click here to read more in “5 Strategic Planning Priorities For 2026 And Beyond.”
What Can You Learn From Like-Minded Leaders? Callahan’s Roundtables connect credit union leaders with peers from across the industry, allowing everyone the opportunity to pose questions, share best practices, and talk openly about how to respond to the evolving needs of members and employees. Learn more today.