Credit unions don’t necessarily need to offer special loan products or pride-themed debit cards in order to effectively serve LGBTQ members. It’s the little things, such as making them feel special and welcome at the branch and letting them know the credit union cares for and respects them that make the biggest impact. “That’s just another part of the secret sauce to your credit union,” says Linda Bodie, CEO of $55 million asset Element Federal Credit Union in Charleston, W.V., and one of the co-founders of CU Pride. “Make sure your members know that you care about them and that they’re treated with respect.” In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Bodie talks about how credit unions can find that “secret sauce” and serve members of the LGBTQ community and what Element Federal does. She also discussed CU Pride, an organization that advocates for the LGBTQ community in the credit union movement.

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Linda Bodie on serving the LGBTQ community

While Pride Month has a different look this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Alternatives Federal Credit Union in Ithaca, N.Y., is maintaining its focus on strengthening community partnerships that make the LGBTQ community more financially and socially secure. “We’re focusing on collaboration and education within the community,” says Chris Cain, chief experience officer at the $115 million asset credit union. This year, Alternatives Federal is hosting a series of workshops and virtual webinars about its TransAction Financial Empowerment Program. The program provides monetary assistance for members going through the gender affirmation process. But just as important, it provides education and access to other resources to support members. As Cain says in this CUNA News Podcast episode, what’s important is having an open dialogue around LGBTQ issues 12 months a year.

A Matter of Pride

For many young professionals, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created uncertainty about career progression and goals. Workplaces are still in flux as credit unions and other companies adapt to the ever-changing environment. Professional relationships also continue to change, with networking and mentorship opportunities paused or moved to virtual channels to comply with social distancing. CUNA recently held a webinar to help young professionals navigate their careers during the current crisis. The session provided career development guidance from nationally recognized speaker, author, and coach Antonio Neves. This podcast episode presents highlights from the webinar. Neves explains the importance of having a personal development plan, building a network, and finding ways to get engaged and noticed for future promotions. He also discusses how young professionals can add value at their credit unions and thrive within unusual circumstances. The webinar was sponsored by CUNA Mutual Group.

Antonio Neves on career development

Perhaps at no time is an organization’s culture more on display than during a crisis. Jayne Hitman and Paul Robert assist credit unions in shaping their cultures to shine at just these moments. Hitman is national relationship manager for CUNA Creating Member LoyaltyTM (CML), a comprehensive development strategy with expert guidance focused on increasing employee engagement and the member experience. Paul Robert is CEO of FI Strategies, LLC, a strategic partner for CML. Hitman and Robert will appear regularly on the CUNA News Podcast in a new series on service culture. In this episode, Hitman and Robert discuss the value of communication during a crisis and how leadership can shape an organization’s direction through intentional, transparent messaging. As Hitman says in this interview, “Keep it simple and focus on your people.”

Keep it simple and focus on your people

Marco Dominguez knows firsthand why credit unions need to reach out to and educate immigrant populations about financial services. The native Venezuelan has been there. “I’ve seen the international community suffer and struggle to get banking services, to be recognized, and to trust organizations,” says Dominguez, director of community relations at $573 million asset Financial Center First Credit Union in Indianapolis. “I’ve seen it firsthand—I’m a Venezuelan Hoosier.” Dominguez received the inaugural Chairman’s Global Good Award from the Indiana Credit Union League. This honor  recognizes involvement in global or domestic projects that further credit unions and their values with immigrant populations or in foreign countries. In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Dominguez talks about why it’s important for credit unions to work with immigrant populations, how Financial Center First helps these individuals, the work he’s done internationally, and more.

Venezuelan Hoosier understands immigrants' needs

Shortly before the coronavirus pandemic took center stage, thousands of credit union leaders gathered at the 2020 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. Much of the discussion during the event centered on how credit unions make an impact on members’ lives and improve their financial well-being. This episode, recorded during the 2020 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, features how three credit union leaders go above and beyond to improve members’ financial well-being:Linda Voit, assistant vice president, internal communications, for Summit Credit Union, Madison, Wis. She discusses Summit's award-winning financial education programs, including Project Money.Luis Peralta, chief strategy officer for Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Manhattan Beach, Calif. He outlines the credit union's small-dollar consolidation loans.Dale Livingston, senior vice president of lending for Kohler (Wis.) Credit Union, who details the credit union's efforts to serve the underserved.

Improving members’ financial well-being

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a mindset credit union leaders consider when forming their business plans. They address DEI when attracting, recruiting, and retaining employees, and also when listening to community members and determining how to adapt products and services to meet members’ financial needs. As organizations advance their DEI efforts, new challenges arise. “It’s an ongoing journey,” says Sheila Milton, director of cultural competency and inclusion at $3.3 billion asset UW Credit Union in Madison, Wis. “We’ve done a lot to set ourselves up for the future, but as you go from year to year, it becomes even more challenging. DEI never ends.” In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Milton explains the steps UW Credit Union is taking to address DEI, why credit unions need to engage in DEI efforts, why it’s important to involve all employees in DEI efforts, and more.

UW Credit Union’s ongoing DEI journey

When social distancing guidelines went into effect across the United States, credit unions responded by closing or limiting access to lobbies and reducing the number of employees working in branches. As a result, many credit unions became digital-first entities almost overnight—encouraging members to use virtual channels to access their accounts and services. In this environment, the concept of digital trust has come to the forefront for many credit unions. John Ainsworth, president and chief executive officer of CULedger, joins the CUNA News Podcast to discuss building digital trust with members, implementing enhanced security features like decentralized identities, and anticipating how these technologies will continue to evolve. Ainsworth also explains how joining CULedger's MemberPass Trust Registry™ and getting familiar with new guidance from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council are good first steps for credit unions to start building secure, trusted digital relationships with members. This podcast is sponsored by CULedger.

Focus on your people first

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has not only elevated the importance of digital services, it has made clear the limits of self-service. While sheltering at home, many members are using digital banking for first time. But even for digital natives, the pandemic has made mundane interactions meaningful.In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, sponsored by Symitar, a division of Jack Henry & Associates, Lee Wetherington explains why credit unions need to shift from self-service to personalized digital service. Doing so will allow them to translate their people-helping-people philosophy into their digital channels, says Wetherington, Jack Henry’s director of strategic insight. He also details what a personal digital experience should look like, the technology that enables this shift, and best practices for creating a personal experience through digital channels.

Leadership lessons learned from past disasters

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, the CUNA News team has been covering the virus’s impact on credit unions. Our editors have heard stories from many credit unions about the unprecedented challenges of continuing to operate during a pandemic. But we have also heard stories from those same credit unions about rising to the challenge to protect their employees and members. This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you audio versions of three recent stories about credit unions forging their own paths through the pandemic.

Editors present recent COVID-19 stories

As technology advances and data becomes increasingly important, protecting member and data privacy is vital. Data breaches occur every day, and consumers are more aware of privacy issues than ever before. But with the right privacy-enhancing technology, credit unions can balance consumer trust and the need to leverage data for better service. Greg Glawson, chief information officer at UNIFY Financial Credit Union in Torrance, California, discusses the privacy landscape and how his credit union uses solutions like MemberPass, which leverages privacy-enhancing technology, to build digital trust with members. Glawson leads UNIFY Financial’s technology and information security operations, establishing a secure environment that will sustain the credit union for the future of consumer banking. This podcast is sponsored by CULedger. CULedger is a CUNA Associate Business Member at the premier level.

Greg Glawson on digital trust

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues, CUNA’s economists are closely following the situation. They recently discussed the economic and credit union impact of COVID-19 during the CUNA Managing Economic and Operational Challenges COVID-19 eSchool, offered free as a CUNA member benefit. This episode of the CUNA News Podcast features some of that discussion. CUNA Chief Economist Mike Schenk, CUNA Senior Policy Analyst Samira Salem, and CUNA Senior Economist Jordan van Rijn address key implications for credit union operations and prospects for financial stability and success. The webinar was the first session in CUNA’s eSchool on managing economic and operational challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. Other sessions highlight how to keep staff engaged, save the member experience, salvage your strategic plan, and manage a remote workforce during the crisis.

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CUNA News Podcast

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