Alison Levine

Have you ever tried to draw parallels between your position at your credit union and extreme mountain climbing? Sub-zero temperatures and hurricane-force winds with a chance of sudden avalanches may not sound like anything you’d experience during your day-to-day activities, but it may not be as far off as you think.

The credit union industry has been through a whirlwind the past few years and many institutions went into survival mode, in order to ensure they made it through one of the worst economic environments of our lifetime. Every position at the credit union has been stretched and tested – from the lending professional looking to maintain incoming loans with increased standards and regulations; HR professionals trying to keep staff morale at a high, despite less than ideal working conditions; marketing professionals looking for innovative ways to spread the message of their credit union with minimal resources; to the CFO and CEO monitoring the economy and managing risks to ensure their credit union maintains success.

Now that the market is slowly recovering, how do credit union professionals jump back in and thrive in a brand new environment? While it’s tempting to play it safe and be a little hesitant to jump on a big idea, trying new risks could pay off. Taking responsible risks and learning from failure are some of the most important parts of being an effective leader. Just ask CUNA’s America’s Credit Union Conference keynoter, Alison Levine.

Alison Levine is an adventurer, explorer and mountaineer who climbed the highest peak on every continent before spending nearly two decades in the business world, climbing the corporate ladder on Wall Street. Having spent months at a time in some of the world’s most dangerous and extreme environments, Alison now is an inspiration as she addresses topics such as creating cohesive teams, taking responsible risks and developing no-nonsense leaders that can succeed in times of uncertainty. By drawing parallels between staying alive in the mountains and thriving in a fast-paced business world, Alison provides insight into leadership development, team dynamics, overcoming odds, tackling fear, and dealing with changing environments.

With all that credit unions have faced in the past few years, this will be just the breath of fresh air you’ll need to go back to your credit union inspired to take that leap (or even a little step) in a new direction you’ve been contemplating.

Although you’ll have to wait until June 19 for your confidence booster from Alison, so here are some tips to consider in the meantime, inspired by wikihow:

1. Think about this: A lack of courage comes because of fear. Fear comes because of ignorance. What are you afraid of?
2.  Be brave. Go and do things you haven’t done before and see things you haven’t seen before. Quite often fear arises out of complacency, because we don’t want to rock the boat.
3.  Take risks. It adds to the spontaneity. There is a difference between a risk and a dangerous idea, however, so naturally common sense should be used. It’s the difference between abseiling down a cliff with a harness, or abseiling with nothing. Only someone without concern for the consequences would go without a harness.
4. Have fun. If you go to conferences or meetings and can’t enjoy them, there is little benefit in them for you.

If you are looking for a dose of inspiration, Alison’s Return to Everest Blog is a great place to start! Hearing these recounts of challenges and ultimate success allows us to look deeper at the challenges and opportunities we currently face and gain a sense of optimism that it is possible to thrive no matter the obstacles we must first encounter.

BIG TIME Thursday CONTEST: Great success often comes from great risk. We want to know: When has a big risk paid off (or potentially not). What did you learn from your experience? Would you do it again?
Answer any of these questions in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on April 28th of all commenters to give away a free one-year subscription to the CUNA Pressing Economic Issues Series and a survival pack to ensure you’re prepared to embark on new (and maybe risky) adventures with your credit union.

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Wed., April 27th at 11:59PM (CT). No purchase necessary to win. Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog. Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received. Void where prohibited.

This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.

CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize.

“When You’re Finished Changing, You’re Finished.”

-Benjamin Franklin

Courtesy of David Reece

Say the word “change” and you are bound to get a strong reaction from people.  Whether you love change or hate it, it is one of the only true constants in life. Not only are we changing as individuals on a daily basis, we are changing the way we socialize and the way we conduct business in the 21st century.

Technology is instrumental in many of the changes occurring in our personal and professional lives. It is changing the way we provide account information to our members, the way we capture their attention and they ways in which they interact with the credit union.

Today members have their paychecks automatically deposited and their bills automatically debited. They log on to a web branch from their iPhones to check their balances and transfer funds. If we are doing a good job in providing them the services they need in a timely, courteous and friendly manner, they may even “like” us on Facebook.

While some of us embrace all of this change wholeheartedly, others would like nothing more than to go back to “the way things used to be.”   In their new book,  Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Dan and Chip Heath investigate the reasons people often fear change and how to go about making the hard changes in life a little easier to manage.  Often we become focused on all the things that are wrong and “analysis paralysis” kicks in. We know that a change must occur, but we are unable to take the appropriate steps to make it happen.

To succeed in changing, the Heaths propose that, “We must look for bright spots — the first signs that things are working. We need to ask ourselves a question that sounds simple but is, in fact, deeply unnatural: What’s working and how can we do more of it?”

This seemingly simple “switch” in perspective has big implications, as the anecdotes included in the book illustrate. Whether you are attempting to make a personal change, or a change within your organization, this is an insightful, entertaining and educational book to add to your collection.

In June Dan Heath will keynote America’s Credit Union Conference in San Antonio where he will share more insights on this “switch” in perspective and how it relates to credit unions.

BIG TIME Thursday CONTEST: We want to know: How have you successfully implemented change at your credit union? What is working at your credit union and how are you finding ways to do more of it? Answer this question in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on April 21st of all commenters to give away a copy of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, and a $10 donation to a charity of the winner’s choosing through OProfits.com (http://www.0profits.com/).  If a choice is not provided within three months, the donation will go to the default charity (currently the Red Cross – for Japan Earthquake Relief).

UPDATE (04/21): This contest has ended – congratulations to our winner, Stephanie from NRL Federal Credit Union. She won a copy of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, and a $10 donation to a charity of the winner’s choosing through OProfits.com (http://www.0profits.com/).  If a choice is not provided within three months, the donation will go to the default charity (currently the Red Cross – for Japan Earthquake Relief). THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Wednesday, April 20th at 11:59PM (ct). No purchase necessary to win.  Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  Void where prohibited.

This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.

CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize.

Road Trip!

Travelling cross-country with your dog by VW bus and selling grilled cheese sandwiches made ‘with love’ may not sound like an ideal vacation to you. But, to Eric Saperston this evolved into his ‘coming of age’ journey. After graduating college he travelled the country calling up political leaders, celebrities, CEOs and average Joes and asked if he could take them out for coffee. A simple request from a man with no street cred; but the desire to learn about their values, struggles, and advice for future generations. As luck would have it, most people enjoy a good cup of coffee.

The video on Eric’s website gives a great idea of how his journey evolved into an experience of a lifetime. No, the experience of lifetimes – as each interview gives perspective to another person’s understanding   life-view and allows us, as viewers to experience their realm of existence.

a cup of joe & a great convo

With Eric’s drive and optimism he has conducted ‘coffee talks’ with Jerry Garcia, The Fonz, President Jimmy Carter, and countless others who provide insight and question their purpose in life. With this enlightening experience, Eric has written, directed and starred in The Journey, a documentary which allows the viewer to experience in 93 minutes a voyage that took him 7 years to accomplish.

In learning about Eric’s interviewing style by watching clips from his talks, I found that he asks great questions.  Over the years, I’ve learned that “if you don’t ask, you’ll never know,” which I’ve applied to many aspects of my life (Is this price negotiable? Can I have a cookie? ). However, there’s a difference between asking a question and asking a good question. Below is a list inspired by wikihow on how you can ask meaningful questions:

• Start simple: beginning with a simple concept will allow the question to evolve with discussion. Whether the question is broad or narrow, keep it simple.
• If you’re using questions to gather knowledge, define exactly what it is you want to know: Before you pose a question, it is important to have a concept of what is unclear about the information in your head; otherwise you risk creating confusion and not getting an answer that satisfies what you seek to know.
• Never ask a question in an aggressive manner: This indicates that you are only asking the question to prove to the other person that you are right and they are wrong, meaning that you are argumentative and not open-minded.
• Lay your concepts or ideas/assumptions at the door: to get a truly honest response, don’t prefix your question with your own connotations or opinions.
• Be gracious: the golden rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

Eric Saperston

CUNA is privileged to add ‘expert question-asker’ Eric Saperston to our fabulous list of keynote speakers at this year’s ACUC. He will delight attendees with first-hand stories of his journey and enlighten us to reach our full-potential. I can’t wait to be inspired by Eric, and if I’m lucky – maybe he’ll let me take him out for a cup of coffee!

BIG TIME Thursday CONTEST: A good answer always starts with a good question. We want to know: What questions have you asked yourself in your role at the credit union that has inspired you to improve as an organization, department or individual?

Answer this question in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on April 14^th of all commenters to give away a DVD of Eric Saperston’s documentary The Journey and a $15 Starbucks Card, so you can be inspired to have a ‘coffee talk’ of your own.

UPDATE (04/14): This contest has ended – congratulations to our winner, Katherine Dyer. She won a copy of Eric Saperston’s documentary The Journey on DVD and a $15 Starbucks Card. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Wed., April 14th at 11:59PM (ct). No purchase necessary to win.  Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  Void where prohibited.

This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.

CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize.

Starbucks, the Starbucks logo and the Starbucks Card design are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Starbucks U.S. Brands, LLC. Starbucks is not a participating partner or sponsor in this offer.

ACUC Keynoter Doug Hall

From Ashley Fenrick:

A few months ago, when I began working on the marketing for America’s Credit Union Conference (ACUC), I glanced through the keynote speaker biographies and one in particular stood out to me, Doug Hall. That’s because I remembered learning about him way back in college…ok I only graduated two years ago but still the fact that I remember him must mean something, right? He was discussed in my entrepreneurship class because well, Doug is pretty much an innovation and idea-generating genius!

He began his inventing career at the age of 12, inventing and selling a line of magic and juggling kits. After earning a chemical engineering degree, he joined Procter & Gamble where he quickly rose to the rank of Master Marketing Inventor. It doesn’t stop there – Doug is the founder and CEO of Eureka! Ranch, located in Cincinnati with offices in London, UK and Monterrey, Mexico.

Eureka! Ranch is a place where you can relax, reenergize and really take the time to think about your business and where it’s going. The eighty acre ranch includes a walking track, bicycles, a sand volleyball court, basketball hoops, a street hockey rink and even a lake for fishing, water skiing and tubing. Guests are encouraged to engage in all the activities they can bear and in between participate in various brainstorming and team sessions, where the ideas start flowing!

Want to learn more? Join us at ACUC, June 19-22, in San Antonio, TX, to hear Doug present his keynote session, Innovative Engineering: How to Innovate & Grow Your Credit Union.

1. Produce as many ideas as possible
   At this point you should focus on quantity, not quality. You won’t know which ideas have value until you really dig into them, so get as many ideas on the table as possible.
2. Produce ideas as wild as possible
   Encourage participants to say whatever pops into their minds. Without this rule, we naturally constrain what we say for fear of embarrassment. Scott explains that if you set outrageousness as a goal and reward it, you’ll help turn that filter off.
3. Build upon each other’s ideas
   No ideas are 100% new, they’re all combinations of other ideas. Making this clear prevents people from holding back for the fear of stepping on someone else’s toes.
4. Avoid passing judgment
   Evaluation isn’t necessary during exploration. It’s too early in the game to understand the possibilities of new ideas, so why would you reject or accept any of them?

BIG TIME Thursday CONTEST: We want to know:  What are some of the things your credit union does to generate BIG ideas? Do you set aside time to discuss how to improve your products and processes? Answer one of those questions in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on April 7^th (just in time to kick off our next Big Time Thursday contest) of all commenters to give away a copy of Doug Hall’s book Jump Start Your Brain and a magic kit to help spark your team’s next BIG idea.

Ashley Fenrick is a Marketing Communications Specialist for the Credit Union National Association.

UPDATE (04/07): This contest has ended – congratulations to our winner, Amy Ackerman! Amy won a copy of Doug Hall’s book Jump Start Your Brain and a magic kit to help ignite her credit union’s next BIG idea. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Wed., April 6th at 11:59PM (ct). No purchase necessary to win.  Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  Void where prohibited.

This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.

CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize.

Improv Everywhere Founder Charlie Todd

What do you get when you hold an America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo (ACUC) planning session after watching Improv Everywhere’s I Love Lunch! The Musical? If you’re me, you get this crazy idea to hold a random musical at the Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC).   That’s right, we’re so excited about ACUC we decided to sing about it at this year’s GAC.  OK, full disclosure, we actually were so excited we hired actors to sing about it (nobody wants to hear me sing), and enlisted some friends from the CUNA Councils to help as well.    That’s right, exhibit hall attendees were surprised by this CUNA ACUC 2011 Random Musical. (Warning: Once you watch this you’ll likely be humming the tune all afternoon!)

Are there ways credit unions can use things like random musicals and flash mobs to stand out in a crowded market?  With the right plan up front and strategy to help it go viral, there are certainly ways these can compliment your traditional promotions.  Join us at ACUC to hear Improv Everywhere (the group behind the I Love Lunch! Musical)  founder Charlie Todd present a thought leader session sharing details behind some of his group’s biggest pranks and what credit unions can learn from using those kinds of tactics.

Already have a video you’re trying to spread the word on?  I recently spoke with Michael Taylor of PLAY Creative, the marketing agency who worked with the Nebraska Credit Union League on their recent CU Awareness Campaign.  Here are some simple ways Taylor suggests to help spread the word about your video:

BIG TIME Thursday CONTEST: We want to know, what are some of the BIG TIME things your credit union is doing or planning to do to stand out from the competition? Answer that question in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on March 31st (just in time to kick off our next Big Time Thursday contest) of all commenters to give away an Apple iPod® nano 8 GB (6th Generation) and a copy of Charlie Todd’s book Causing a Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere.

Read more about BIG TIME Thursday Contests (there will be lots of great prizes through May 2011).

UPDATE (3/31): This contest has ended – congratulations to our winner, Cheryl Hart, who won an Apple iPod® nano 8 GB (6th Generation) and a copy of Charlie Todd’s book Causing a Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere.  THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Wed., March 30th at 11:59PM (ct). No purchase necessary to win.  Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  Void where prohibited.

This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.

CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize.

iPod® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion.

The 2011 America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo (ACUC) is headed to San Antonio, Texas and this year’s conference is all about the Big Time.  Big Ideas & Big Opportunities are colliding to bring the credit union movement a conference experience like no other this June 19th through 22nd. 

But who wants to wait until June to start talking about big ideas?

Not the CUNAverse team, so we’re launching Big Time Thursdays;  weekly blog posts that we’re planning from now until early May where we will highlight some of the great things you can expect from this year’s ACUC speakers. Also, we know you are doing some amazing things. So another important part of Big Time Thursday is a question for you each week to give you the chance to share some of the Big Time things you are doing at your credit union. 

Did we mention there will be prizes?  That’s right, for each Big Time Thursday we’ll be giving away prizes to one lucky commenter each week.  As we get closer to ACUC the prizes are only going to get bigger and better so make sure to follow @CUNAverse and the CUNAverse Facebook page for upcoming announcements about Big Time Thursday. 

And now, time for our first Big Time Thursday: The ACUC in Texas!

Hello CUNAverse!

I, along with some other team members, just got back from a whirlwind of excitement at CUNA’s Experience Learning Live (ELL) conference. We had some marvelous speakers, workshops, and breakout sessions that provided trainers and HR professionals with great information and materials. Being a first-timer to the conference (as staff and a part-time attendee) I was blown away by the enthusiasm trainers have for their profession, and what consideration they take for the employees they train.

Kicking off the conference we played the ELL version of ‘Amazing Race, San Diego’ where we sent attendees on an exploratory expedition of the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego to get them familiar with our ‘home-base’ neighborhood where the event was held. I thought this was a brilliant take on the game, and felt honored to give teams ‘Journey’ and ‘Kid Rock’ their clues as they flew through the checkpoints.  After our photo-finish race had ended we held a networking reception so attendees could mingle and get geared up for the fun ahead.

The conference was full of useful information. Kirk Weisler kicked it off with a great opening act about creating a culture of high engagement, love, and strong connections. He brought home the idea of keeping a fun work environment where people are involved and a part of the organization, not just cogs in the machine.  He later led us in bringing story-telling into the trainer toolbox, another great way to keep your audience engaged.

In Paul Wesselmann’s session we learned how to improve our training outlines by establishing key objectives of training to present a direct cohesive message, which is essential in a learner’s retention rate. Keeping it new, interesting and lively are key to keeping the attention of the training audience. Paul had great best practice pieces that I will apply to my future training endeavors. It’s amazing how a new perspective can shed some light on a training session you’ve been giving for years .

CUNA’s own experts got to share their tried and true methods as well. Courtney Cantwell presented her Trainer’s Treasure Chest of free resources to help make training resonate with today’s learners. Marlo Foltz and Angela Prestil brought toys into the training realm and showed how training can have a playtime element to it as well as an educational one. Carla Schrinner helped trainers improve their skills and techniques with elements within CUNA’s CML program while her co-part Jayne Hitman provided the keys of achieving peak performance. This lineup of content reminded me of the plethora of knowledge I can get from my co-workers. It’s so nice to know that I can walk down the hall and get expert advice from my peers.

The ELLY awards were an experience in themselves! I’ve heard such spectacular stories of the awards, I was psyched to put on my frilly dress and see the “best of the best “earn their deserved accolades. Serving as the ‘Vanna’ of ceremony, I got to hand off the awards to the recipient, giving an earnest ‘congratulations’ to each and every one of them. I was surprised when on more than one occasion; my eyes welled up while listening to their sincere acceptance speeches. It was very touching to see yet another display of enthusiasm for their chosen careers.

Throughout the conference, I felt a sense of community.  I could hear fellow attendees creating their own roundtables (at literal round tables) during our mingling sessions!  As I mentioned, their passion for training is apparent and contagious; it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

It’s so refreshing to speak (face-to-face!) with the trainers I often communicate with via e-mail and phone. Putting faces to names, and making meaningful connections was a key take-home element for me. There’s something very special about physically meeting, shaking hands with, or even hugging someone you regularly work with. In a movement where people helping people is our main philosophy, it was great seeing and speaking to those people whom we help, who help us, and who help others.

Bo McDonald

From Bo McDonald:

The speakers may have been diverse at the CUNA Community Credit Union & Growth Conference, but their message was the same. In every presentation, the need was pointed out for credit unions to change their way of thinking.

Dr. Kevin Freiberg, author of BOOM!, opened the conference by pointing out that there are several thousand credit unions across the country quoting rates and fees, but only a handful can tell members and potential members what really makes their credit union “unforgettable.” Freiberg suggested that the experience your members have with your credit union is what sets you apart from the pack. He cited such examples as Southwest Air and Starbucks.

Likewise, Matt Tebbetts from Greenville Federal Credit Union shared its “Member Experience Standards” program. The program lays the groundwork for the credit union to provide a consistently positive member experience, including employee attitudes, attire and workplace atmosphere.

Aside from providing a unique member experience, a fresh lineup of useful products for members is a great way to set your credit union apart. Both Scott Butterfield from Credit Union Strategic Planning and Steve Williams from Cornerstone Advisers shared some ideas on products. Although these products are not new to the market, they haven’t been utilized by credit unions. Some examples provided by both presenters included micro-business loans for small business and payday lending alternatives. Both have been successfully implemented by several credit unions across the country already, including Brewery Credit Union in Wisconsin.

To sum up the CUNA Community Credit Union & Growth Conference in a statement, credit unions that want to survive need to understand that “what got us here today, is not what is going to get us there tomorrow.” The needs and wants of your members will change. Get ready to follow.

Bo McDonald is President of Your Marketing Co. and was a participant in CUNA’s VIP Network for Young Leaders at this year’s Community Credit Union & Growth Conference.  You can e-mail cunaresources@cuna.coop for information on the conference as well as the VIP Network.  This blog post was originally published on CU Insight.

Bill Merrick

From Bill Merrick:

I didn’t attend The 1 Credit Union Conference  in Las Vegas, but it sounded like a smashing success—great speakers, spot-on breakout sessions, and an eclectic mix of credit union leaders hailing everywhere from Australia to Zimbabwe.

Then there were The 1 Credit Union Conference Crashers, a sharp group of credit union professionals under/around age 30, led by the Filene Research Institute’s  Brent Dixon. What a great introduction to the credit union movement.

Thinking about the Crashers takes me back to my first credit union-related conference during the early ‘90s. Not far removed from the University of Wisconsin, sporting a “business in the front, party in the back” mini mullet, I joined the opening reception at the Consumer Bankers Association auto finance conference wide-eyed and ready to learn.

Several crab cakes later, I struck up the usual conference chit chat with a fellow attendee, a banker.

“What do you do?” he asked.

“I work for CUNA,” I replied. “I’m covering the conference for Credit Union Magazine.”

Silence. Then, “You’ve got a lot of [nerve] being here,” he said—using a less-polite word than “nerve”—before reading me the riot act about credit unions. Not a fan of our tax-exempt status, apparently.

At that time, a few months into the job, I couldn’t even spell “Filene,” let alone articulate the differences between banks and credit unions. So it was back to the buffet table.

In the grand scheme of things, this episode barely counts as a snit fit in the ongoing bank vs. credit union conflict. But it reveals an important difference between the two types of institutions: we’re nicer.

I can’t imagine credit union people lashing out at an unassuming young banker. Instead, they’d probably point out that credit unions’ tax exemption is due to their status as member-owned, not-for-profit cooperatives.

They’d explain how they serve members “with credit scores south of 600“, like Navy Army Credit Union in Corpus Christi, Texas.

They’d share how they protect members from shysters, like the good folks at Blackhawk Community Credit Union in Janesville, Wis.

Anyway, that message probably wouldn’t have gotten through to the cranky banker, Mr. Lehman. I wonder what happened to him and his brothers….

Bill Merrick is the Senior Managing Editor for Credit Union Magazine at the Credit Union National Association.

Books, Balls and Human Beings

In less than  an hour, the 1 Conference is going to blessed by Kevin Carroll’s presence. Kevin will be wrapping up what has been an absolutely wonderful week in Las Vegas. I can think of no better way to close.

I have known Kevin since 2003, when he joined us in Reno for that year’s annual meeting. Not only is Kevin an amazing speaker, he is an amazing man. When Kevin speaks to you, you feel like you are the most important person in the world. I love talking to Kevin and I always consider myself so lucky to know him.

About an hour ago, I joined Kevin backstage as he prepared for his session. As he carefully wrapped his “props,” we talked about where he has been, what he has been up to and what is inspiring him on a daily basis.

One of the first things he told me about is Katalyst: Confections for the Curious Soul. Built specifically for the web, this “one man show” invites viewers to see what happens behind the scenes.  I can’t wait to check it out.  Of course  I also had to ask what he is listening to and what he is reading.

On Kevin’s iPod:

• Robert Glasper Trio
• The Bad Plus
• Cello Adagios

Kevin’s Favorite Reads:

• The Invention of Hugo Cabret
• All Things “Daredevil”

Kevin’s Favorite Blogs:

• Daniel Pink
• BeyondSportWorld
• David Rockwell of The Rockwell Group

Kevin is one of those people who finds inspiration everywhere and passes his energy on to everyone he meets. He is a Katalyst, a Change Agent and a Teacher, among other things. He is also a huge supporter of credit unions! Kevin has been a proud member since 1980, and currently belongs to First Tech Credit Union in Beaverton, Oregon. I would tell you more about Kevin… but I don’t want to miss a minute of his session!!!