CUTimes Expert Perspectives's podcast

What service enabled credit union financial advisors to realize a 71% surge in new clients per month and an impressive 23% higher profit margin? It was CUSO Financial Services TeamAssist, and those numbers earned it a place among the 2023 Credit Union Times Luminary finalists for Product Innovation. In this episode of the Meet the Luminaries podcast series, Brian Bichler, Co-Head of Financial Institution Channel for CUSO Financial Services, looks at what being named a Luminaries finalist means for the Atria Wealth Solutions company. You'll also hear: Which challenges CUSO Financial had to overcome to create a successful service; How data sets and other best practices were incorporated into the development; and Where CUSO Financial is setting their sights on for the future.

With the increasing challenges of vehichle affordability, those in underserved credit segments find themselves without access to financing, and thus better job and education prospects. Open Lending's mission has been to expand automobile access for near-prime borrowers, and through their market-leading AI and machine learning Lenders Protection platform fueled with the most comprehensive data in the industry they empower lenders to meet yield targets while also serving the near-prime segment. It also got them a Credit Union Times Luminaries nomination for Product Innovation. In this episode of the Meet the Luminaries podcast series, Kevin Filan, senior vice president of marketing at Open Lending, looks at what the nomination means for the company. You'll also learn: ●     How data shows that credit unions miss out when not meeting the financing needs of near-prime consumers; ●     What five important recommendations credit unions should know about a lending enablement partner; and ●     Why Open Lending is making improvements to better serve both credit union and near-prime borrowers.    

A returning member to the Credit Union Times luminaries class, Dan Stoltz, president and CEO of Minnesota-based SPIRE Credit Union was once again recognized for his executive excellence. The reasons are pretty clear: steering the credit union from the brink during the Great Recession, he now leads one of the fastest-growing credit unions in the nation, doubling its assets from 2009 to 2017. In this latest episode of the Meet the Luminaries podcast series, hear from Stoltz what was behind this turnaround.  You'll also hear:  How they overcame a $12 million loss from the Great Recession;  Which practices they employ to continue their proactive engagement with their community, and What big changes are ahead for the credit union.    

Highlights from the June 22 webcast “Understand the Member Journey to Drive Growth for Your Credit Union.” This event featured Anne Legg, Founder and Principal at THRIVE; Jon M. Deutsch , Managing Director, Financial Services Solutions, for TIBCO, and Rene Nunnington, Lead Solutions Engineer, also at TIBCO. The webcast can be found in its entirety on demand at https://www.cutimes.com/2021/06/02/understand-the-member-journey-to-drive-growth-for-your-credit-union/

Highlights from the July 13 webcast “CU to CU: It Matters to Members How You Close their Loans.” This event featured Danielle Frawley, Chief Lending Officer, Fort Community Credit Union; Joseph Pazienza, SVP of Real Estate Lending, PFFCU; Chelsea Nelson, Mortgage Fulfillment Manager, Elevations Credit Union; and panel lead Camelia Martin, Head of Industry & Regulatory Affairs, Snapdocs.   The webcast can be found in its entirety on demand at https://www.cutimes.com/2021/03/15/eclosing-using-digital-mortgages-to-enhance-member-experiences/

Highlights from the  June 17 webcast “7 Banking Fraud Myths BUSTED.” This event featured Kellyn Burns -  Vice President, Financial Institutions & Strategic Partnerships at Sontiq; and Andy Shank, VP Fraud and Risk Product Management for Harland Clarke, a Vericast Business.   The webcast can be found in its entirety on demand at https://www.cutimes.com/2021/04/28/why-fraud-protection-is-vital-for-credit-unions/

Highlights from the April 22 webcast “Why a Cloud-Based Ope.n Core Banking Solution is Instrumental for Credit Unions.” This event featured David Koscheski, Director, US Financial Services Industry at Microsoft; Josh Cook, CEO of Community Choice Credit Union; and Milind Pathak, Senior Director, Product Management for Finastra.   The webcast can be found in its entirety on demand at https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2021/03/10/the-rise-of-the-digital-insurance-agency-3-award-winning-agents-share-how-they-drive-growth-with-digital/

Highlights from the March 16 webcast “Why Compassion in Collections Won’t End After COVID.” This discussion was led by FICO’s Brad Rollin, Marketing Director; and featured FICO Darryl Knopp, Senior Director, Digital Practice; Kris Frantzen, Vice President, Product Strategy at Temenos; and Robert Kiel, Vice President of Loan Servicing at NASA Federal Credit Union   The full on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2021/02/05/how-to-interact-with-your-members-going-through-economic-hardships/

Credit unions work relentlessly to serve members and meet their fast-changing needs. A card portfolio is one of a credit union’s primary revenue centers, but it can also be a valuable resource in capturing actionable insights and achieving transformative results. These tools support stronger member relationships, mitigate attrition and encourage behaviors that drive growth.  We recently spoke with Kristen Hinton, Director of Client Portfolio Growth at Fiserv, to understand the value of member and transactional data, and the tools that make that data more actionable. She explains important strategies for increasing transaction volume, engaging members and growing revenue.  To learn more, hit play. 

Mobile application use is up, and ATM use is down, but is your credit union’s card program responding and adjusting? For credit unions to stay competitive, it’s more important than ever that they learn how to use cardholder data, marketing services and advanced analytics to understand members, deepen relationships, and maximize revenue and growth opportunities. We recently spoke with Arika Selleck, Vice President of Product Management at Fiserv. She explains how analytics makes it easier for credit unions to strengthen and grow their card portfolios. Leveraging transactional data helps credit unions pinpoint cardholder usage patterns and deliver appropriate marketing messages to the right members, at the right time. To learn more, hit play.

Highlights from the December 15 webcast “Building A Resilient Credit Union Digital Enterprise: Introducing FIS Hosted Services Powered by Nutanix Cloud,” sponsored by Nutanix and FIS. This event featured Kevin Lash, Director of Global Financial Services Strategy and Solutions, Nutanix; Eric Turman, Senior Sales Executive – IT Outsourcing, FIS; and Bill Hampton, Senior Vice President and Division Executive for FIS Credit Union Division.   The full on-demand presentation can be found at  https://www.cutimes.com/2020/11/20/speed-digitization-and-optimize-costs-with-fis-hosted-services-powered-by-nutanix-cloud/

Highlights from the December 3 webcast “Payments Liability: Turning Data from a Liability to an Asset.” This event featured Hoang Leung, Payments Leader at Very Good Security. The full on-demand presentation can be found at  https://www.cutimes.com/2020/11/04/take-control-secure-own-and-monetize-your-data/

Highlights from the November 12 editorial webcast “Credit Union Lending: It’s a Mixed Bag.” This event featured Michael Ogden, Editor-in-Chief of Credit Union Times, and was sponsored by Arch MI.   The full, on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/10/14/2020-mortgage-lending-big-picture-trends-for-credit-unions/

Highlights from the November 5 webcast “The Digital-First Credit Union: How to Move Forward with eSignatures.” This event featured Patrick Albert, Senior Solutions Architect from OneSpan, and Aphrodite Koukoulas, Senior Marketing Manager, also from OneSpan.   The full on-demand presentation can be found at  https://www.cutimes.com/2020/10/05/the-digital-first-credit-union-how-to-move-forward-with-esignatures/

Highlights from the October 22 webcast “How Your Credit Union Can Thrive in 2021,” sponsored by Information Builders (ibi). This educational event featured a presentation from Kirk Kordeleski, current Executive Benefits Consultant at OM Financial Group and formerly President/CEO Bethpage Federal Credit Union, with contributions from Jon M. Deutsch | Global VP Financial Services Solution and CU Practice Head | Information Builders (ibi). The full on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/09/25/how-your-credit-union-can-thrive-in-2021/   Kirk Kordeleski | Past Bethpage FCU President/CEO and Executive Benefits Consultant  | OM Financial Group Before joining OM as executive benefits consultant, Kirk served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bethpage Federal Credit Union, the largest community credit union in the Northeast, for 15 years. During his tenure, Bethpage was awarded the largest federal charter in the country and doubled its size every five years, growing from $950M to $6B. Among his achievements as CEO, Kordeleski helped create large-scale collaborations in both technology and back room operations, the first such collaborations in the industry. Prior to taking the CEO position at Bethpage, he was the credit union’s EVP for seven years. Before joining Bethpage, Kirk served as a Director on the Executive Team of Bank Fund Staff FCU for seven years. Kirk has started up 2 consulting firms, acted as senior managing partner at an industry leading professional services firm, was instrumental in starting up a blockchain ID CUSO and founded a marketplace lending Fintech. The consulting firms specialized in credit union strategy, digital transformation, CUSOs and data analytics. Kirk has also held numerous community leadership positions, including Chairman of Long Island’s top business association, Friends of the Arts, and a board position on the United Way, to name just a few. In his spare time, he enjoys music and collects art.   Jon M. Deutsch | Global VP Financial Services Solution and CU Practice Head | Information Builders (ibi) Jon M. Deutsch is Vice-President, Head of Financial Services, at ibi, providing industry-leading enterprise data and analytics for Credit Unions. Working with many of the world’s marquee financial institutions to map strategic business objectives to innovative financial technology, Jon has started-up and led several innovative technology organizations, products and services in Financial Services, and led multiple technology consortia uniting vendors and technology professionals to deliver commercial interoperability standards.

Highlights from the September 22 webcast “Hard Knocks: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and the Disruption of the Credit Union-to-Member Relationship,” sponsored by TimeTrade. This event featured, from TimeTrade, Steve Connolly, Senior Director of  Product Management; and from Del-One Federal Credit Union, Donna Robinson, Director of Branch Operations, and Horacio Garcia-Korosec, Director of Business Intelligence.   The full on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/09/02/hard-knocks-lessons-learned-from-covid-19-and-the-disruption-of-the-credit-union-to-member-relationship/

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for more robust employee benefits. As a result, credit unions are rethinking benefits in the context of supporting employees during difficult times. Benefits packages that are more comprehensive, however, drive up the cost of programs. Employee benefits and compensation account for more than 50% of credit union operating expenses, and healthcare costs alone are projected to grow at a rate of 5.5% a year. In this episode of the “Credit Union RX 2020” podcast series, we spoke with Jason Ritzenthaler, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Director of Investments and Institutional Business for Members Trust Company. He explains how Members Trust Company has helped credit union partners offset 63% of employee benefits costs. To learn more, hit play.

Banks and credit unions are responding to the effects of the pandemic differently: banks are focused on consolidating while credit unions are expanding. In fact, credit unions opened 1,523 branches in September 2019, compared with 4,727 closed bank branches during the same period. Banks are looking for buyers for their branches, while credit unions are working to fill “banking deserts,” or areas with no financial institutions within a 10 mile radius. In this episode of the “Credit Union RX 2020” podcast series, we brought together Neil Archibald, Chief Operating Officer for Members Trust Company, and Kathy Courtney, Chief Operating Officer of Greenstate Credit Union, to discuss the benefits of entering bank acquisition transactions with a third-party acquisition partner. They explain how working with a partner helps credit unions overcome barriers they face during the acquisition process and ultimately helps them better serve members. Click the player to hear their discussion.

Trust administration is a detail-oriented and time-consuming task, yet many clients decide to let their “eldest child handle it” or decide that “since my brother is a CPA, he can do it.” The challenge is that the client is asking a loved one to take on a major burden during an emotionally difficult time. We recently brought together Kathleen Miller, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer for Members Trust Company, and Kevin Stemple, a partner with Fairfax, Va.-based Yates, Campbell & Hoeg. They explain the symbiotic relationship between estate planning attorneys and trust companies. Stemple estimates that as many as 25% of his clients select a trust administration option, and he explains how this option spares clients’ loved ones extensive legal complexities, sometimes compounded by delicate family dynamics. To learn more, hit play.

Differentiation is becoming a difficult task for financial advisors, who are working under increased competition to secure new business. This challenge is occurring at a time when asset retention is a challenge — at both the front and tail ends of the advisor-client relationship. Investment advice has largely been commoditized and advisors can no longer stand out by promising to deliver superior investment returns. We recently brought together Sheldon Reynolds, Vice President of Trusts & Investments at Members Trust Company, and Julie Bates, Managing Director of Delta Community Retirement & Investment Services, to explain how credit union financial advisors can adapt. They discuss how advisors can stand out, improve member value and enhance responsiveness through fee-based investment management services. To learn more, hit play.

Over the next several decades, the biggest and wealthiest generation in U.S. history will transfer $30 trillion in assets to their children. The problem is that 60% of American adults don’t have an estate plan, potentially hindering the smooth transfer of hard-earned assets from one generation to the next. Credit unions are in a unique position to help members protect against this risk. We recently brought together Rachelle Czaplinski, CTFA, senior trust officer of BECU Trust Services, and Andrea Brandon, JD, vice president of marketing for Members Trust Company, as they discussed the importance of a trust services program. A credit union’s goal is to be a member’s primary financial institution. Brandon and Czaplinski explain how a trust services program helps accomplish this goal and assists members with preparing for future critical moments. This is the second episode in Members Trust Company’s ongoing podcast series “Credit Union RX.” To learn more, hit play.

Credit unions are firmly invested in their employees’ health — not only their physical health but their emotional health as well. They want innovative solutions to help people stay healthy and feel supported in the workplace. Additionally, there is rising uncertainty about benefits. Health care costs are projected to rise 5.5% per year, growing from $3.5 trillion to $6 trillion by 2027. A special fund such as an EBFT provides credit unions with expanded investment powers so they can do more by making more--providing funding for critical employee benefits, such as health insurance, paid time off, 401(k) plans, executive benefits planning and more. We recently spoke with Jason Ritzenthaler, co-chief investment officer and director of investments and institutional business for Members Trust Company, to better understand how credit unions are leveraging this resource. Ritzenthaler explains how EBFTs help offset rising benefits costs and discusses the most important considerations for credit unions. To learn more, hit play.

Highlights from the June 18 sponsored editorial webcast “Lending Trends and Challenges: Credit Union Economic Outlook.” This event featured Michael Ogden, Editor-in-Chief of Credit Union Times,  The full, on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/05/11/lending-trends-and-challenges-credit-union-economic-outlook/ About Michael Ogden | Editor-in-Chief | Credit Union Times Michael’s career stretches back 25 years from his time as a radio and TV journalist in Ohio and Wisconsin, to public and government relations work in the technology world, and finally stepped inside the credit union industry as a social media and digital media expert. Michael is the Editor-in-Chief for Credit Union Times, where he leads a team of financial journalists bringing the latest news and insights for credit union leaders and executives.

Highlights from the April 15 webcast titled “The Rise of Mobile Banking and Digital Payments - Don’t Get Left Behind.” This editorial event featured Michael Ogden, Editor-in-Chief of Credit Union Times, and was sponsored by Melissa Corp.   The full on-demand presentation can be found at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/03/27/the-rise-of-mobile-banking-and-digital-payments-dont-get-left-behind/

Highlights from the April 14 webcast “Mergers, Acquisitions, Conversions… Oh, My! Ensure Your Next Change Event Has a Happy Ending for You and Your Members.” The event was sponsored by Harland Clarke and featured Terri Panhans, Vice President of Contact Center Solutions, and Ron Hasbrooke, Senior Sales Executive, both from the company.   For the full, on-demand presentation, you can find it at https://www.cutimes.com/2020/02/28/how-to-turn-high-pressure-change-events-into-high-reward-member-experiences/   About Terri Panhans Terri Panhans is the Vice President, Contact Center Solutions for Harland Clarke. She manages all aspects of the contact center solutions programs that are supported by Harland Clarke. In her role, Terri is continually focused on helping clients connect with their customers how, when, and where it matters throughout the entire relationship. She and her team achieve this by developing and deploying solutions that create meaningful engagements to assist clients in their acquisition, growth, and retention efforts.   Terri began her career at Harland Clarke in 1993 as a Regional Call Center Manager in Dallas, Texas. She has held the positions of Servicing Project Manager; Regional Call Center Manager in Charlotte, NC; Director of Servicing for National Accounts; Executive Director Contact Center Solutions; Assistant Vice President of Sales & Marketing; and Vice President of Channel Development. She was appointed to her current position in February 2012.   Terri earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Texas A&M University in 1982. She also attended the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration in 2002.   About Ron Hasbrooke   Over the last 20 years, Ron has gained extensive expertise and experience in contact centers and financial services. From this solid foundation, he built strategic contact center solutions for financial services companies needing customized inbound and outbound communication support for acquisition, growth and retention initiatives.   Ron’s knowledge of how contact centers and financial services companies operate enables meaningful discussions with senior executives, contact center and customer experience leaders and marketing teams. He understands operations, metrics and technology, and knows the role of culture in driving customer experience, employee engagement and financial results. Ron listens carefully to needs, challenges and opportunities to help strategize and propose consultative solutions that align with goals. Ron’s specialties include: strategic planning, consultative sales, contact centers, major account relationship management and executive level collaboration.

This episode features highlights from the recent webcast “3 Steps to People-Centricity: How Your CU Can Deeply Engage with Members, Potential Members, and Employees,” and featured Lauren Leland Brand from sponsor Medallia, and Rob Maretsky, from Partners Federal Credit Union, which services members of the Walt Disney Corporation.  To view the full presentation on demand, click here: https://www.cutimes.com/2019/06/24/3-steps-to-engage-credit-union-members-potential-members-and-employees/

This episode of the Perspectives podcast, hosted on Credit Union Times, with highlights from the recent webcast “Mortgage Lending: 2019 Trends, Analysis, and How to Prepare.” Credit Union Times’s Jim Duplessis and Michael Ogden led this discussion, based on research published in the June 14, 2019 Credit Union Times Magazine.

Is Amazon coming for the banking sector, and if so, what can credit unions do?  In this episode of the Expert Perspectives podcast, we highlight the recent conversation between with Marc DeCastro, research director for consumer banking at IDC, and CUTimes’ executive editor Michael Ogden, that looked at this topic. DocuSign sponsored the original December 6 discussion: “Amazon Banking--Is Your CU Ready?,” and it can be found on-demand at https://www.cutimes.com/2018/11/12/amazon-banking-is-your-cu-ready/. Nisha Pattan, director of industry marketing for DocuSign, also joined in the webcast extended version. About Marc DeCastro: Mr. DeCastro’s core research coverage includes the complete omni-experience journey for the retail customer, including branch transformation, digital product strategies, and onboarding. Based on his background covering the consumer banking space, Mr. DeCastro’s research also includes a particular emphasis on how consumer trends and habits are forming the next generation products and services that utilize current and emerging technology.