This morning certainly looked a tad different from previous mornings, as the thousands of credit union advocates in D.C. this week were split into breakout sessions covering topics such as succession planning, the future of the NCUA, housing finance under the current administration, the payments space, and more. (CUSO Magazine will be offering a closer look into these breakout sessions in the weeks to come, so keep on the lookout!)
Though these breakout sessions meant there was only one general session for the day, it was a completely full schedule, with no shortage of moments to cover, including perhaps some of the best from the conference so far, so let’s get started!
Patrick Conway and league presidents take the stage
Kicking off the first and only general session of the day was Board Chair of American Association of Credit Union Leagues and President & CEO of Cross State Credit Union Association, Patrick Conway. Conway, along with all 32 credit union league presidents, gathered on the stage to share the impact leagues have in advocacy work and why they are such an essential component of the credit union industry at large.
“Advocacy is not just something leagues do, it is who we are. And what makes our advocacy so impactful is that the role all leagues play is the linchpin of this work. It is not just about the local, state, and federal advocacy,” said Conway. “It is about the unique position we hold at the intersection of our national trade association, state and federal legislative parties, our individual communities, and all of you, our credit unions from across the country.”
Conway wrapped by thanking credit unions for the work they do each and every day back home in their communities to make the advocacy work of the leagues possible. “Together, we are not just influencing the future of the credit union industry, we are shaping it.”
The house that credit unions built
Staying focused on advocacy, but shifting gears from the “who” to the “where,” the next speaker on the stage arrived with a special announcement in tow. Troy Stang, President and CEO of GoWest Credit Union Association and Chair of the Credit Union House Board of Directors revealed that the Credit Union House will be getting a redesign, and fundraising efforts for the project are currently underway.
The Credit Union House—established in D.C. in 1998 to cement a permanent place for credit unions in the nation’s capital through which advocacy work could be done and credit union leaders from around the country could gather—has stood as a testament to credit unions’ commitment to increasing its advocacy efforts on a national level since the passing of the Credit Union Membership Access Act.
Having served the industry as the “epicenter for credit union advocacy” for 27 years and now showing its age, Stang announced that the Credit Union House would be undergoing a full renovation to enable it to better support credit unions’ needs for the space and the daily operations that go on there. The final product would be a “living, breathing, walking impact report of the work that [credit unions] do each and every day in [their] communities across America.”
Directly after this announcement, attendees were treated to a video walkthrough of the reimagined space, which would boast larger meeting spaces and an array of displays featuring credit union impact data and industry achievements.
Bev Anderson, President and CEO of BECU and Brett Martinez of Redwood Credit Union joined Stang on the stage, announcing that in support of this change, both credit unions would be pledging $250,ooo to the fundraising efforts.
“This house was built by credit unions and powered by the work we do every day for our members and communities. It is critical for this tool to be powerful here in the capital to advance predicting advocacy,” Anderson remarked. Martinez echoed her sentiments, stating, “Remember, this is our house, and we need representation when we leave here this week.”
Of course, not to be outdone, America’s Credit Unions former Board Chair Brian Schools along with newly-appointed America’s Credit Unions Board Chair, Patrick Pierce, announced the organization’s donation of $2 million to the project.
Pierce makes first speech as new ACU Board Chair
Pierce would later re-enter the stage to address attendees a second time and express his excitement and gratitude for his new position as Board Chair, thanking Brian Schools, who previously served in the position before him along with Lisa Ginter, who served as Vice Chair over the last year.
Reflecting back on his credit union career, Pierce promised to continue building on the work of those that came before him and to move forward with the goal to “prepare our movement for future generations of members that are depending on [credit unions].”
Debbie Smith honored as Greg Inman Servant Leadership Award recipient
The next presentation is certainly one of the most heartfelt and moving components of the conference: the presentation of the Greg Inman Servant Leadership Award.
Since the award’s inception in 2022—after the passing of its namesake, Greg Inman, Chief Operations Officer of Neighbors Federal Credit Union in Baton Rouge—America’s Credit Unions has recognized a credit union leader that exhibits all the values, traits, and heart that Inman, a fierce credit union advocate, loving husband and father, and community champion, demonstrated through his personal life and career.
- Believing, serving and listening to others;
- Helping others to learn and grow;
- Building and supporting community;
- Leading, by establishing goals and taking initiative;
- Distributing leadership through facilitating and sharing of power;
- Being authentic, open and accountable.
The winner of the 2025 Greg Inman Servant Leadership Award was Debbie Smith, CEO of Georgia United Credit Union and founder of Georgia United Foundation. As Georgia United Credit Union’s first female CEO (though she prefers to be called “head coach”), Smith has not only made history, but has been accredited by her team with bringing the credit union record growth and stability.
In a video honoring Smith’s work, her peers deemed her a “living, breathing example of what servant leadership looks like” and reflected on her unwavering commitment to community service. One employee shared the credit union’s rallying cry on the staff’s paid service days led by Smith:
“She’ll say, ‘who are we?’ and we’ll say, ‘Georgia United!’ She’ll say ‘What do you do?’ we serve.”
“I’m grateful to serve in a movement that allows me to live my purpose: to serve and to nurture people,” Smith said in her acceptance speech.
NCUA Board Member Tanya Otsuka fights for NCUA independence
Unlike NCUA Board Chairman, Kyle Hauptman, NCUA Board Member Otsuka—the newest addition to the board—did not shy away from expressing her opinions on the agency’s independence, which has been threatened due to recent executive orders that would force the NCUA’s policies to align with and be vetted by the current administration.
While she did not outright condemn the presidential supervision executive order, Otsuka’s main focus throughout her presentation was to convey the critical need for credit unions to have an independent regulator that understands the unique characteristics of credit unions.
“Our independence from politics and distinction from other financial regulators allows us to focus on what matters to the credit union system. It also allows us to maintain long-term stability, mitigate risk, and act quickly during a crisis,” Otsuka stated.
Reciting the original purpose Congress entrusted the NCUA with—to protect credit union members and the credit union system—Otsuka reflected on the dark times in the nation’s history that led to the creation of the independent financial regulators as a tool and safety net for American families.
In order to successfully complete the task set forth for the agency decades ago and achieve the goals the organization has set out to do—including Otsuka’s goal to establish reimbursement for childcare expenses for credit union board members—the industry must have an independent regulator specifically designed for credit unions. And that, as she concluded, “is the NCUA.”
Representative Pete Aguilar on partnering with credit unions
The penultimate speaker for the day was Congressman Pete Aguilar of California who serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and is also on the House Appropriations Committee. A former credit union employee himself, Aguilar is a strong ally of the credit union movement.
Aguilar opened by touching on what he felt the outcomes of the 2024 election represented: a distrust of institutions that citizens feel are taking advantage of them and an exhaustion with being reliant on organizations only looking to make a quick buck. As cooperatives, credit unions stand apart from these for-profit institutions, says Aguilar, and as such, credit unions should be afforded the same flexibility as others.
“It is my hope that by working together, we can cut through the noise and pass some common sense legislation that makes credit unions stronger. Because when you succeed, communities succeed.”
Keynote speaker Coach K
I don’t mean any disrespect to the other speakers throughout the session, as they all did a phenomenal job, but it was very clear by the energy and conversations happening in the room that this last speaker, the keynote for the day, was truly the main attraction many had come to see.
The speaker not only received a standing ovation before they had even uttered a word, but the main hall quickly became filled with phones snapping photos. The keynote, Mike Krzyzewski, or as he’s more famously known—Coach K—served as the head Men’s Basketball Coach for Duke University for 42 years (1980-2022) as well as the head Coach of the US Men’s National Team.
Before jumping into his speech on leadership, Coach K took the time to recognize Debbie Smith, who was awarded the Greg Inman award earlier in the presentation. Coach K praised her work and even noted that her words brought him to near tears. He then jokingly followed up with, “I love that credit unions reward excellence. Congrats to all the winners. I didn’t win anything today, so I hope at the end of this I get something.”
In his lessons on leadership, Coach K aligned with a few of the other keynotes we heard from over the week, stressing the incredible importance of:
- Clear and transparent communication: “God played a trick on me, the guys I coached all stayed the same age and I got older. Because of that, I’ve had to change my communication style 15-20 times to meet the needs of those players. It is on you as a leader to communicate and get your message across.”
- Allowing team members to be their authentic selves: “Many coaches will tell their guys to leave their egos at the door, but I don’t believe in that. I want my team for who they are—all their ego, all their talent.”
- And creating a strong sense of ownership within the team, which cultivates a vested interest in the outcome: “I told my team: “I want you to hear and see, but I want you to feel what you’re doing. If it goes here (pointing to heart), you own it.”
Though coaching basketball and leading a credit union are obviously incredibly different mediums, Coach K’s three A’s of leadership—agility, adaptability, and accountability—speak to credit union leaders as well, especially as the industry faces policy and regulation changes, uncertain and tumultuous economic times, and the potential for taxation. The ability to stay agile and adapt to these changes, and take accountability as leaders, will serve us well.
In his parting comments, Coach K praised the work of the industry and shared his awe at all credit unions have been able to accomplish in their communities and across the country. “You serve 140 million people. What a tremendous honor, opportunity, and responsibility,” he remarked. “My wish for all of you is that when you leave here, you spread that winning attitude and give everybody a chance to be a part of it.”
One day more
While this week has been a whirlwind of activity, it is not quite over yet. Join us tomorrow for one final day of the Governmental Affairs Conference and one last special report!
