By Sarah Snell Cooke, Principal, Cooke Consulting Solutions

So far the Underground has posted about credit unions’ role in marijuana banking, the dark side of mergers, large versus small credit unions, and true collaboration. The Underground seeks to bring those topics merely whispered about in typical conference hallways to the mainstage. Next week’s Underground Collision takes these topics front and center, plus taxation, disruption, member activation, and developing the next generation of credit union leaders.

Please join us for the Underground Collision at the fabulous Penthouse 45 in New York City on Monday, May 8 for discussions on mergers,  marijuana banking, whether big credit unions are carrying small ones or vice versa, ‘only if I win’ collaboration, and more.  Register here.

COOP Financial Services EVP Sarah Canepa Bang, CU*Answers CEO Randy Karnes, and Balance CEO Kathryn Davis will kick off the event—following what is certain to be a rousing welcome by Host and Instigator Brandi Stankovic, managing partner at Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates—with a session tackling the hard facts of true collaboration. All stakeholders should win!  

We know what disruption looks like—think Uber and its impact on the now conserved $1.7 billion Melrose Credit Union that led to hundreds of millions in losses. What is the tipping point where from changing how we do business lead to an extinction of that business line? Unitus FCU CEO Steve Stapp and Southwest Louisiana CU CEO Ronaldo Hardy will be joined by CU Today Founder Frank Diekmann to explore this question and more. On the savings side of the ledger, what percentage of savings is held by members more than 70 years old, and will there be a transfer of wealth that also takes that money out of the credit union?

Conference host Susan Mitchell, CEO of Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates, will lead a panel on taxation realities, which is not just literal taxation but the reality of regulators’ assessments that can change the very way you run your credit union’s business. There is more to come, Mitchell says, and it might be a double barrel shot gun!

Credit unions may need to rally their members’ assistance to defend against this potential. Can your credit union do that? SCE Federal CMO Michelle Shelton and Board Member Michael Maxwell will lead a lively discussion on how to make your member-owners care about the fate of their credit union. Is the credit union community ready, willing and able to create a #CUMarch of substantial size?

If not, how can we develop a kick-ass next generation of credit union volunteers and executives? CEO of Catalyst Corporate, Kathy Garner will lead a necessarily heated discussion of industry change, business models, and philosophy that is critical to credit unions remaining a governor of consumer financial services pricing and business practices. We must get the various generations working together!

Credit Union League of Connecticut CEO Jill Nowacki, California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues CEO Diana Dykstra, and Tyler Valentine, CEO of Laramie Plains Community FCU and MWCU Foundation board member, will stir discussion on how to bridge the gap between small and large credit unions, because you need each other.

Rounding out the agenda are Sarah Snell Cooke, principal of Cooke Consulting Solutions, leading the marijuana banking discussion, and Columbine CU CEO John Faries heading up mergers. The Underground Collision May 8, is a must-attend event.