WEEKLY UPDATE FROM MONTANA'S CREDIT UNIONS | May 15, 2026 | | |
Happy Friday!
May 15 celebrates National Straw Hat Day, National Chocolate Chip Day, and Emily Dickinson’s birthday (1859). Wondering where to flaunt your finest straw hat, savor sweet treats, and wax poetic? Next week’s Power Up events are the perfect opportunities! We’re excited to reunite with familiar faces, welcome new friends, learn from industry pros, and spark inspiring partnerships.
Hats and poetry are optional; desserts are not.
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Advocacy Update
NCUA Board Nomination: Earlier this week, President Trump nominated John Crews, currently Treasury deputy assistant secretary for financial institutions policy, to serve on the NCUA Board. If confirmed, Crews will replace current Chairman Kyle Hauptman and join the agency at a pivotal time, with two additional board seats currently vacant. America’s Credit Unions welcomed the nomination, citing Crews’ experience in financial services policy and support for a modern regulatory framework that allows credit unions to continue serving more than 146 million Americans.
Credit Union Supported Bills Advance: Also this week, the House Financial Services Committee advanced four credit union-supported bills focused on combating fraud and supporting responsible AI innovation in financial services. The legislation includes efforts to strengthen fraud prevention, support law enforcement resources, and explore technology solutions to help financial institutions better address scams and financial crimes.
| | | FiCEP: There’s still time to register for the 2026 FiCEP Certification Program! Strengthen your team’s ability to support members’ financial well-being while building valuable financial counseling expertise by earning your CCUFC designation. Learn more and register today! | | | |
Invest in Your Team This June: Three Montana credit union chapters are joining forces once again to bring valuable professional development closer to you with events in three convenient locations. Presenter Tracy Stock will share practical strategies to strengthen workplace culture, improve performance, and build an environment where employees feel empowered, engaged, and ready to succeed.
Now is the time to invest in your staff and your organization’s future. Encourage your team to attend, connect with peers, and bring back fresh ideas to your credit union. Learn more and register today!
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This Week's Blogs
Personal Finance Blog: Think kids are expensive? Try $300,000 before they even think about higher education. This week's personal finance blog breaks down the real cost of raising a child and highlights how expenses evolve from daycare days to sports fees and family vacations. The good news? With a little planning and smart spending, raising a family doesn’t have to completely blow your budget.
A Direct Line: Got a minute? That’s all it takes to level up your board leadership game. This week's blog highlights a bite-sized podcast packed with smart, thought-provoking takes on governance — proving you don’t need a long meeting (or a long commute) to spark better conversations and stronger decision-making.
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Save the Dates for Future Important Events
We've compiled a list of events happening next week so you don't have to. You know the drill: All times are mountain time unless noted otherwise.
| | | Looking (A Bit Farther) Ahead | | | |
Save the dates (MCU events are in blue)...
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Personify Leadership Training on June 10–11 in Great Falls
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Holy Cow! How to Create an Amazing Workplace that Steers Passion, Performance & Prosperity on June 16–18 in Billings, Butte (Fairmont Hot Springs), and Missoula
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Experiential Facilitation on July 14–16, in Great Falls — trainers & facilitators, this is for you!
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World Credit Union Conference on July 19–22, in Sydney, Australia
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2026 Fraud School on October 13–14, in Columbus, OH
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Small Credit Union Conference on October 25–27, in Baltimore, MD
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Leadership from the Inside Out: The latest young professionals blog has dropped, and it's a great read for everyone. As it turns out, leadership isn’t about the title on your door — it’s about what’s going on between your ears.
Emotional intelligence — self-awareness, empathy, and how you show up for others — is what really sets great leaders apart, long before any promotion. In short, if you can effectively lead yourself, the rest tends to follow.
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Cut Training Time with ScreenSteps: Training new employees doesn’t have to take months. ScreenSteps helps credit unions organize policies, procedures, and workflows into searchable, step-by-step digital guides staff can access anytime. From opening accounts to processing wires and handling disputes, employees get answers fast — reducing onboarding time, improving consistency, and boosting confidence. Learn more and stop by their booth at Power Up.
| | | Webinars for Everyone on your Team: Learn from the comfort of your own office from these webinar partners. Click on each to view a list of upcoming webinars. | | | THE CREDIT UNION DIFFERENCE | | |
Horizon Credit Union recently donated $8,574 to YWCA Missoula to help support families experiencing housing insecurity. Through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines’ Member Impact Fund, Horizon was able to turn its original $2,500 contribution into something even bigger — adding $6,074 in matching funds to significantly expand the impact of the gift.
This year’s grant was made in honor of Horizon’s former regional director, Alita Billington. Alita was a dedicated supporter of YWCA Missoula, serving on its board for many years and championing its mission in the community. Her legacy of service and advocacy continues to inspire this meaningful investment following her passing in June 2025. That's a seriously impactful #CUDifference!
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Chapters, Communities, and Collaboration: The Three C’s of
Effective Engagement
As I’ve spent time over the past few weeks attending chapter meetings and visiting credit unions across the state, I’ve been reminded of something powerful: the true strength of Montana’s credit union movement isn’t just in our numbers — it’s in our connections.
That’s why this week, I want to focus on what I’m calling the Three C’s of Effective Engagement: Chapters, Communities, and Collaboration.
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Chapters: Where Engagement Comes to Life
There’s something special about being in a room with credit union professionals who understand your challenges, celebrate your wins, and are willing to share ideas openly.
I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several chapter events recently, and I have to say — I’ve loved every minute of it. The level of engagement, the energy, and the genuine camaraderie have been incredible to see. Playing "Spot It!" and talking about effective communication were a lot of fun at both the Giant Springs and Midland Empire chapter meetings!
Our chapters are not just meeting regularly — they’re thriving. They are creating space for meaningful conversations, peer learning, and relationship-building that simply can’t happen any other way.
From frontline staff to CEOs, these gatherings are strengthening our movement from the ground up. They are where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are formed, and future leaders are emerging.
Quite simply, our chapters are where the credit union difference becomes personal.
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Communities: Where Value is Delivered
At the same time, we continue to see strong engagement across our Montana's Credit Unions Communities — and that’s no accident.
Whether it’s advocacy, compliance, fraud, HR, or leadership, these communities are providing targeted, relevant spaces for professionals to connect, learn, and problem-solve together.
We’ve seen growing participation across many of these groups, particularly in areas like risk and fraud, where collaboration and shared insight are more important than ever in today’s environment.
But beyond the numbers, what stands out to me is the willingness of people to lean in — to ask questions, to share best practices, and to support one another.
That’s what these communities are all about: Not just information, but connection. Not just resources, but relationships.
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Collaboration: The Multiplier Effect
And that brings us to the third “C” — collaboration. What makes our chapters and communities so effective isn’t just that they exist — it’s how they work together as part of a larger ecosystem.
We are seeing collaboration across credit unions, across roles, and even across state lines. Whether it’s shared learning opportunities, peer mentoring, or collective advocacy efforts, we are stronger because we are working together.
Collaboration is what turns individual effort into collective momentum. And in a time when our industry is facing increased complexity — from regulatory pressure to hiring and talent development to evolving member expectations — that collaboration is not just valuable, it’s essential.
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As I reflect on what I’ve seen over the past few weeks, I couldn’t be more optimistic.
We have engaged chapters. We have active, growing communities. And we have a culture of collaboration that continues to deepen. That combination is powerful.
So, my encouragement to all of you is simple: Lean in. Show up. Stay engaged. Because when you do, you’re not just strengthening your own credit union — you’re helping strengthen the entire movement across Montana. And that’s something we can all be proud of.
Have a great weekend. Cooperatively, Gerry
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