Thursday, February 3

10:00 am – 3:00 pm    Young Professionals Workshop

Young professionals age 40 and under gathering with Mentees from the CUaware Protégé Mentor Program for a day of education and networking.

10:00 am – 2:00 pm    Small Credit Union Roundtables

The Credit Union Roundtables provide an open, cooperative environment for candid discussion of challenges and opportunities, to share best practices, and discuss timely topics submitted by participants.

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm    The Mentor Workshop

This event will share best practices, resources and tips with incoming Mentors. This workshop is mandatory for Mentors in the 2022 program.

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm    Midsize Credit Union Roundtable

The Mid-Size Credit Union Roundtable meets several times a year for networking and discussion of topics relevant to credit unions between $50M and $400M in assets. During their Roundtable they share best practices, and discuss among the group any topics of interest submitted by registrants.

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm    Foundation Gala Cocktail Reception

Gather for food and drinks to celebrate this year’s Credit Union Foundation Award Winners.

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm    Carolinas Credit Union Foundation Gala Awards

The Carolinas Credit Union League is a proud supporter of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, and together we will honor several credit unions for their outstanding work and service. All event proceeds with go towards the Foundation’s exclusive sponsorship of Victory Junction’s Reach Program.

Friday, February 4

9:15 AM

Interactions vs. Transactions: The Right Mix of Technology and People to Connect Channels, Reduce Costs, and Enhance the Branch Experience

World events accelerated consumer adoption of digital, self-service, and video technologies and spurred innovation projects within financial institutions. Similar to retail, consumers now expect their institution to offer “anywhere, anytime” access and speedy decisioning. With member expectations raised and fee-income and staffing under duress, shifting mundane transactions to 24/7 self-service reduces transaction costs and frees up branch staff to focus on more complex, advisory related transactions.

In this session, we’ll address how blending the right mix of technology and people can optimize branch staffing models, connect the physical and online channels, expedite transactions, reduce operational costs, and most importantly, improve member experience.

Presented by  Sean Farrell, Chief Executive Officer, QDS

Why one-to-one messaging is the key to profitable customer relationships

In our remote-first world, businesses may not be able to leverage in-person moments to engage and maintain their customer base, but that doesn’t mean you cannot create a memorable and profitable experience. Customer relationship management is a simple enough concept in theory. While every business has its own methods of customer interaction, building and maintaining a profitable customer relationship is often an area that requires some review.  In this panel discussion, our team of experts come together to discuss how one-to-one messaging can provide a seamless and personalized experience that benefits both your customers and your bottom line.

Presented by  Scott McArthur, CRO, Statflo and Thomas Shields, VP, Product Enablement, Kasasa

How Credit Unions of Any Size Can Grow Their Business with AI Underwriting

AI and machine learning (ML) are transforming the member experience at credit unions. But too many credit unions shy away from investing in better lending with AI because they’re unsure of this new technology and whether to trust it with their underwriting decisions. They also don’t think they have enough transaction or loan volume to properly train an AI model. Not so. The truth is that you don’t need a ton of in-house data to build a high-performing AI underwriting model.

In this session, you’ll learn what is AI underwriting and how credit unions of all sizes can use ML to increase the accuracy of your credit models, allowing you to approve more borrowers safely. We will also touch on what kinds of data go into AI/ML credit models and how they’re just as transparent (if not more so) than the models and scorecards you use today. You’ll leave the session with a better understanding of AI underwriting and how it can help grow your business.

Presented by  Mike de Vere, CEO, Zest AI and Dan Chiazza, CRO, Zest AI

10:45 AM

How advanced data analytics enables credit unions to strengthen their position in regional markets and compete more effectively

With the right partners, credit unions can thrive by redefining the local experience and digitally transforming how they operate. Learn how advanced data analytics helps credit unions to target, discover and offer the right services to the right people, at the right time, allowing them to improve customer relationships, deliver new products and services through data-driven campaigns, and accelerate competitive advantage.
● Learn how advanced data analytics enables credit unions to strengthen their position in regional markets and compete more effectively.
● Understand how data analytics that is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) allows credit unions to gain customer intelligence to grow their lifetime value, predict churn, determine which products to introduce to customers and when, based upon deep learning models that are informed by data.
● Attain insights into how advanced analytics enables credit unions to deliver timely personalized messages to customers, make data-driven product recommendations, measure campaign ROI, and grow net dollar retention.

Presented by  Ryan Wilson, Vice President of Client Relationships, Aunalytics

Redefining the Retail-Branch Experience

In an ultra-competitive financial environment, credit unions need to rethink their member journey. Over many years and for a variety of reasons, the branch experience has shifted from a transactional to a relational environment. Now more than ever, the transformation of the physical space along with the development of great human capital and technology, is critical to differentiate yourself in the marketplace to remain competitive and successful.

Join our break-out session to gain a deeper understanding of how we blend human capital and modern technology to redefine the retail-branch environment and become the go-to financial institution in your market.

Presented by  Nate Baldasaro, Co-founder, The Element group

Are You Ready For Rising Rates? Fed Eyes Potential March 2022 Increase In Rates

Immediate Investment Portfolio Strategies For A Rising Rate Environment

Now that the Fed has decided to raise the Fed Funds Target Rate and has greatly shortened the timeline for doing so, CU’s will face income and profitability challenges in 2022.

The strategic decisions your CU makes in 2022 with excess cash from the COVID deposit surge are critical. The margin for error is the slimmest it has been in decades. Future decreased profitability and corresponding regulatory pressure to increase Net Worth are byproducts of the wrong strategy being utilized in response to rising rates.

Mark Wickard will bring his practical experience of strategically helping CU’s to re-balance and re-position their investments with the same energy and ingenuity he has displayed since he began working with CU’s in 1986.

Presented by  Mark Wickard, Managing Director of Investments,

Credit Union Investment Strategy Group of Oppenheimer & Co

11:45 AM

Hot Topics in Commercial Lending

Commercial Lending is a never-ending sea of change, and whether you are considering adding commercial loans to the services you offer your membership, or are trying to keep up with everything going on, this session will provide useful and timely information on getting started and on what to expect from the post pandemic economy, regulatory changes, the constant changes in loan examinations and the impact on your portfolio.

Presented by  Mark Cox, President and CEO, Innovative Business Solutions

The State of the Credit Union Industry

This session will explore the current state of the credit union industry from a financial perspective. On a macro level, we’ll review the consolidated credit union industry’s balance sheet and look at recent trends in loan growth, investment allocation and shifts in deposit mix. Recent and historical operating and income ratios will also be discussed to identify areas of competitive strength and weakness. We’ll also look at the industry’s capital utilization, liquidity and margin trends.

Presented by  Frank Santucci, Managing Director, Stifel – Credit Union Strategies Group

Think Like a Retailer:  Why it’s important & How to do It!

In today’s marketplace, consumers are very sophisticated and have ample choices as where to do their banking business.  Whether your credit union is SEG-based, community-focused, or in transition, are you using all the tools available to guide your decision making?

The world of retailing is constantly changing and evolving.  Staying relevant and successful takes careful planning, execution and constant re-assessment. Retailers have long used deep market research and analyses to identify and understand their target customers – and how to reach them, both with physical locations as well as with marketing strategies.  This type of research and data can help you determine:  Who exactly are your members? How do they compare with the population of potential customers? How can you reach those you’re missing?  How do you correct under-performing branches and/or identify new locations with the highest growth potential for your particular credit union?

Learn how your credit union can Think Like a Retailer – Gain insights on how to use DATA to form an actionable STRATEGY to drive your GROWTH!

Presented by  Nancy Nesbitt, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Accubranch

1:30 PM

Email Compromise Attacks – Don’t be a Victim

Email is the way of life now, even more so for those who work remotely. It’s convenient, instantaneous and easier than calling someone on the phone. It’s something financial institutions use every day and have come to depend on. But bad actors know this, and they prey on financial institution’s dependency on emails to conduct business daily.

Did you receive an emergency email from your CFO about a wire that was not sent yesterday? Do you really know if this is coming from your CFO? Or, are you being targeted by a business email compromise (BEC) attack? While utilizing a variety of tactics and channels, bad actors can find a ways to gain access to your credit union email accounts. These email account compromise (EAC) attacks are only the beginning of the bad news though. How many credit union systems do you log into using your email address? How many emails with members sensitive information are in your inbox? Once the bad actors have access to your credit union email account, the journey from your inbox to monetary fraud losses can be a terrifyingly short one. Join our security team as they explain what these attacks are and how your credit union can defend itself against them.

This session will:
• Define business email compromise and email account compromise.
• Explore the innerworkings of business email compromise and email account compromise.
• Identify strategies your credit union can use as a defense against these attacks.

Presented by  Mike Bechtel, Information Security Analyst, Vizo Financial

Omni-Channel Communication for Credit Unions

Digital communication is now more important than ever. Eltropy is revolutionizing how Credit Unions digitally communicate with members in a secure & compliant way, with the only omnichannel solution to offer text messaging, video banking, cobrowsing, secure chat & chatbot capabilities. Using Eltropy’s omni-channel, enterprise-wide communications solution, lending, collections, sales, marketing, contact center and other teams at your Credit Union can leverage digital communication to increase member engagement and receive relevant member insights via analytics.

Presented by  Ashish Garg, Co-founder and CEO, Eltropy

Secondary Capital/Sub Debt

On 12/16/2021, the NCUA Board passed the new Risk-Based Capital (RBC) framework. As of the beginning of this year, all federally insured credit unions are now regulated under these new requirements. While RBC rules changed, the door to access risk-based capital has now opened. In this session we will discuss the regulatory change, the RBC calculation, the implications for credit unions, how to determine your capital adequacy and finally, for those prepared to fully embrace this new framework, how to identify the opportunities it will provide.

Presented by James A. Toliver, Director of Balance Sheet Strategies, Performance Trust

2:45 PM

How American Pays for College:                                                                                                              Understanding Student Financial Aid and the Impacts of COVID-19

Customers look to you for many financial decisions, including the financial aid process and how to pay for college. It can be a complex process and many families aren’t sure how they will come to pay for all of the expenses, and COVID-19 certainly hasn’t made anything easier. Attendees in this session will learn financial aid basics, including available federal and state aid; FAFSA form and federal student loan information; impacts of COVID-19 on students in North Carolina; and aid offered by North Carolina’s state-based non-profit. Attendees will leave with information to help their customers and themselves.

Presented by  April Query, Regional & Community Services Manager, College Foundation of North Carolina

Digital Banking Just Got Personal

POPi/o’s digital member engagement platform solves everything from simple and efficient assisted self-service requests to personalized, complex interactions, delivering full-service branch-like engagements with meaningful outcomes. POPi/o empowers members to engage from a variety of starting points, including digital channels, in-branch, ATMs, ITMs, and more.

During this session you will learn:

• How to deliver full-service branch-like engagements digitally
• How POPi/o Digital Customer Engagement platform leverage full-service capabilities at the members moment of need
• Enabling positive customer journey
• Utilization of credit union staff through digital engagement
• Specific use cases from successful Digital Customer Engagement Platform

Presented by  Jennifer Mahoney, Sales Executive, POPi/o

2021 Market Outlook: What to Expect in the Post-Pandemic Adjustment Period

COVID-19 brought out the best and worst of the global economy. The pandemic caused the lowest unemployment rate in fifty years to quickly spike to the highest rate in ninety years. The implosion led to a burst of crisis-response money printing and stimulus payments to affected businesses and individuals. But human ingenuity is once again set to prevail with warp-speed development of an effective vaccine. A post-pandemic adjustment period will soon follow, impacting investors’ portfolios across the risk spectrum for years to come. During this session, the pandemic’s impact on the structure of the economy and its influence on financial markets will be discussed in simple, entertaining terms. Special emphasis will be placed on the outlook for savers and investors.

Presented by  Scott D. Knapp, CFA®, Managing Principal, CUNA Mutual Fiduciary Consultants