Top Ten Things I Learned at #NCCUL2012

The North Carolina Credit Union League Annual Meeting just wrapped in Pinehurst, NC and it was a great experience.  Patrick and I were able to help facilitate and speak during the young professional track.  This was the second year having YP specific breakouts, and the first having a full track.  Credit Unions across the state really jumped at this opportunity, knowing the crucial fact that CUs need to pass on knowledge to next generation leadership. 

We learned a heck of a lot about credit unions, but also each other.  Here’s my top ten list:

10. The League can throw an event.  Special thanks to all league staff, especially Lauren DeAngelis.  Great speakers, very smooth…just a really great job!

9. NC also has a ton of highly energetic young professionals.  16 were able to stay two nights at the conference.  Last year, only one YP stayed the entire conference.  (Go Candace Cardwell! (@icanCUsucceed)) That’s a heck of an increase!  This is also a tribute to credit union senior management.  Those YPs were able to come because their management can see their potential and were willing to put money on it.  Congrats to NC credit unions!

8. YP’s were tweeting up a storm, over 200 #NCCUL2012 tweets!  Check it out! (Don’t need twitter to see, click here) 

7. As explained on the YP panel, senior management in credit unions want energetic, proactive young professionals.  They know they can teach you the skills, you just have to be ready to take advantage of every opportunity that comes around. Be daring, YPs!

6. The panel addressing YPs also mentioned the importance of mentors.  CUaware is very aware and we are working on a really cool way to connect folks more directly.  However, until then our CUsocials have a great mix of experienced and new.  Come on out!

5. John Lass, SVP of Strategy and Business Development at CUNA Mutual, spoke at the YP breakfast and laid out a challenge: the only true differientator that banks can never match is democratic member control.  Take that one principle back and make it a little more fun at your credit union. 

4. In response to the idea of drastically opening up annual meeting voting and board membership would lead to some bad decisions, John Lass simply replied: democracy is messy, but worth it.  Nice!

3. YPs not only need to learn more about CUs from our more seasoned mentors, but we could even learn a thing or two about staying up late.  I know I was schooled in this regard.

2. Ben Rogers (@tahoebenr) from Filene Research Institute proved once again that Filene employees are equal parts: genius, proactive, dry humor, and humble.  Great job leading the YP track.

1. Credit Union people are just really good people.  Caring, funny, do-it-yourself attitude and extremely humble.  In a meeting chock full of North Carolina credit union legends, there was absolutely no pretence to them.  I seriously doubt many other industries would be this open and honest with each other. 

Can’t wait until next year!

Call for Volunteers, June 23rd 2-6pm

Raleigh Rescue Mission needs your help this Saturday, June 23rd.  Join fellow CUaware advocates and show your concern for community.  Donating your time benefits the local community, strengthens our social bond, and makes you feel good.  There are four  volunteer shifts available from 2-6pm.  Please e-mail our Volunteer Coordinator to sign up!

Coop-a-Fair, June 2, 11am-3pm

CUaware advocates, you are your family are invited to attend an important event at Diamond View Park between DPAC and Tobacco Campus in Durham.  Cooperative Council and Cabot Cheese have partnered to support the promotion and celebration of cooperatives in North Carolina.  The day-long event will be filled with fun and games for the whole family including live musical entertainment, tasty food, cooking demonstrations, the NCDA’s Giant Shopping Cart, a bouncy house, a maze, and guest appearances from local leaders.  Kids attending will be able to win prizes through a Scavenger Hunt that takes them through educational booths to learn about different cooperatives and organizations at the affair.  All attending are also invited to participate in a community service project to clean up the area’s local Greenway System with REI.

Details are here: Coop-a-Fair Invitation Flyer

CUaware Goes Political – April Social Recap

At our last networking night on Thursday, April 19th, CUaware had the opportunity to meet Governor Bev Perdue. Along with being a credit union member herself, Governor Perdue is a strong credit union advocate who is very vocal in her support of NC credit unions. In 2011, she signed the Savings Promotion Raffle Bill, allowing NC credit unions to participate in the “Save to Win” program. The “Save to Win” program offers members incentive for saving money.

Erica Hinton of LGFCU gets the MVP award for making the picture happen.

The evening then shifted to a lively debate on private student loans (what can CUs do to help?), the morality of allowing members to link their HELOC to a debit card for easier access (I was against, other for) and the YP track at the NCCUL Annual Conference.

Questions:

• What can CUs do to help the rising debt burden associated with student loans?
• What’s your take on HELOC’s tied to plastic?
• When are you signing up for the YP Track at the NCCUL Annual Conference?

Post your comments below!

April Event Flyer!

Cold Drink on a Hot Day – 3/15 Recap

In a CUaware first, Patrick and I travelled to Charlotte to hold the first non Triangle CUaware event.  We spoke to the Piedmont chapter about the importance of helping YP learn, share, grow and held a social afterwards.  Two important things to note for us:

First, Michelle McGee, Chapter President and the rest of the Charlotte crew were very gracious.  We loved our stay and you represented your chapter well.  Great to have you fighting the good fight for everyone in Charlotte.

Second, we got a great compliment that night I’d like to share.  After we spoke and facilitated some group discussions, a veteren of the credit union movement said that we were like a cold drink on a hot day.  I asked him to elaborate, paraphrased below:

“You know how you can go for a while working in your yard on a hot day and just forget to drink anything?  Well, that’s what it’s been like for me.  I get so focused on the day to day, I stop thinking about the bigger picture and realize I’m doing good, not just doing paperwork.  You guys let us take a moment to reflect on that, and it tasted as good as a cold drink on a hot day.”

While I’m sure he meant “water” as a cold drink instead of our preferred “adult beverage”, I knew exactly what he meant.  It’s easy to get caught up in audits and transactions and reports and forget that we’re all here to serve members.  CUaware has helped us take a step outside and remember that and share our own ways we’ve helped members and the movement.  We hope it can for you too.

We do know this was the case back at the homestead.  Bijal and Lauren helped run the regular Triangle event and even brought a new face along as well.

Don’t they look engaged!

We’re very excited to see CUaware spread and if you’re interested in helping us do that, please contact us at cuaware@googlegroups.com.

CUaware Gives Back!

I’m very excited about this new avenue for CUs to give back.  This event to the Raleigh Rescue Mission is just the first of many volunteer events we have planned for the rest of the year. 

Congrats to the first wave of CUaware volunteers: Patrick Livingston, Erica Hinton, Jenae Cox, Cedric Cox, Megan Cornish, Bijal Gami, Pam Banks, Karita Robins, Jeff Hardin, Lauren Whaley, and Pam Melton.

You represented us well!

If you have any interest in volunteering, just leave a comment on this posting or email cuaware@googlegroups.com.

Without further ado, a recap from Karita Robins, the Triangle Volunteer Coordinator:

CUaware’s Raleigh Rescue Mission Volunteer Event

CUAware’s very first volunteer event was a smash! It was a great way to get to know each other and to get involved in our community.

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During the prep shift, we worked with the fantastic kitchen manager, who is a former resident of the program, and his assistants, who are current residents of the RRM. They were a blast to work with and took it easy on us since we were rookies! Our meal consisted of baked chicken, homemade hamburger helper, rice, green beans, and corn. Along with the main dinner course, the RRM offers a salad bar, fresh fruits, and dessert for the residents. We found out that Bijal Gami is a top notch pot stirrer and that Erica Hinton can measure rice into a big pot of boiling water like a professional chef (It filled the pan, and more, in case you were wondering, Erica!).

During the serve and clean shift, we were able to put our “Smiling makes a difference” theory to the test! The residents of the RRM eat at scheduled times. The resident men came in first, followed separately by the resident women and their children. The Mission also takes in women who need immediate assistance through their Emergency Overnight Shelter program. All in all, we served dinner to 50-60 people in less than 30 minutes! It was definitely a rush of hungry people. If you think washing dishes for your family is hard, try keeping up with dishes for 60 people! Patrick and Jeff were maniacs at the dish washing station!

In all seriousness, our short day at the RRM was invaluable. One impactful thing about the event is the amount of people who genuinely thanked us and smiled with us. They seem truly glad that we were there and several of the residents asked about CUaware. It was a great opportunity to spread the Credit Union motto of “People Helping People.”  Many of us walked away very thankful and willing to do more for our community in the future.

Thank you to those who volunteered and took time out of your busy weekend to lend a hand and share a smile. We made a difference!