CUNA’s 2011 America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo Offers Credit Union Leaders High-Impact Program

April 15, 2011 | COMMENTS

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) will host its 2011 America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo (ACUC) June 19 – 22 in San Antonio, Texas.  Recognized as the key innovation and leadership event for credit unions, this year’s conference theme is Big Time: Big Ideas & Big Opportunities. 

In addition to keynote speakers Dan Pink, Alison Levine, Eric Saperston, Doug Hall and Dan Heath; CUNA has just announced it will feature strategist John Lass, author and former chief customer officer Jeanne Bliss, marketing guru Scott Stratten, corporate coach and author Lee Silber, performer Charlie Todd, and economists Bill Hampel and Mike Schenk.  These thought leaders will discuss supplemental capital, member loyalty, nontraditional marketing strategies, the economic outlook and more. 

New this year, CUNA is partnering with CUNA Mutual Group to feature their well-respected Discovery Conference sessions.  “ACUC is consistently lauded for its innovative, forward-thinking agenda and unmatched speaker line up,” said Bill Cheney, President and CEO of CUNA.  “Our collaboration with CUNA Mutual brings the Discovery sessions to America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo.  This year’s event promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience.”   

“The credit union movement faces unprecedented challenges, but also opportunities," said Jeff Post, CUNA Mutual President and CEO.  “Best practices and fresh thinking are more relevant than ever.  We are pleased to bring back our face-to-face Discovery sessions at America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo.  It is an ideal forum to share timely industry information and provide a setting for credit union leaders to network with experts from CUNA Mutual and from around the world.”

A big draw in prior years, CUNA is again offering to credit union CEOs and executives its exclusive Executive Series to network and hear from leading business authors.  Special pre- and post-conference meetings will include a Latino Membership Growth Forum and a Small Credit Union Roundtable. 

“This event has great energy,” commented Harriet May, Chair of CUNA’s board.  “We give credit union decision makers unique access to big thinkers and big ideas in a setting that fosters leadership, unity and strength.  From dealing with regulatory challenges to recalibrating for a changing economy to equipping your credit union to seize its greatest opportunities, ACUC delivers a powerful agenda. “   

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dan Pink – Drive; What the Science of Motivation Can Teach You About High Performance
As the best-selling author of A Whole New Mind, Dan uses behavioral researchto reveal why the traditional approach to highperformance backfires on most organizations.  He will explain how smart organizations can tap people’s deepest motivations to produce the highest results.

Dan Heath – Switch; How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
Successfully leading people and organizations through change is a must-have skill for credit union leaders.  An entrepreneur and change leader himself, Dan has worked with organizations such as Harvard Business School, Microsoft, Philips, Vanguard, Fast Company magazine, USAID, the American Heart Association and Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. 

Alison Levine – Beyond Boundaries
Alison has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches and a career on
Wall Street.  Drawing parallels between staying alive in the mountains and thriving in the fast-paced business world, she will spark new thinking about leadership, teamwork, overcoming odds, taking responsible risks and dealing with changing environments. 

Doug Hall – Innovative Engineering; How to Innovate and Grow Your Credit Union
Doug, a master marketing inventor and the founder and CEO of Eureka! Ranch, brings the magic of his “invention and research think tank” to credit union leaders.  He will jump start innovation with techniques used by Nike, Disney, American Express and other strong organizations to make Measurably Smarter growth choices. 

Eric Saperston - The Journey; Lessons from America’s Most Influential Leaders
Challenged by a mentor to make a post-college trip following the Grateful Dead and working in Aspen more meaningful, Eric convinced a group of friends to ask some of the world’s most powerful people out for a cup of coffee.  In their search for inspiration and wisdom, they talked with more than 200 famous and not so famous people.  You will be captivated by these stories and Eric’s search for the meaning of life.

THOUGHT  LEADERS

John Lass – Supplemental Capital
John will present new research identifying successful financial strategies for achieving sustainable credit union growth.  Linking those strategies to competitive value propositions, he will discuss how to develop true differentiation and avoid “getting stuck in the middle” of an increasingly crowded financial services marketplace.

Jeanne Bliss – Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad
Hundreds of companies have customers who admire them, but only an elite few have true advocates who tell them how much they “love” them.  Discover the five decisions of beloved and prosperous companies and learn how culture impacts members, employees and business prosperity.

Scott Stratten – UnMarketing
Traditional marketing methods are leading to diminishing returns and disaffected customers.  Scott will demonstrate how to unlearn old ways and consistently attract and engage the right customers.  The point of UnMarketing is to create a relationship with members and become the logical choice for their needs.    

Lee Silber – The Undercover Speaker
Based on the hit CBS show “Undercover Boss,” Lee will share real-life examples of credit union executives and employees who are doing things right.  His heartwarming stories tell of perseverance, positive acts of exceptional service and kindness, and great examples of ideas in action.  Lee will talk about what teamwork and cooperation really are and how small things can make a big difference.

Charlie Todd – Causing a Scene
As the founder of Improv Everywhere, a scene-causing performance company that has executed more than 80 missions involving thousands of undercover agents, Charlie will share how credit unions can tap into their creativity and learn how to stand out in a crowded market.

Bill Hampel and Mike Schenk – The Economy and Its Impact on Credit Unions
Bill and Mike will provide an outlook of the U.S. economy for the rest of 2011 and discuss how the future will impact the financial operations of credit unions for the years ahead.

DISCOVERY BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS
The Revolutionary Role of Leadership
Principles of Highly Effective Credit Unions
Essential Drivers of Member Loyalty
Helping Members Climb Back from the Financial Crisis
Health Care Reform and the Compliance Maze
The Competitive Opportunity for Small Business Services
Boards of Directors and Governance
Mobile Technology
A View to the Future of Credit Unions with Gen Y
Lending Regulations Update
Business Services Risk Management
Social Media and Social Marketing
Amazing Sales and Service Cultures
Digital Culture and Strategy
Strategy and Your Financial Statements
Constructing a New Vision for Lending
Top Fraud Trends in 2011

For more information on CUNA’s 2011 America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo, visit acuc.cuna.org.  Join the Twitter conversation at #ACUC11.