Grow Your Credit Union

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Every time a credit union has an unmet need, its ready to swipe right on a new vendor. But 450 matches later, nobody's having the hard conversation with the partners already sitting across the table. What if the answer was never a new vendor? What if it was just a better conversation with the ones you already chose? In this episode: Whether credit unions are ready for 52% of CEOs to retire in six years Why buying more technology isn't the same as innovating The case for and against board term limits Host: Joshua Barclay Co-host: Becky Reed Guest: Mike Valentine, President and CEO of BCU

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Nobody is buying bad technology on purpose. Credit unions are doing the best they can with cores that weren't built for the world they're operating in today, and the gap between what modern software promises and what actually plugs into your infrastructure is nobody's fault and everybody's problem. So how many more systems are you willing to add before you admit the foundation is the problem? In this episode: Whether credit unions are preparing their people for AI Why nearly half of CEOs report feeling lonely What's really causing technology rollouts to stall at credit unions Host: Joshua Barclay Co-host: Becky Reed Guest: Michael Goad, President and CEO of Dow Credit Union A huge thanks to our sponsor, Pure IT For nearly 10 years, Pure IT has helped credit unions modernize technology, strengthen cybersecurity, and build mission-aligned roadmaps. They meet you where you are, prioritize strategy, and reduce complexity. With deep cloud, security, and planning expertise, Pure IT helps credit unions operate securely and confidently. Learn more at pureitcuso.com today.

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com The NCUA says deregulation is coming. Small credit union leaders say it's about time. But when the real burden isn't the rules on the books, it's the people enforcing them, does any of it matter? In this episode host Joshua Barclay  and co-host Becky Reed welcome Doug Wadsworth, President and CEO of Tri-CU Credit Union, to discuss these three topics: Is the NCUA's deregulation push solving the right problems? Why aren't businesses seeing a return on AI? Is it really getting harder to lead a credit union? Host: Joshua Barclay  Co-host: Becky Reed Guest: Doug Wadsworth, President and CEO of Tri-CU Credit Union. Get his book:  Keep it Simple, CEO A huge thanks to our sponsor, Pure IT For nearly 10 years, Pure IT has helped credit unions modernize technology, strengthen cybersecurity, and build mission-aligned roadmaps. They meet you where you are, prioritize strategy, and reduce complexity. With deep cloud, security, and planning expertise, Pure IT helps credit unions operate securely and confidently. Learn more at pureitcuso.com today.  

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com There's nothing wrong with using AI to speed up your work. But when you start relying on it to do your job, well, your peers start to notice. "AI workslop" forces your colleagues to interpret, correct, and redo the work you were supposed to finish and they definitely resent you for it. This episode was recorded LIVE from CU Intersect 2026 in New Orleans.  In this episode: How AI workslop wastes two hours per incident and erodes trust Who's responsible when AI vendors mess up Why 56% of leaders burned out last year Whether traditional branches are still necessary Questions from the audience on technology and AI education Host: Joshua Barclay  Co-host: Elizabeth Osborne, COO at Great Lakes Credit Union Sponsored Guest: Jack Smith, CEO and Co-founder of Pure IT A huge thanks to our sponsor, Pure IT For nearly 10 years, Pure IT has helped credit unions modernize technology, strengthen cybersecurity, and build mission-aligned roadmaps. They meet you where you are, prioritize strategy, and reduce complexity. With deep cloud, security, and planning expertise, Pure IT helps credit unions operate securely and confidently. Learn more at pureitcuso.com today.  

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Your board thinks $100,000 is too much for a CEO because they never made more than $40,000 on the factory line. Your C-suite wants the credit union of old. And your employees? They're leaving, not for better pay, but because you're offering them a 1995 compensation package in 2026. In this episode: What age is your leadership thinking in? Why somewhere you lost your ability to be creative Why they don't want pizza they want a path to your chair Why you can't keep absorbing benefit increases every year Host: Joshua Barclay  Guest Co-host: James McBride, SVP of Credit Union Relationships at CU Benefit Guest: David Simms, Creator of CU Benefit A huge thanks to our sponsor, CU Benefit Stop absorbing annual benefit cost increases of 20-40%. CU Benefit is a strategic CUSO partner designed to help Credit Unions pre-fund up to 100% of employee benefits and unlock balance sheet potential. Generate investment returns 4-5 times higher than traditional bonds. Strengthen employee retention and increase net income by as much as 50%. Visit CUBenefit.com to learn more.

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com We all think it: "If I just work longer, I'll get more done." But when one of your high performers starts operating this way, you need to step in immediately. Because they're not going to tell you they're burning out. So how do you catch it before they quit? In this episode: Why AI isn't making you dumber Why working 70 hours isn't making you more productive Why better due diligence won't prevent vendor breaches Host: Joshua Barclay Co-host: Becky Reed Guest: Ray Ragan, CIO at Securityplus Federal Credit Union A huge thanks to our sponsor, CU Benefit Stop absorbing annual benefit cost increases of 20-40%. CU Benefit is a strategic CUSO partner designed to help Credit Unions pre-fund up to 100% of employee benefits and unlock balance sheet potential. Generate investment returns 4-5 times higher than traditional bonds. Strengthen employee retention and increase net income by as much as 50%. Watch this video or visit CUBenefit.com to learn more. Ray is organizing the Banking on AI Conference in Atlanta. Credit union professionals and banking professionals will discuss new and novel uses of AI throughout the industry. Learn more at bankingonai.info

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Credit unions are out there chasing new members—spending on billboards, opening branches, crafting the perfect rate specials. Meanwhile, 80% of your existing members have one product with you and you haven't called them once. Maybe the new members you're looking for are actually the members you already have. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Elizabeth Osborne, COO at Great Lakes Credit Union, to talk about: Everyone's measuring trust wrong The growth obsession is backwards You're tracking the wrong economic data Plus we play a BRAND NEW GAME that we hope you really enjoy. A huge thanks to our sponsor, CU Benefit Stop absorbing annual benefit cost increases of 20-40%. CU Benefit is a strategic CUSO partner designed to help Credit Unions pre-fund up to 100% of employee benefits and unlock balance sheet potential. Generate investment returns 4-5 times higher than traditional bonds. Strengthen employee retention and increase net income by as much as 50%.  Watch this video or visit CUBenefit.com to learn more.

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Deepfake technology has become so accessible that threat actors need only 10 to 30 seconds of audio and a $5 monthly subscription to convincingly impersonate executives, bypass authentication, and trick employees into catastrophic decisions. Credit unions face record ransomware attacks while most lack AI governance policies to address emerging threats. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay welcomes sponsored guest Brian Hinze, President & CEO at NCU-ISAO, along with co-host Oto Ricardo, Director of Information Security and Cyber Risk at Advia Credit Union, to explore: Why ransomware attacks hit record levels despite preparedness efforts How credit unions approach AI governance policies What deepfake threats mean for credit union security How NCU-ISAO supports credit unions through community and collaboration   A huge thanks to our sponsor, NCU-ISAO Cybersecurity threats are evolving faster than ever, and credit unions are increasingly in the crosshairs. NCU-ISAO is the only organization fully dedicated to protecting credit unions through real-time threat intelligence, actionable alerts, expert-led analysis, and a community of security-minded professionals. Strengthen your defenses with collaboration. Learn more at NCUISAO.org/GYCU.

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com A huge thanks to our sponsor, NCU-ISAO — Visit ncuisao.org/gycu to learn more.  Credit unions added 3 million new members last year, but 64% never made a single deposit or showed real activity. The problem isn't just about engagement strategy or welcome emails—it's that credit unions may just be making the fundamental act of depositing money unreasonably difficult. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Mike McWethy, Executive Vice President at Texans Credit Union, to hit on these three topics: Why two-thirds of new members never make a deposit Show me what your roadmap was two years ago What credit unions should solve for in housing affordability CU Intersect is a dedicated cybersecurity, technology, and organizational resilience conference built specifically for credit unions. A collaboration between NCU-ISAO and Pure IT, the conference brings together security leaders, technology professionals, and risk management experts from across the credit union industry. Watch this video to learn more  

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com A huge thanks to our sponsor, NCU-ISAO — Watch this video or visit ncuisao.org/gycu to learn more.  Credit unions invest heavily in stadium naming rights and campus partnerships to reach younger members, but those partnerships fall flat when the mobile app experience disappoints. Gen Z has been Wescom Financial's fastest growing segment since 2023 because they treat digital experience as strategy, not an IT checkbox. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Ashley White, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Wescom Financial, to talk about: How sports and university partnerships build awareness with Gen Z Why Wescom's mobile app ratings outperform most credit unions How removing student financial barriers translates to member growth Wescom Financial's success with Gen Z isn't about bigger budgets or better partnerships—it's about treating digital experience as foundational strategy while meeting younger members where they already are.

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Credit unions face steep member acquisition costs while losing 15% of their membership annually. But the institutions treating acquisition costs as the primary metric are missing what actually drives member loyalty, referable experiences, and long-term value that can't be calculated on spreadsheets. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay welcomes Ray Ragan, CIO at Securityplus Federal Credit Union, as guest co-host, along with Kathy Day Shelton, SVP and Chief Operating Officer at MECU Credit Union, to explore: Why measuring members by dollars misses the point How referable experiences create compounding growth Finding strategic thinking time in an age of constant distraction The one pain point every credit union executive wants to eliminate Why core system limitations constrain innovation more than anything else A huge thanks to our sponsor, PFP Services. If you want to learn more about PFP Services, watch this video or visit their site.  

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Want to learn more about SBS CyberSecurity? Watch this video or visit SBSCyber.com The credit unions succeeding with AI didn't wait for comprehensive vendor solutions or regulatory clarity. They started asking one question: what can employees do with AI today? In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay welcomes Raymond George, CIO of Clearview Federal Credit Union, as guest co-host, along with sponsored guest Chad Knutson, CEO of SBS Cybersecurity, to explore: Real AI use cases beyond the hype Why vendor management is such a struggle How AI can help you prepare for NCUA exams Why the chief AI officer might become your most important hire Want to know what credit union professionals are really saying about cybersecurity preparedness? Get the exclusive 2025 Executive Report: The State of Cybersecurity in Credit Unions for key trends, emerging risks, and practical steps you can take today. A huge thanks to our sponsor, SBS CyberSecurity SBS CyberSecurity partners with hundreds of credit unions across the U.S. to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions that go beyond compliance. We understand the unique challenges credit unions face — limited resources, evolving threats, and increasing regulatory pressure. Our team speaks your language and knows your examiners. Learn more at SBSCyber.com

Read the shownotes and full transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Want to learn more about SBS CyberSecurity? Watch this video or visit SBSCyber.com The top 10 credit unions pay their employees $25,000 more annually than the rest of the industry, but smaller credit unions aren't losing talent wars when they compete on what money can't buy. Culture, flexibility, and growth opportunities close compensation gaps that seem insurmountable on paper, and the credit unions understanding this difference are winning employees who could make more elsewhere. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome back Brian Lee, President and CEO at Arizona Central Credit Union, to explore: Whether the top 10 credit unions' compensation advantage creates a real talent war.  What new leaders should prioritize in their first 90 days. What it actually means when a credit union launches its own stablecoin. A huge thanks to our sponsor, SBS CyberSecurity SBS CyberSecurity partners with hundreds of credit unions across the U.S. to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions that go beyond compliance. We understand the unique challenges credit unions face — limited resources, evolving threats, and increasing regulatory pressure. Our team speaks your language and knows your examiners. Learn more at SBSCyber.com

Read the full shownotes and transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com Want to learn more about SBS CyberSecurity and TRAC? Watch this video or visit SBSCyber.com Credit unions often wait until CEOs announce retirement to figure out compensation packages, creating situations where merger deals become the path to executive payouts instead of succession planning. The industry that preaches long-term thinking for members sometimes forgets to apply that same logic to leadership transitions, and the consequences show up in merger statistics and talent gaps. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome back Nolan Waltman, EVP and Chief Operating Officer at First Service Credit Union, to explore: How rate cuts create refinancing opportunities and operational nightmares.  Why compensation structures trap credit unions between rewarding past leaders and attracting future ones.  Whether rising operating costs signal something more serious than inflation. A huge thanks to our sponsor, SBS CyberSecurity SBS CyberSecurity partners with hundreds of credit unions across the U.S. to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions that go beyond compliance. We understand the unique challenges credit unions face — limited resources, evolving threats, and increasing regulatory pressure. Our team speaks your language and knows your examiners.    

Read the full shownotes and transcript on our site: growyourcreditunion.com In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome John Wilkening, EVP and Chief Banking Officer at Tech Credit Union, to explore why small credit unions are choosing extinction over growth, what the Great Recession taught leaders about managing both sides of the balance sheet, and how removing pressure from employees creates better results than adding quotas.

Credit unions promote people into executive roles based on tenure and technical skills, then wonder why leadership feels like amateur hour when the stakes keep getting higher. The industry that prides itself on developing people has somehow forgotten that managing databases doesn't prepare you to manage board dynamics, and knowing compliance doesn't teach you to read the room. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Jason Tilley, CIO at First Advantage Federal Credit Union, to explore what separates truly effective executives from those who struggle to deliver results, why credit unions are focusing on the wrong part of the digital asset opportunity, and how cybersecurity preparation separates the survivors from the statistics. Key Topics What does it actually take to be a great executive right now? Credit unions are chasing custody when they should be chasing payments Cybersecurity preparation separates survivors from statistics Key Takeaways Develop political intelligence alongside technical competence to succeed in executive roles Digital asset opportunity lies in payment infrastructure, not custody services Cybersecurity preparation requires cultural discipline and regular exercise, not just policy documentation Executive greatness demands synthesizing diverse input into clear direction while maintaining team alignment AI-powered threats require proactive policy development to protect institutional data "You have to trust your staff. You have to get input from your staff. Seek out external sources of truth. You don't know everything you don't know." - Jason Tilley "There is a diplomacy piece to being a CEO that is something that is not as applicable or as important in the other areas of the C-suite." - Becky Reed

Head over to growyourcreditunion.com to see all of our episodes and full transcripts. How does your board member selection process compare to your hiring procedures for other positions? Many credit unions have detailed vetting for staff roles that includes background checks and multiple interviews. Could similar rigor benefit board recruitment? In this episode, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Stacie Sloan, COO at Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union, to explore the impossible choice between digital perfection and community roots, why board recruitment feels like amateur hour compared to executive hiring, and how the GENIUS Act could determine whether credit unions control payments or become glorified middlemen. Key Topics Can you really choose between digital perfection and community roots? Why board recruitment feels like amateur hour The payments war credit unions are losing by default Key Takeaways Stop treating digital tools and community relationships as competing priorities Board recruitment requires the same rigor as executive hiring, with skills matrices replacing referral networks Payment innovation through stablecoin technology will separate leaders from followers The institutions building payment capabilities now will own their member relationships tomorrow "Hands down, relationships. That's what credit unions are all about. But if you want to keep them and you want to engage them, we have to deliver digitally as well." - Stacie Sloan "If credit unions wait to get engaged in this space, they're going to be beholden to the same giant fintechs that provide them technology today." - Becky Reed

Credit unions pride themselves on member service, yet they systematically withhold information about products that could save members thousands annually. In this episode, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome Anand Solanki, CFO and head of product management at Citadel Credit Union, to explore why the shift from service to sales culture starts with purpose, how Silicon Valley product thinking can transform credit union innovation, and what really drives merger decisions when there's no financial windfall waiting. Key Topics Sales isn't a dirty word when members are leaving money on the table Credit unions move at the speed of snails while fintechs eat their lunch The merger question isn't about survival, it's about member impact Key Takeaways Reframe sales as member education and value delivery Member expectations are set by their best digital experiences, not banking ones Innovation velocity matters more than scale in today's environment Merger decisions should be driven by member value, not leadership convenience "We are doing our own members a disservice if we did not show them all of the value that our product offerings can have." - Anand Solanki "Selling is service and service is selling." - Becky Reed Visit growyourcreditunion.com to read the full transcript

Read the full show notes and full transcript on growyourcreditunion.com   When conditions get unpredictable, staying boring can be the boldest move if it's part of a broader strategy. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed are joined by Kevin Dougherty, COO at Addition Financial Credit Union, to break down how his team is adapting, from strengthening cyber resilience to scaling visibility with the next generation, while challenging the industry's reliance on the status quo and pushing for smarter, faster responses to today's biggest threats. Listen now to stay ahead of what is shaping the movement. 

Note: At the time of recording, Pam Cohen held the position of Chief Administrative Officer at Affinity Federal Credit Union. She has since transitioned to the role of Chief Operating Officer. All links and a full transcript can be found on growyourcreditunion.com. Some credit unions are waiting years to fix broken tech stacks. Others are launching AI tools in a weekend and proving that speed isn't just about technology, it's a leadership imperative that affects how credit unions serve, grow, and stay relevant. In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay is joined by co-host Becky Reed and guest Pam Cohen, Chief Operating Officer at Affinity Federal Credit Union, to talk about simplifying tech stacks, reducing employee turnover, and using AI to expand financial inclusion. Listen now to stay ahead of what's shaping the movement. Follow us on LinkedIn