By: Tom Pierce, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, PSCU/Co-op Solutions

We were pleased to host Member Forum 2024 from April 10-12 in San Antonio, Texas. Our event continues to get bigger and better, with credit union attendance growing since last year’s record event in Tampa. Our collaborative event brought together an all-time high of nearly 1,400 attendees from PSCU Owner credit unions and future Owners, as well as industry partners, PSCU/Co-op Solutions team members and members of the media. 

The dynamic three-day event, held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa in the heart of the famous Texas Hill Country, delivered actionable insights, strategies and thought leadership to help credit unions grow, innovate and increase member engagement in the rapidly evolving payments landscape – along with some standout keynote speakers and great live entertainment. 

This year’s Member Forum theme of “United in Vision” encouraged the dynamic exchange of ideas and insights for the collective benefit of credit unions and our industry. Our team is very thankful to our attendees, sponsors and speakers for their enthusiastic participation and valuable time in contributing to the event’s success. 

Here are some of the key highlights and takeaways from this year’s Member Forum.

United in Vision for the Future

PSCU/Co-op Solutions President and CEO Chuck Fagan kicked off Member Forum 2024 by touching on how the conference theme of “United in Vision” represents the vision that PSCU and Co-op Solutions now share. We are now “all of us” together – one company, working for the good of our credit unions, our employees and our industry. 

He provided a brief update on the health of our cooperative, followed by a quick look at the various trends impacting our industry, discussing interest rates and inflation, interchange, delinquency and credit card payments, fraud and disputes and information security. 

Chuck also shared his thoughts on the PSCU/Co-op Solutions combination, including his “three Rs” philosophy: Reaffirm, Resolute and Rise. As Chuck said, “The combination reaffirms PSCU/Co-op Solutions’ commitment to the credit union industry. The company is resolute in our passion, perseverance and commitment to the growth of our credit unions. And, PSCU/Co-op Solutions will rise to be an elevated organization, poised for continued growth and sustained success.” 

Then, Chuck welcomed Chief Administrative Officer Brian Caldarelli, the leader of our Integration Management Office (IMO), to the stage to share some highlights of our progress through our first 100 days from an integration standpoint. The full integration of our companies will occur over several years because of the complexity of our businesses – and to minimize solution and service disruptions for clients. “We are focused on doing this the right way for our credit unions,” he shared.

Following Brian’s update, Chuck provided details on a few exciting recent announcements made in conjunction with Member Forum 2024: 

• Fintech Engagement Program – To help our credit unions further innovate, we recently announced the launch of our new Fintech Engagement Program, which is designed to drive collaboration between financial solution providers and fintech companies. The program will include a collection of vetted fintech companies and a Fintech Advisory Board, which will consist of 10-12 actively engaged credit unions who understand industry pain paints, are committed to disrupting traditional ways of banking, are willing to help identify use cases and are committed to participating in ideation and proof of concepts. 
• The Future of Linked Analysis – PSCU saved its credit unions more than $650 million in potential fraud dollars in FY23 through our industry-leading fraud-fighting tools and capabilities, including our proprietary Linked Analysis technology. To continue to support these efforts, we are kicking off a multi-year initiative to further evolve our Linked Analysis platform, which will ultimately create an omni-channel fraud prevention experience for credit unions and their members. 
• Origination Solutions - We announced the launch of our Origination Solutions on April 10, which is the culmination of our strategic partnership with Amount. Following a pilot program, we are proud to now be able to provide credit unions with an automated decisioning process, secure transactions, seamless integration with multiple systems and instant approvals. Our suite of origination solutions supports an end-to-end experience, including digital credit card and new account origination services.

Chuck concluded his presentation by reminding attendees that PSCU/Co-op Solutions is committed to operating with velocity and helping our credit unions do the same for their members. 

Inspiring Keynotes from Star-Studded Speakers

Following Chuck’s address, the PSCU/Co-op Solutions Executive Leadership Panel featured Brian Caldarelli, Chief Operations Officer Dean Michaels, Chief Growth Officer Brian Scott, Chief Product Officer Denise Stevens and Chief Service Officer Dean Young. The group discussed the current status of the integration and plans for the future as a combined organization. 

Then, we had our Payments Panel, which was hosted by Brian Scott and included Karen Webster, CEO of PYMNTS.com; Paris Chevalier, President and CEO of South Bay Credit Union; Chris Harlan, President and CEO of U of I Community Credit Union; and Denise Stevens, Chief Product Officer at PSCU/Co-op Solutions. The panel discussion explored the recently released Innovation Readiness Index that PSCU/Co-op Solutions sponsors with PYMNTS.com. The panelists also explored how prepared credit unions are to meet the ongoing innovation needs of their members today and tomorrow.

Our next keynote speaker was marketing guru Melissa Proctor, the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. She spoke about her recently released book, “From Ball Girl to CMO” and shared insights about defining your guiding principles. 

Valuable Insights from Panel of Credit Union Executives

On day two, in our Credit Union Executive Panel, moderated by Mark Sievewright, founder of Sievewright & Associates, an SRM company, credit union industry executives delivered firsthand insights focused on the latest industry trends. Our panelists included: Dennis Devine, President and CEO of Alliant Credit Union; Maria Martinez, President and CEO of Border Federal Credit Union; Rudy Pereira, President and CEO of Premier America Credit Union; and Cathie Tierney, President and CEO of Community First Credit Union. The group shared their perspectives and experiences on the competitive landscape, the digital transformation of the credit union industry, the importance of innovation, financial wellness and the future of payments. 

Then, Melissa Stockwell, two-time Paralympian and American war hero, gave an inspiring presentation as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) speaker. She shared her journey of overcoming unimaginable adversity after losing her left leg in a roadside bomb in Iraq, encouraging attendees to embrace a greater appreciation of life. 

For our closing keynote, Chuck Fagan had an entertaining, candid conversation with George W. Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States and founder of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. The discussion regarding his time in the White House and his life after the presidency was filled with insights and humor and was well-received. 

Action-Packed Content for All

Member Forum also featured 20 breakout sessions providing insights from industry experts, Owner credit unions and PSCU/Co-op Solutions leaders. This year, the breakout sessions were divided into “strategic” and “operational” tracks. Strategic sessions delved into discussions about long-term goals and overarching organizational direction. Operational sessions focused on practical implementation, detailed processes and day-to-day management strategies. Topics included digital lending, optimizing traditional and instant payment rails, how to leverage data, analytics and AI to launch a data literacy program, uncovering hidden opportunities with small business owners and more. 

In our Solution Showcase, attendees connected to a world of new possibilities through PSCU/Co-op Solutions’ innovative solutions and gained strategic insights from our trusted advisors. They experienced some of our industry-leading solutions and services, ranging from QuickAssist, Digital Card Management, Loyalty, Digital Banking, Linked Analysis, Enhanced Fraud Services, Member Insight, Business Card Management, Life Stage Identity and Installment Payments. We were also excited to showcase Shared Branch, Zelle® and Network solutions now offered from the combined PSCU/Co-op Solutions. Our “United in Vision” Theater, powered by our Emerging Services team, featured brief presentations on hot topics such as GenAI, bitcoin and data transformation.

On the evening of our second day, attendees had the opportunity to visit Knibbe Ranch, a working ranch in the heart of Texas Hill Country. This 1,000 acre-ranch has been in the same family for five generations and is steeped in tradition. We toured the ranch, experienced the thrills of a rodeo, enjoyed a chuckwagon dinner and some live tunes by the Jody Jenkins Band. 

Our closing party was hosted by multi-platinum recording artist and award-winning country singer/songwriter Chris Janson. He performed some of his greatest hits, including “Buy Me a Boat” and “Good Vibes,” as we sang and danced the night away. 

Save the Date

We can’t wait to come together in person again for our client conference in 2025, scheduled for the week of April 14 in Denver. We invite you to save the date and stay tuned for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

In his role as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Tom Pierce is responsible for leading and executing PSCU/Co-op Solutions’ marketing and communications strategy, including brand development and sentiment, public relations, go-to-market strategy, market research and events. Pierce has successfully led marketing teams for more than 30 years, with the latter half of his career spent in the payments industry. Prior to joining PSCU, Pierce served as Chief Marketing Officer for Cardtronics, the largest global ATM operator, and held senior marketing roles at FIS, Metavante and Wausau Financial Systems.