The latest from Caroline Willard

Feb 9, 2024 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

Modernizing field of membership laws: A gateway to financial inclusion and economic growth

In August 1998: Google hadn’t been founded yet. The Kosovo War was underway. The Credit Union Membership Access Act of 1998 (CUMAA or HR 1151) was signed into law. ...

Nov 14, 2023 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

The perils of misinformation: Protecting consumers in the age of misguided lobbying

In an era where information flows freely and quickly, misinformation has become a pervasive issue that affects relevance, reputation, and ultimately, the bottom line. Credit unions are woefully accustomed to ...

Aug 8, 2023 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

Building a stronger state and federal advocacy machine

Having recently led a team through the combination of two successful organizations, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about mergers over the last two years. Now eight months ...

May 25, 2023 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

A decline in customer confidence should catalyze credit unions’ marketing efforts

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of buzzwords flying by, alarming American consumers with phrases like “too big to fail” and “crisis.” Or is it the sound of ...

Feb 6, 2023 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

Cooperation among cooperatives: How the sixth cooperative principle sets credit unions apart

Not long ago, my friend Mike Mercer, former CEO of the Georgia Credit Union League, suggested to me that those of us within the credit union movement need a refresher ...

Nov 8, 2022 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

Relevance, scalability, and the future of credit union league infrastructure

By now you’ve heard the news that Cornerstone League and Heartland Credit Union Association will merge by the end of this year. I want to unpack some thoughts on ...

Aug 9, 2022 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

The Credit Card Competition Act pours salt on a wounded economy

It was the Senate bill heard round the credit union movement. On Thursday, July 28, Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced legislation that would create new mandates ...

Jun 22, 2022 - by Caroline Willard, Cornerstone League

ESG and The Golden Rule

ESG: a three-letter abbreviation we’ve added to our lexicon in the last couple of years. The concept of ESG – which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance – has been around ...