Credit union growth starts before the marketing campaign

First U.S. Community Credit Union (First U.S.) has many of the qualities community financial institutions are known for: friendly service, deep local roots, and a team committed to helping members. The Sacramento-based, $500 million credit union also had a challenge familiar to many smaller institutions, too many people in its market still did not know who they were.

Internally, First U.S. was sometimes described as the “best kept secret in Sacramento,” a phrase that reflected the strength of its member experience as well as the need for greater visibility. Leadership recognized that awareness alone would not create sustainable growth if the experience behind it was not ready to scale. Before promoting the credit union more broadly, the team focused on making sure the digital banking journey reflected the same level of care members expected from its people.

On a recent FIsionaries™ episode recorded at Alkami Co:lab 2026, Jim Marous spoke with Shonna Shearson, Chief Executive Officer of First U.S. Community Credit Union, and Diana La Point, Chief Growth Officer, about how the credit union is approaching modernization. Their story offers a useful reminder for credit union leaders that digital growth requires the right sequence of investments, a culture willing to change, strong partner relationships, and a clear understanding of how members want to engage.

Marketing campaigns, visibility, and outreach can bring more people to a credit union, but growth depends on what happens next. If account opening or onboarding into digital banking creates friction, prospective members may lose momentum before the relationship begins. First U.S. recognized that risk in its own digital journey. Leadership started by examining the experience a prospective member would encounter first. At the time, digital account opening was closer to a fillable PDF than a modern digital experience. Attempts to increase applicant volume before improving that process could have resulted in a poor first impression at the very moment the credit union needed to build confidence.

Instead, First U.S. focused on improving online banking and digital account opening so new members could join and engage through more intuitive channels. By bringing those digital interactions closer to the level of care, attention, and guidance members expected from the credit union’s people, the team gave future marketing efforts a better chance of turning awareness into deeper relationships.

Credit unions have long differentiated themselves through relationships, personal service, and community connection. As more member interactions move into digital channels, the challenge is to preserve that human advantage while meeting expectations for speed, convenience, and relevance.

First U.S. has invested in capabilities such as a modern digital banking platform, a loan origination system, digital self-service, push-provisioned cards, and marketing automation with a clear purpose: improving the experience for both members and employees. For example, an integrated card management solution can reduce friction for the member by allowing them to issue new cards to the member’s digital wallet seamlessly; giving employees more room to support conversations about fraud prevention and financial confidence. Digital banking solutions are creating greater efficiencies for the credit union and helping staff focus on the moments where human guidance matters most.

La Point reinforced that idea with her staff: “You are the brand, not the tool.” Whether a member is in a branch, on the phone, or using a digital channel, the differentiator is still the care, curiosity, and ownership employees bring to the interaction. Technology can support that experience, but it cannot replace the culture behind it.

Modernization efforts often get described through systems, timelines, integrations, and budgets, yet culture frequently determines whether the work gains traction. In a smaller organization, the way leaders bring people along can be as important as the tools they choose.

Shearson and La Point both came from larger financial institutions, giving them perspective on what is possible with modern technology. Rather than forcing a fully formed plan into the organization, leadership created space for observation, discussion, and shared ownership. That included healthy debate around member journeys, where teams were expected to challenge whether each step is necessary, where questions can be removed, and if processes were designed around internal habits or member needs. At First U.S., they knew progress would require empowering their employees and leveraging their insights and perspectives to determine the best path forward for their credit union’s size, culture, and team.

For larger decisions, Shearson used what she calls a “trail of breadcrumbs,” meaning she shared the thinking behind an idea early, brought data into the conversation over time, and gave the board and staff room to understand what the change could mean before a formal recommendation is on the table. By the time a decision is needed, the organization has had enough context to move forward with more confidence.

Many credit unions operate with fewer resources than larger competitors, but smaller sized institutions can use this to their advantage when leaders are clear about their priorities. A flatter organization can bring the right people together quickly to identify friction, make decisions, and act without layers of approval slowing progress. La Point viewed this first hand as First U.S. could work with the teams closest to a member journey or execution gap and move from discussion to action more quickly; working across functions helped the credit union challenge existing processes without losing momentum.

Credit unions do not need to pursue every tool or trend at once to make meaningful progress. A more practical path is to identify the moments that matter most to members, determine where friction is holding the experience back, and choose technology and partners that help close those gaps in a way the organization can actually execute.

Technology creates the most value when it is paired with a clear strategy, strong execution, and partner relationships that extend beyond implementation. Having a platform in place is only the starting point; the larger opportunity is making sure the financial institution is using that technology in ways that support its goals, improve member experiences, and help employees work more effectively.

When Shearson inherited a newly implemented digital banking platform at First U.S., she focused on whether the credit union was using it fully and strategically. That required a shift from traditional vendor management to a more collaborative business partnership, where the conversation could move from basic support to problem-solving, opportunity identification, and continuous improvement.

For First U.S., that mindset created more room to ask for what the credit union needed and work with partners on improvements that aligned with its growth priorities. Credit unions evaluating their own technology relationships can apply the same lens: the market offers no shortage of tools, but what happens after implementation? The stronger partner relationship is the one that helps align strategy, people, technology, and execution so the investment creates measurable value for members and employees well after go-live.

First U.S. is focused on using data to make member engagement more timely, personal, and connected to actual behavior. The credit union is looking at signals such as digital banking usage, application (app) ratings, website activity, and other interactions to better understand what members may need or expect next.

When those insights are connected to marketing automation, outreach can move beyond broad campaigns and begin reflecting how members are actually engaging with the credit union. The goal is to personalize communications for the member receiving the message, whether that interaction happens through email, in-app engagement, or a human conversation.

The team was also candid about the difficulty of building a fuller view of the member. A 360-degree understanding requires connected tools, strong partner collaboration, and discipline around how data is used. Data becomes most valuable when it helps the credit union simplify experiences, recognize member needs earlier, and respond in ways that feel connected to how members live and bank.

Shearson’s advice to other credit union leaders is to know who you are as an organization, know who your members are, and understand what they need from you today. That clarity helps leaders make better decisions about where to invest, what to prioritize, and how to bring people along.

At First U.S., that clarity shaped a practical sequence:

For credit unions, consistency across channels is what makes that work meaningful. Members should feel the same level of care whether they are in a branch, calling the credit union, opening an account, using digital banking, or receiving personalized outreach.

First U.S. Community Credit Union’s story shows that digital banking growth is within reach for institutions that understand who they serve, invest in the experiences that matter, and bring their people along with intention. Growth becomes more achievable when technology helps employees deliver on the mission they already believe in.

To hear more from Shonna Shearson and Diana La Point on First U.S. Community Credit Union’s digital growth journey, watch the full FIsionaries™ conversation.