Each year hundreds of credit union advocates join to celebrate the work of financial cooperatives at the annual Iowa Credit Union Convention. This year’s event was held virtually September 16-17, with the 90th annual meeting of the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL) held virtually on September 22.
In addition to the landmark year for the annual meeting, it was also the 10th anniversary of the CRASH program, which is a development opportunity created for emerging leaders in the credit union system. These attendees receive an opportunity to engage in convention activities, as well as participate in their own system-oriented and professional development sessions.
And finally, the Iowa Credit Union Foundation (ICUF), the philanthropic arm of the Iowa Credit Union League, also celebrated its 25th anniversary and a year of record-breaking impact during their annual Benefit Night Fundraiser, held during convention on September 17.
“Iowa credit unions have proven to be resilient and reliable sources of support for their members in trying times,” said Iowa Credit Union League President and CEO Murray Williams. “Even though this has been a year of challenges, we were so happy to be able to join together virtually and celebrate the successes of the past year together, including some very special milestones.”
Nearly 500 credit union leaders, vendors and guests registered for the first ever virtual convention experience, which ICUL provided to members at no cost. This year’s convention highlighted some of the year’s industry headlines, such as COVID-19 response, economic impact and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) topics, as well as offered credit union professionals opportunities to network and engage with an inspirational and educational speaker line-up.
The following keynote speakers took the virtual stage during this year’s event:
- Ben Nemtin, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author and reality TV star.
- Maurice Smith, CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union & Civic Federal Credit Union and credit union champion for inclusivity.
- Jim Marous, co-publisher of The Financial Brand and founder of the Digital Banking Report.
In addition to live presentations and networking events presented during the two-day virtual event, attendees also gained access to 15 additional recorded sessions.
At the annual meeting, Katie Averill, Superintendent of Iowa Division of Credit Unions, administered the oath of office for the 2020-2021 ICUL Board of Directors. Dale Owen, Ascentra Credit Union, and Matthew Dodds, Dupaco Community Credit Union, will serve as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively. Directors include: Jeff Hayes, North Star Community Credit Union; Brad Mertens, Metco Credit Union; Mike Moroney, Alliant Credit Union; Helen Pearce, Cedar Falls Community Credit Union; Mark Peters, Employees Credit Union; Julie Pingel, Fort Dodge Family Credit Union; Cindy Stephenson, Iowa Heartland Credit Union; Jami Weems, Serve Credit Union; and Scott Zahnle, Greater Iowa Credit Union.
Next year’s event is scheduled to be held in Dubuque, Iowa on September 15-17, 2021.