PALM DESERT, CA (July 30, 2025) |
The Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) continued its 2025 Annual Conference on Tuesday, July 29, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California, with valuable networking opportunities and mission-driven education tailored for credit unions serving their military and veteran communities.
The day began with a “Mingle with Mocktails” networking event, sponsored by Vizo Financial, giving attendees a chance to connect in a relaxed setting, followed by DCUC’s Welcome Lunch, hosted by The Sheeter Group.
Powerful Breakout Sessions on Emerging Trends
Morning concurrent breakout sessions delivered actionable insights on critical issues:
Mergers & Acquisitions – Navigating a New Era, led by David Ritter, Managing Director, M&A Advisory at ALM First, addressed the growing pace of industry consolidation and shared real-world case studies to help credit unions plan for strategic success.
Post-Quantum Cryptography: Preparing Credit Unions for the Next Security Challenge featured PenFed Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer, Anthony LaManna, and Eleanor Westbrook, Applied Cryptography Engineer, who outlined the impending risks of quantum computing and the need for post-quantum readiness.
Democratizing Advocacy, presented by DCUC’s Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak, explored how every voice in the credit union movement can—and must—contribute to preserving the mission and relevance of credit unions in the face of legislative and market pressures.
General Session Highlights Mission and Leadership
The afternoon General Session, with refreshments sponsored by Member First Mortgage, officially began with a welcome address from DCUC President & CEO, Anthony Hernandez, who then moved to recognize both Travis Credit Union and Otero Federal Credit Union with the presentation of the 2024 Air Force Credit Unions of the Year Service Awards.
DCUC’s general session continued with an introduction to this year’s Conference with a Purpose charity recipient, Fisher House Foundation, including a special video message from Tish Stropes, VP of Strategic Initiatives, Fisher House Foundation.
Tansley Stearns, president & ceo of Community Financial Credit Union, then provided an exclusive “Backbone Update,” and overview of its powerful mission and vision to DCUC’s conference attendees.
Following Stearn’s discussion, Mark Nutsch, Green Beret Commander Portrayed in the Movie 12 Strong & NYT Bestseller, Horse Soldiers; Co-Founder, Horse Soldier Bourbon. Nutsch shared a powerful message of purpose, leadership, and resilience. Hernandez then joined Nutsch on stage for an informal fireside chat discussion and offered direct questions from the audience.
Afternoon Breakouts Focus on Leadership, Innovation, and Security
Attendees are now participating in their choice of four focused breakout sessions:
Navigating CEO Retirements, presented by Kirk Kordeleski and Tim Strandquist, Executive Benefits Consultants with PARC Street Group, addresses the pressing need for succession planning as 25% of CU CEOs approach retirement by 2027.
The Ripple Effect of Interest Rate Volatility, presented by Jeremy DeBruin and Matt Jakubowski, Area Vice Presidents with Gallagher, examines how changing rates are impacting executive compensation and retirement plans.
Accelerating Fintech Adoption, presented by Service Credit Union President & CEO, David Araujo, and Curql Collective President & CEO, Nick Evens, shares a real-world framework for innovation that stays true to credit union values.
Faster Payments, Faster Fraud, led by Aries Fraud Solutions President Lon Varns, highlights the evolving risks in digital payments and offers practical fraud mitigation strategies.
Evening Events
This evening, attendees and guests will enjoy the highly anticipated Welcome Cocktail Reception & Casino Night, sponsored by AFFN, with a fun and informal opportunity to unwind and network, and play a few games.
DCUC's 2025 Annual Conference will continue through Friday morning, bringing together credit union leaders and partners committed to serving the financial needs of military and veteran communities.
For more information on DCUC’s Annual Conference, please visit dcucannual.org. Follow along and join the conversation with the hashtag #DCUC2025, on DCUC's LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages!
