Member Driven Technologies (MDT), a CUSO that hosts the Symitar core processing system from Jack Henry™ to provide a private cloud alternative for core processing and IT needs, hosted its sixth annual CEO Forum in Charleston, South Carolina earlier this month.
MDT’s CEO Forum connects credit union CEOs with MDT and Jack Henry executives to discuss and brainstorm around high-level industry trends, business challenges and digital strategies. Approximately 25 CEOs attended this year’s event, including 11 first timers.
This was the first CEO Forum that Joseph Marchese, CEO of Hershey Federal Credit Union, has attended. He said, “MDT’s CEO Forum is a unique opportunity that allows credit union executives to remove themselves from the day-to-day and instead focus on the bigger picture. It has been extremely valuable to get to know other CEOs on a deeper level, engaging in important discussions about common trends and opportunities that will help guide our strategic planning.”
Topics explored during the conference are prioritized based on feedback from a CEO survey. Themes explored this year included digital service and engagement, data, fraud and security, lending, deposits, payments and fintech. Lee Wetherington, Jack Henry & Associates’ senior director of corporate strategy, and Nicole Harper, Jack Henry & Associates’ director of corporate strategy, moderated the discussion.
Harvey Hoskins, CEO and president of PFCU, has attended every CEO Forum since the beginning. He explained, “Over the past six years, I’ve enjoyed meeting in new places to connect with and learn from my peers as well as gain valuable facetime with MDT and Jack Henry executives. Each year, I walk away from MDT’s CEO Forum with notable insights, new ideas and deeper knowledge of my credit union peers.”
“At MDT, we pride ourselves on being a true consultative partner to our credit union clients, helping them navigate the relevant topics and themes that are altering the financial services landscape, such as digital transformation, payments and security,” explained Larry Nichols, president and CEO of MDT. “Gathering in person with our CEOs allows us to hear about high-level challenges and opportunities firsthand, which ultimately helps shape our technology roadmap. We are proud to facilitate such an event, demonstrating to our credit unions that their voices are heard and valued.”