The Cooperative Connection: September 2025

Madison, WI (September 2, 2025) |

In this month's edition of The Cooperative Connection, we celebrate the elevation of Paul Treinen from interim to permanent President and CEO of World Council of Credit Unions. We also explain why our International Advocacy team is focused on Ethical AI concerns and let you hear how credit unions might be impacted by the tariffs being implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump.

'Interim' No More

Paul Treinen Named WOCCU President and CEO
The person who guided WOCCU through one of the most turbulent times in its history will now get to lead the organization into the future, with the Board of Directors on August 25 officially naming Paul Treinen permanent President and CEO. This is Paul's second stint with the organization. He served as Chief Operating Officer, and later as Executive Vice President, from 2017-2023. Learn more.

Charting WOCCU 2.0
Paul's vision is to pursue what he calls "WOCCU 2.0", which focuses on International Advocacy work that stresses “right-sized” regulations, an increased focus on member engagement and education, and a greater embrace of the entire global cooperative movement. He spoke about it the approach in an interview with Credit Union Times. Learn more.

A Meeting with Asian Credit Union Leaders
For his first international engagement as our new leader, Paul travels to Manila, Philippines, September 8-10, for the CEO Workshop at Asian Credit Union Forum 2025. Paul will meet with leaders from the more than 30 national credit union associations that make up the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU). Learn More.

A Focus on International Advocacy

The Ethical Use of AI in Credit Unions
As more credit unions embrace powerful AI tools, they face a critical challenge: ensuring AI deployment aligns with their foundational member-focused mission and ethical standards. Paul Andrews, WOCCU VP of International Advocacy, writes about that in in his latest article for CUInsight. Learn More.

O'Hern Heads to the Hawkeye State
Erin O' Hern, WOCCU International Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel, on Friday, September 19, goes back on the road to participate in a Regulatory Panel Update at the Iowa Credit Union Convention. She will join Kayley Grant, Regulatory Compliance Officer for ViClarity, for a conversation about compliance hot topics and upcoming regulatory priorities. Paul Treinen will also make mainstage remarks at the Convention on September 18.

Podcast: The Impact of U.S. Tariffs on Credit Unions

Curt Long, Chief Economist and Vice President of Data and Research for America's Credit Unions, and David Malone, CEO of the Irish League of Credit Unions, join Episode 52 of The Global Credit Union Podcast to discuss the impacts that President Donald Trump's tariffs will have on credit unions across the globe. They put a specific focus on inflation, consumer sentiment and the unknowns that could still be coming in the months ahead. It's an episode you don't want to miss. Listen here.

International Credit Union (ICU) Day is October 16!

Get Ready for ICU Day 2025
October 16 is closer than you think! WOCCU and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) have curated a full suite of ready-to-use resources to help you celebrate International Credit Union Day with impact, fun and shareable moments.

This year’s theme, “Cooperation for a Prosperous World,” highlights the global solidarity of the credit union movement and the everyday interactions, digital or face-to-face, that build prosperity together. Find:

Free Posters & Promotional Materials

Pins, Swag & Media Kit

WOCCU Member News

Are you a young professional who might be interested in winning a free registration to the 2026 World Credit Union Conference in Sydney, Australia, next July? If so, you will want to check out what our strategic partner, Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), is offering in its August Global Good Digest.