Professional value, personal growth: Sessions at CUNA CFO Council Conference 2016

In just a few short months, leaders in credit union finance will convene in Anaheim, CA. for the 2016 CUNA CFO Council Conference, where they’ll enjoy great opportunities to network, celebrate finance excellence with the 2nd Annual CUNA CFO Council Awards and enjoy this year’s location, Disneyland.

The big draw, however, remains the sessions. This year, they’re focused on ideas, strategies and perspectives that will enable attendees to “Create a New Reality”—meaning a newer, better financial condition for their credit unions.

There’s no single solution for creating a new reality, because true transformation requires a comprehensive approach; fittingly, this year’s sessions encompass a wide variety of topics, which collectively will allow finance professionals to catalyze real change.

Here’s a small sampling of the most anticipated sessions for this year’s event.

Business Behind the Magic

Holding an event at Disneyland is an opportunity to offer a pre-conference workshop on the business strategies that turned Walt Disney, a comic strip artist from Kansas City, MO, into a multi-billion dollar brand with global recognition. By touring Disneyland, you’ll come to appreciate the complex, day-to-day challenges of running a major theme park, a complex operation that comes together under the Disney philosophy of management.

Many of Disney’s core principles, including leadership excellence, selection and training, play a major role in credit union finance. This workshop will inspire participants to strive towards a bolder fiscal approach.

It’s Your Ship: Putting the Leadership Roadmap to Work

It doesn’t matter whether you’re leading a cutting-edge naval ship or your credit union’s finance department; according to Mike Abrashoff, former Commander of the USS Benfold and author of the New York Times bestseller It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, the principles of leadership are the same everywhere.

In our opening keynote, Abrashoff will share stories from the Benfold and unpack the “Leadership Roadmap,” which enables organizations to create a culture of accountability and high-performance.

Focused Topics: Economics, CECL and Big Data

After the keynote, attendees will dig into a series of focused general and breakout sessions on specific issues that matter to today’s finance professionals.

If your knowledge of current expected credit loss isn’t up to par, you can attend CECL Prep: Data Requirements and Loss Methodologies, which will take you through the FASB’s recommended procedures and the key benefits and challenges they entail.

You can also learn the main economic variables that will determine our fiscal future—including GDP, interest rates and household savings rates—in “The Economic Forecast,” a lively general session from noted economist Elliott Eisenberg.

And because big data still a novelty for the credit union movement, we plan to explore it in a novel way: PechaKucha! In this fun presentation format, data experts will dive into the methodology of data analytics and the best practices for using your credit union’s trove of numbers and names to open new growth opportunities.

With the economy and investment markets undergoing unprecedented transformation, the stakes have never been higher for credit unions to adopt a strong, effective financial strategy. At the CUNA CFO Council Conference, we hope to provide you with the tools you need to rise to the challenge.

The CUNA CFO Council Conference will be held May 15-18, 2016 in Anaheim. For a full list of sessions, speakers and registration information, visit cunacouncils.org/cfoconference.

Are you an up-and-coming credit union finance professional looking to learn, grow and make connections in your field? Apply for the Crashers Program and you could receive a full scholarship to attend the CUNA CFO Council Conference.

Bryanna Tapley

Bryanna Tapley

Bryanna Tapley joined Flint Area School Employees Credit Union (FASECU) as Vice President of Operations in 2014. Prior to joining FASECU, Tapley was the Chief Financial Officer at CP Federal ... Web: https://www.fasecu.org Details