Lending Across the Generations Pre-Conference Workshop

Rotary phones. Touch-tone phones. Cell phones. Smart phones. Each generation identifies itself with unique cultural images. Consumers active in today’s marketplace can also be divided into four distinct groups: Baby Boomers, Xers, Millennials and Gen. Z. Your willingness and adaptability as a lender will determine how successful you are in reaching lending to these critical age ranges. 
During this session you will:

• Gain an overview of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z
• Learn practical ways to lend to each generation 
• Understand how to bridge the generations and loan products each generation finds appealing

Finding Your Way Through Challenging Times: Lessons Learned While Walking 1000 km Across Spain

Blaine Rada, an accredited professional speaker and industry expert, is back to share his latest adventure trekking across Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago for the second time. Unplugged from the daily routine, he took a different route and discovered new and unique challenges along the trail. His Camino 2.0 journey provides valuable life lessons for all of us to consider, helping us adapt to new opportunities and challenges, and leading to more success and happiness at home and at work. Be ready to tag along for this adventure from the comfort of your chair as we kick off our lending conference.

Maximizing Home Equity Opportunities: Overcoming Obstacles for Credit Unions

With rising home values and record-high tappable equity, home equity lending offers significant growth potential for credit unions. However, many credit unions face challenges with outdated processes, limited technology, and member service that falls short of current expectations. This session will address these challenges and demonstrate how leveraging technology can help credit unions enhance productivity, reduce costs, and, most importantly, improve the home equity lending experience for their members.

Fair Lending: Today’s Environment & Preparing for the Future

Fair lending has been in the news more, from recent enforcement actions and new things on the radar, such as implementing Section 1071, which will reshape fair lending compliance and reporting standards for credit unions. This session unpacks the key aspects of fair lending regulations and guidance and its relevance to credit union leaders. You’ll learn:

• Findings from recent fair lending reports, studies, and enforcements and how they impact credit unions.
• An overview of Section 1071, with a focus on implementation readiness and shaping lending strategies.
• Best practices to manage fair lending risk. 

No matter what your role in lending, this session equips you with the knowledge and tools to navigate fair lending risk and implement Section 1071 confidently. Let’s prepare your team for success in this new era of fair lending.

Lending and Marketing Speed Dating: Help Your Members Swipe Right on You

It takes loan growth for your credit union to grow. And growing loans often involves marketing success. Sort of like speed dating. If your lending and marketing are successfully dating, then your members will swipe right. 
During this highly interactive and fast paced session, participants will walk away with 10 ideas to market loans. Five strategic steps and five tactical suggestions, including:

• Telling Your Story
• Get Real with Your Website and Digital Experience
• Hyper-Personalization Wins
• Make Your Loans Talkable

Navigating Change in Consumer & Mortgage Lending

Hear from lenders that have experienced significant changes in consumer and mortgage lending over the years. Our facilitators know what works, will share when to embrace change, and will highlight what's on the radar for our members and credit unions today. Bring your questions to this interactive discussion.

Masterclass: Positioning Home Equity for Credit Union Growth

This interactive workshop will guide attendees through an exploration of their current home equity lending strategies. We’ll move beyond theoretical discussions and develop concrete, actionable plans to enhance your home equity lending capabilities. We will dive deep into four critical areas where credit unions often fall short in their home equity offerings:

• Role home equity plays in your business strategy 
• Assessment of current processes
• Technology infrastructure review
• Member experience evaluation

Together, we’ll identify process bottlenecks and improvement opportunities, develop actionable strategies for enhancing home equity lending, review real world business use cases, and gain insights for driving growth and member satisfaction.

Credit Union Avengers – Assembling the CUSO

Credit Unions are powerful individually, but when they assemble, their combined strength is unbeatable – much like the Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO). Some CUSOs offer lending expertise, some bring advanced technology, some contribute compliance knowledge, but all seek to provide economies of scale and ultimately ban together to strengthen individual Credit Unions. Regardless of where your credit union is on its mortgage journey, Members Mortgage Services will share the many ways partnering with a CUSO can help you dominate your market.  

Mortgage Lending and How to Get the Loan Off to the Best Start

What starts well usually ends well. In this session, we’ll discuss some principles that will help you better understand borrower perspectives, the Three C’s, and the mortgage “F” word.

Creating a Positive Compliance Culture for Lending

Obtaining “buy in” is a common obstacle for compliance professionals. This session will focus on improving communication and building positive relationships with key stakeholders in your credit union.

Growing Your Mortgage Program – What's Working in Today's Market?

It's been years since heavy refinance activity and everyone is looking for more loans. We'll discuss actionable strategies and ideas for growing your mortgage loan volume. In this session we'll talk about what makes a great LO, how to mobilize the branches and call center, what’s the right mix of products, and how to attract your member's attention. 

Mortgage Lending Guidelines – Credit, Income and Assets, Oh My!

Learn some of the most important guidelines that help determine if a borrower can and will repay the loan, as well as common challenges between underwriting guidelines and the real world (because common sense isn’t always common practice). 
 
How to Stay Relevant in a Competitive Lending Space

Lending is becoming a commoditized business. How do you keep top of mind in your member’s mind for a loan while still earning yield? What keeps members coming back to your credit union time and again? If members can get loans anywhere, why would they come to you? In this session, Don will talk about the greatest competitive advantage that top-performing credit unions have.

• Lending disruptors 
• Review of the competitive landscape
• Owning your niche as a local lender
• Specialization
• Staying connected with the borrower
• You need to pay for top performance

Selling Direct: What it takes to work with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHLB 

Are you keeping your loans in house?  Are you using an intermediary so access the secondary market? There are many ways to access the secondary market and each has its risks and rewards. In this session, we'll review the options and what it takes to work directly with the GSEs. 

Will the Loan Be Repaid? The Art and Science of Making Decisions Today About the Future

We're in the business of assessing risk, and this session will help you do it better. Should we put more emphasis on the borrower's past, present, or future? What loan factors really predict the likelihood of repayment? Should we trust our intuition and gut feelings? Explore these questions and more, including the significance of the numbers 13/4/1.

Consultative Lending

Do you have Salespeople or Order takers working up your loan applications? Are you frustrated with poor production from your front-line lenders? In this session, Don will walk you through understanding the keys to a successful loan interview and how to identify the right employees in your organization to grow your loan portfolio.

• Create a sustainable sales culture
• Make an emotional connection with the borrower
• Increase member satisfaction
• Generate consistent loan growth of your direct portfolio
• Selling value instead of rate
• Understand the importance of Emotional Intelligence

Handling Insurance Claim Payouts After Disasters

Hurricanes in the South. Fires in the West. Tornados in between. What happens when your collateral is damaged or destroyed? Must the insurance company make the proceeds check jointly payable to the member and you, or may it make it payable to the member only? Must the proceeds be used to rebuild a house or purchase substitute collateral, or may you insist on applying it to the loan? What if the member does not agree? (Suggestion: To get the most from this program, bring copies of your real estate and auto loan contracts with you!)

Managing Policies and Procedures for Lending Compliance and Programs

Do you find it difficult to create and maintain lending policies and procedures? This session will focus on the best practices for building your library and ensuring staff has access to it.

When is a Day a Business Day?

A day by any other name may be a “business day” so when is a day a “business day?” Whether or not it’s a HELOC, Home Equity or a first lien you have numerous regulations that include disclosure and other timing requirements that hang on the ever dreaded “business day.” Do they all count them the same? Nope! We make sense of all the different business day calculations and update you on the latest in Home Equity and HELOC trends.

Developing Training Programs for Lending Compliance

How do you provide a consistent and standardized lending compliance training program? This session will provide the best practices for developing training material and providing to staff.

Important Legal Issues in Lending

There are always questions lenders have about various scenarios with important legal implications that require careful consideration on how to correctly comply. During this session, attorney Eric North who devotes his law practice to the representation of credit unions and speaks frequently to credit union staff, will discuss various lending legal topics consumer lenders should understand. The exact subjects will be decided as the date for the program nears.

Lending in the New Economy

In "Lending in the New Economy," Don Arkell explores the shifting dynamics of lending in an era dominated by technology and the preferences of younger generations. With 50% of the US population under the age of 40, understanding their inclination towards self-service platforms is crucial for credit unions and lending institutions to thrive. Arkell delves into the implications of this trend, offering insights on how financial organizations can adapt their lending practices to meet the evolving needs and preferences of this demographic. From leveraging digital tools to streamline processes to enhancing user experience through intuitive interfaces, this talk equips lending professionals with strategies to remain relevant and competitive in the ever-changing landscape of the financial industry.  

Mortgage Compliance Update

What is around the corner and what keeps us awake at night. We are seeing a lot of focus on some key areas including fair lending and appraisal bias. We will run through them all during this session.

Denial of Credit Based on Immigration Status

May you deny credit to a person you believe to be in the country unlawfully? Does it matter if they are a DACA recipient? Regulation B says you may inquire about immigration status, but would doing so put you at risk of violating other laws? Does the type of credit matter? It’s a touchy subject with few clear answers, but one with which lenders must be knowledgeable.

The Future of Auto Lending: Adapting to a Changing Landscape

Auto lending remains a vital revenue stream for credit unions, but market shifts, rising vehicle prices, and new fintech competitors pose challenges. In this session, Jessica Vartanian will provide actionable strategies for navigating auto lending trends in 2025. Attendees will gain insights into loan underwriting, payment structuring, and maximizing ancillary product sales while staying ahead of market disruptors.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify key trends shaping the auto lending market in 2025.
• Underwriting strategies for higher-risk borrowers.
• Address competition from fintech auto lenders and digital disruptors.
• Optimize loan payment structures for affordability and member loyalty. 
• Enhance profitability through ancillary product offerings.
• Build member engagement strategies for auto lending retention.

Real Estate Compensation Strategies and Regulations

It's a competitive market and having top-notch staff is essential.  In this session we review the key regulations around mortgage loan officer compensations and talk about compensation strategies to help you compete. 

Unlocking Growth Opportunities with Commercial Lending

Managing the consumer side of lending, have you ever wanted to learn more about commercial lending opportunities and what types of services credit unions may implement to offer members that own businesses? Discover how commercial lending can drive portfolio growth and increase interest income for your credit union. This interactive session, led by an industry expert with proven success in launching and scaling commercial lending programs, will provide actionable insights and strategies to set your institution on a path to success. 

Key takeaways include:

• Securing Board Buy-In: Learn how to effectively present the case for commercial lending to gain support from key stakeholders.
• Identifying Focus Areas: Understand which aspects of commercial lending to prioritize for maximum impact.
• Building a Roadmap to Success: Outline the practical steps required to launch and grow a commercial lending program tailored to your credit union’s needs.

This session is designed for credit union leaders looking to implement innovative strategies to boost financial performance. Come prepared to participate, collaborate, and leave with a clear action plan.

Modernizing Junior Liens: Automation, Risk-Based Strategies, and Growth Opportunities                                                                                                                 
Junior liens, including second mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), remain a critical component of many credit union lending portfolios. As housing values remain high and consumer demand for liquidity grows, junior liens present both opportunities for growth and significant risk management challenges. In this session, Jessica Vartanian from CU Lending Advice will explore how automation and modern lending strategies can streamline junior lien processes and drive portfolio growth. 

Learn how to optimize your junior lien programs by leveraging advanced tools, enhancing operational efficiency, and adopting a strategic approach to member engagement and product design.

Key Takeaways: 

• Understand the current market trends driving demand for junior liens and HELOCs. 
• Explore the role of process automation in streamlining junior lien origination. 
• Learn best practices for underwriting and risk assessment in junior lien lending.
• Utilize data analytics and predictive tools to monitor portfolio health and member behavior.
• Enhance member experience through digital tools and seamless lending workflows. 
• Develop cross-selling strategies to maximize member engagement and lifetime value.

Balancing Risk and Reward: Lending Strategies for a Shifting Economy

Economic fluctuations, rising rates, and consumer financial stress continue to pose challenges for credit unions. Lending teams must strike a delicate balance between growing portfolios and managing risk effectively. In this session, Jessica Vartanian will provide underwriting best practices and cross-department collaboration strategies. This session will help leaders develop a well-rounded approach to balancing lending goals with institutional safety and soundness. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Understand common underwriting mistakes and how to avoid them.
• Explore collaboration strategies between lending, collections, and risk departments. 
• Learn best practices for lending to higher-risk credit tiers without unnecessary losses. 
• Build data-driven risk mitigation strategies for diverse lending portfolios. 
• Enhance internal training for frontline lending staff on risk identification. 
• Create policies that balance growth goals with prudent lending practices.

Fraud in the World Today 

The criminals are still at it! And they are getting more clever! Or are they? We need to stay one step ahead to prevent losses to our credit unions. So, let’s talk about the fraud schemes in the world today, and ways in which we can try to detect and prevent the losses from happening.