Pre-Conference Workshop (separate fee required)

Registration

Finance Leader Exchange

The financial leader exchange offers a rare platform for networking and fostering connections with industry peers. Gain a fresh perspective on challenges facing your credit union and discover new strategies for success by engaging with like-minded leaders.  

Mix, Mingle, and Connect

Start your conference experience on the right foot—with friendship and fun! Whether it's your first time attending or you're the only representative from your credit union, this interactive session will help you break the ice and create new friendships from day one.  

Early Access Sponsor Tour (EAST) Program

The Early Access Sponsor Tour (EAST) is a program that gives an exclusive guided group tour to our attendees, allowing them to preview solutions built by our sponsors. Your tour will take you on a journey where you will hear a three-minute introduction to the services offered by selected sponsors, giving you quick insight into which sponsors you will want to connect with in the sponsor hall when it opens.

Opening General Session

Welcome Reception 

Registration and breakfast

Navigating Financial Horizons: Credit Union Accounting Update and Insights

Regulatory requirements and accounting standards consistently evolve. With recently issued standards related to CECL, lease accounting, and fair value measurements, it can be cumbersome to remain up to date with the accounting world. Join this session to discuss all things accounting, including upcoming accounting pronouncements, their potential impacts on financial statements, past pronouncements causing deficiencies in financial statements audits, and much more. In addition, gain helpful tips on how to overcome common audit findings on the accounting side.

Bond Math Basics: Convexity, Duration, and Other Interest Rate Risk Fundamentals

This session will focus on helping attendees better understand bond math basics such as duration and convexity. The goal is not to dive deep into these topics but to make these concepts easier to understand and more applicable to the portfolio manager who also wears many other hats.

Succession Planning: Building a Strong Leadership Pipeline for the Future  

Succession planning can be an enlightening process that breathes life into an organization and rejuvenates talent so they are eager and invested in the future. Unfortunately, many organizations defer succession planning until the absolute need for a successor becomes urgent. Delayed planning can lead to rush decisions and mismanagement of leadership transitions that are difficult to undo. This workshop will demystify the succession process, provide a framework for finding future talent, and offer proven strategies for inviting dialogue even when silence and long pauses signal resistance to change.  

CFOs: Beyond Spreadsheets - Why Have We Still Not Fully Unlocked the Value In Our Data?

Data is often described as the new oil, and although not particularly valuable in its raw state, it has immense potential in the form of daily insights and business intelligence. Unlocking that hidden potential is easier said than done, especially in the financial sector. Is a data warehouse the answer? Join us to learn more about the most common challenges CFOs face and how you might begin to address them.

Budgeting Best Practices and Lessons Learned

As the current economic environment presents new and unique budgeting challenges, we will hear from industry leaders on their budget process.  Attendees will be encouraged to participate with their lessons learned and best practices.  

Networking Break with Sponsors

Navigating Credit Risk: CECL Impacts and Strategies for Credit Unions

In this session, we will explore the increasing credit risk credit unions face due to moderate loan growth, larger business loans, and worsening credit quality, as evidenced by increasing delinquency rates and net charge-offs. These factors have led to higher provision expenses. We will examine the effects of changing credit risk on balance sheets and reserve levels since adopting CECL. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of effective credit risk identification and CECL model validations as examiners focus on the allowance for credit losses.

Driving Success in Strategic M&A Decisions

Discover how to effectively evaluate the potential benefits and opportunities of mergers and acquisitions while weighing all your strategic options to make the best decisions for your membership. Gain valuable insights from FMA experts who have successfully navigated the M&A landscape, often turning down more deals than they’ve accepted. This session will host a strategic discussion on approaching M&A decisions confidently and clearly.

The Future of Payments: Trends, Innovations, and What’s Next for Credit Unions

Explore the evolving landscape of payments and what it means for credit unions. From real-time payments to digital wallets, AI-driven fraud prevention, and emerging technologies like blockchain, this session will provide insights into future innovations. Discover strategies to stay competitive, meet member expectations, and navigate regulatory challenges in an increasingly digital world.  

Networking Luncheon

From Data to Decisions: Driving Strategic Value with Product Profitability Analytics

This session will illustrate how relevant profitability reporting drives tangible organizational value rather than becoming just another unused report. Participants will also learn to avoid common pitfalls when launching profitability programs and discover how to translate insights into impactful actions across branch performance, product mix optimization, and marketing effectiveness.  

Mastering the Balance: Building a Resilient Investment Portfolio

This presentation explores key strategies for building a robust investment portfolio that thrives in any economic climate. Attendees will learn how to effectively manage yield, liquidity, and risk while also safeguarding assets and capital. Whether navigating market volatility or seeking sustainable growth, this session will provide useful tools for today’s balance sheet managers. With practical insights, you'll gain the confidence to make informed, strategic decisions, even in an uncertain market like 2025.

Speaking the Same Language as Your Board

This session will provide valuable insights into effective board communication and relationship management. This solution-oriented presentation covers essential strategies for maintaining strong connections with board members, ensuring clear and consistent communication, and compellingly presenting information.  

Long-Term Technological and Digital Relevance for Credit Unions: Gaining and Maintaining Competitive Advantage  

In the age of constantly evolving technology in financial institutions, how do Credit Unions begin to think about gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage? How does competitive advantage play with larger financial institutions like Chase and Bank of America? In this session, we'll explore how credit unions may begin to achieve long-term digital relevance while establishing and maintaining a competitive advantage.

Branch Sales: An Emerging Strategy for Balance Sheet Management and Market Rationalization  

The sale of branches is an emerging method for credit unions to optimize the mix of assets and liabilities, improve financial ratios, or rationalize geographic footprints based on multiple deals announced in the recent period. We will examine why these transactions are growing in popularity and how they offer flexibility that does not require a full-fledged merger. We will also walk through qualitative and quantitative considerations for credit unions interested in pursuing such a transaction and an approach to understanding the value that can be returned in such a transaction.

Networking Break with Sponsors

Social Event (separate fee for your guest required) 

Breakfast

Peer-to-Peer Fraud: Current Events and Regulation E Expectations

The FTC reported 2.6 million fraud complaints in 2024, totaling $12.5 billion in reported losses. These staggering numbers underscore the importance of fully understanding financial institution obligations related to fraudulent peer-to-peer transfers. This session will review Regulation E error resolution requirements, liability limitations, and key regulatory FAQs. We’ll also explore the status of related legislation and litigation. Join us to gain a clear understanding of the evolving landscape of peer-to-peer payment fraud.

Strategic Loan and Deposit Pricing for Managing Capital, CAMELS & Interest Rate Risk

In today’s volatile economic and regulatory environment, reactive pricing (a.k.a. blindly following the market) is a recipe for squeezed margins, heightened risk, and declining financial health. Institutions that fail to integrate capital sufficiency, interest rate risk management, and disciplined pricing strategies into their decision-making face increasing regulatory scrutiny, and, ultimately, weakened financial stability. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and exclusive access to free real-time pricing models that can be applied immediately to improve margins, manage risk, and ensure long-term capital sufficiency.

Remote Leadership: Building Connection and Inclusion in a Hybrid Workforce  

This session offers leaders insights into managing remote and hybrid teams, adapting leadership styles, creating meaningful connections, and cultivating a thriving culture, no matter the work environment.

What's your Hidden Giveback? Using Call Reports & Market Data to Calculate Member Giveback  

You give back in many ways: Member education, community outreach, and great rates.  What if you could put a tangible value on this intangible giveback and then tell your board and members what this value is worth?  The value is substantial, and real data backs it up.  We call this the Hidden Giveback. This session will show you how to use call report data, rates, member data, and competitor data to quantify the financial value of your giveback to your entire membership.  

Aligning the 3M's: Member-Mission-Margin to Restore Our Finance of Banking Principles

Mother Teresa once said, “There is no mission without margin.” This truth is particularly relevant in today's credit union landscape, where the delicate balance between financial performance and the value returned to members can determine an institution's long-term success. Too often, we find ourselves entangled in our web of priorities—mission, Member, and margin—pulling us down divergent paths that disarm CFOs of our finance or banking principles.  

Networking Break with Sponsors

It’s Complicated - Navigating Risk, Return, and Growth in Today’s Complex Financial Environment 

This session is designed for experienced ALM professionals seeking advanced strategies for navigating today’s complex financial environment. Participants will dive into key tactics for managing Net Interest Margin (NIM) in a declining rate environment, focusing on methods to protect and expand margins effectively.  

From Aspiring to Achieving: Pathways to Becoming a CFO  

This session will provide a roadmap for aspiring CFOs, offering best practices for developing the skills, experience, and mindset needed to reach the CFO role. We’ll cover strategies for building a strong career and resume and key milestones that can set you on your path to becoming a CFO. Join us for a candid discussion on what you need to know—and wish you had known—on your journey to finance leadership.

The Value Creation of Centralized Procurement  

This session will discuss the value creation exhibited by a centralized Procurement function. Finance divisions are heavily involved in ALM, investments, accounting, and intelligent revenue generation methods. However, expenses are often left to be managed by individual business owners.

Networking Luncheon

Navigating Mergers & Acquisitions Accounting for Credit Unions  

Join us for a session on Mergers & Acquisitions Accounting for credit unions. This session will highlight the steps required to comply with ASC 805 Business Combinations when completing a merger or acquisition. This includes the valuation process of the acquired/merging-in entity, the day-one fair value adjustments, and the ongoing accounting arising from the merger. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of valuation methods, the basis for day one and ongoing accounting under ASC 805, and insight into current valuation metrics.  

ALM: Optimizing Interest Rate Risk and Reward  

This high-level introductory session covers the goals and difficulties of ALM, the major types of interest rate risk, and the tools of the Asset-Liability Committee. After walking through the basic concepts, the session becomes a discussion of ALM failures of the past and how ALM influences decision-making in the future.

From Colleague to Coach: Transform, Connect, Lead

Drawing from real-world credit union experience, this interactive session tackles the challenging transition from peer to leader while providing practical strategies for building strong team relationships. Participants will discover effective techniques for establishing trust, delivering impactful feedback, and developing their unique leadership style.  

Leveraging Data for Strategic Growth  

This session will explore how credit unions can harness financial and operational data to drive smarter decision-making, enhance member value, and fuel sustainable growth. Learn how cutting-edge analytics, performance benchmarking, and fintech innovation can transform your institution’s financial strategy.

Derivatives and Hedging for Better Sheet Management  

Regulatory and accounting rule changes have made it easier than ever for institutions of all sizes to implement hedging strategies, and for many, the environment is right to do so.  In this session, we will explore how to set policies and procedures to use derivatives, then look to real-world examples of how institutions have recently been using hedging strategies to reduce interest rate risk, lower the cost of funds, and achieve broader strategic objectives.

Networking Break with Sponsors

Ready, Set, Crisis Averted! Enhancing Liquidity Stress Testing and Crisis Management  

Ensuring you have the right-sized liquidity management process in place is critical in today's environment to optimize liquidity levels and sources, understand the impact of deposit flows, and identify proper stress scenarios that could significantly impact availability over time. Dive into the crucial interconnectedness between liquidity risk monitoring, stress testing, contingency planning, and crisis execution.  

Leadership in an ALCO Committee: Strategies for Success

This session will explore best practices for leading an effective ALCO Committee. We’ll dive into proven strategies for running productive ALCO meetings and fostering collaboration among committee members. You’ll learn what defines a high-performing committee, its key goals, and how to align efforts to drive informed decision-making.  

Networking Reception

Breakfast

General Session – Cross Council Panel, Top Issues in Key Management Areas: Bridging Perspectives for Finance Professionals

Join us for a collaborative session where thought leaders will converge to illuminate the pivotal issues shaping the industry in 2025 and beyond.

Our esteemed panelists will offer diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing credit unions today. We’ll explore how these key management areas intersect with financial priorities. Gain insights into aligning financial strategies with business objectives, fostering a culture of innovation, and optimizing organizational performance in an ever-evolving landscape.

Closing General Session