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The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation Scholarship Council (FSC) would like to thank participants for their support and contributions at the 7th Annual Dice & Ice Fundraising Event. There were 80 participants representing 19 credit unions and 6 business partners. And, after all the fun was had, the FSC raised $14,000 to give-back in scholarship awards to credit union members! The Foundation Scholarship Council (FSC) strives to build credit union brand awareness and strengthen member relationships through its scholarship program. The FSC will hold a silent auction during ACCELERATE 25, April 21-23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. Two young professionals representing Minnesota credit unions were selected to participate in The Cooperative Trust’s renowned Crash program at America’s Credit Unions’ 2025 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington D.C.
The 2025 Crash the GAC cohort comprises talented professionals from across the country who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the credit union movement. These individuals were selected amongst hundreds of applications and have shown an astounding commitment to advancing the values and principles that define the industry. Dan Brula, Cloud Administrator, Members Cooperative Credit Union and Journie Rosenow, Community Engagement Coordinator, Royal Credit Union, will join the 2025 Crash the GAC cohort comprised of talented professionals from across the country who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the credit union movement. These individuals were selected amongst hundreds of applications and have shown an astounding commitment to advancing the values and principles that define the industry. "Congratulations to Dan Brula and Journie Rosenow for being selected to the Crash the GAC program," said Minnesota Credit Union Network Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Smith. "Young professional involvement in federal advocacy is critical in ensuring credit unions will thrive in the future. The Crasher program is unmatched in preparing young leaders to advance the credit union movement." The Governmental Affairs Conference on March 2-6, 2025, is the largest credit union event in the nation. It provides a unique platform for these emerging leaders to engage with lawmakers, discover the latest industry offerings, and network with peers and thought leaders. The Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN), along with Ideal Credit Union and St. Paul Federal Credit Union were among the organizations named as "Great Workplaces" in Minnesota.
Great Workplaces in Minnesota is a collaborative effort between Best Companies Group, the Minnesota Society of Human Resource Management, and Twin Cities Business. It is open to all publicly and privately held for-profit, nonprofit, and government entities. To be eligible, companies must have at least 15 employees in Minnesota, an in-state facility, and been in business for at least one year. "The Minnesota Credit Union Network is proud of the work we do to support credit unions, and we foster a culture of community, innovation, and support," said Mara Humphrey, MnCUN President & CEO. "Credit unions aren't just great places to bank -- they're fantastic places to build your career. Congratulations to Ideal Credit Union and St. Paul Federal Credit Union." Ideal Credit Union was ranked 6th in the medium/large employer group and MnCUN and St. Paul Federal Credit Union placed 4th and 9th respectively in the small employer group. To determine the Great Workplaces in Minnesota list, Best Companies Group conducted a thorough assessment of each company to gather detailed information about the workplace. Employers completed an in-depth questionnaire and their employees could submit honest feedback in a companywide survey. Only the organizations with the highest percentage of positive responses across various workplace issues could be recognized as one of the best in the state. The recognition is 100% based on real data and feedback. IMPACT 25: CU Day at the Capitol is underway at the Union Depot - St. Paul and State Capitol. The event is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first state-chartered credit union in Minnesota. To celebrate this milestone, the Minnesota Credit Union Network will hold a rally for legislators and industry leaders and credit union members from 1:30-2:30 pm in the Capitol Rotunda. Speakers scheduled to speak at the rally include:
Prior to the rally, credit union staff and board members received a briefing on top legislative issues, an update from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and a fun panel discussion from Brian McDaniel, Amy Koch and, Javier Morillo, the bi-partisan crew behind a highly entertaining and informative local podcast, Wrong About Everything. Stay tuned for next week's Pulse for a full recap! The Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) is now accepting nominations for its most prestigious awards. Now is your chance to nominate a colleague for the 2025 Outstanding Professional of the Year or Outstanding Director of the Year. Nominations for the awards must be received by Monday, March 3.
The winners of these awards will be recognized with a video tribute during the MnCUN's annual conference - the ACCELERATE 25 Conference, which will take place April 21-23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. Outstanding Professional of the Year recognizes the notable service of one outstanding credit union professional who has selflessly given time, effort and talent to the support and promotion of the credit union mission and who has gone above and beyond to improve the credit union culture in Minnesota. Outstanding Director of the Year is given to one extraordinary credit union board member who best exemplifies the credit union spirit through dedication to, and belief in, the credit union movement. Grounds for nomination include involvement in the credit union movement at local and state levels and participation in other activities that support the credit union mission. Please note that only nominations completed using the online forms will be accepted. Nominations that are not awarded will automatically be considered for the next year's award. Complete information and online nomination forms can be found on the MnCUN website. Contact Julia Miller, MnCUN Director of Communications with questions. Congress Holds First Hearings: The first hearing of the year for the House Financial Services Committee entitled, “Make Community Banking Great Again,” was held last week.
MnCUN Offering Guidance and Analysis of Recent Executive Orders: There has been some confusion about what is and isn’t happening at the Treasury Department and DOGE staff accessing sensitive personal data for American citizens. Minnesota House Organizes with a Power Sharing Deal; Senate Back in DFL Control: Here in Minnesota, we finally have an organized state House as Democrats and Republicans struck a deal to end the DFL boycott of the start of session to deny the GOP a quorum. Credit union leaders representing the Dakotas, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming gathered last week in sunny Las Vegas for The Roundtable, held at the Paris and Horseshoe Casinos. This engaging two-day event focused on fintech innovations, leadership strategies, and the future of credit unions.
The conference began with TruStage Fintech Connect, featuring leaders from companies like WithClutch and Zest AI. Key sessions included Stacie VanDenBerghe on board-executive alignment and Tom Sakash on board leadership. A session on proactive growth highlighted the importance of unified communication. Day two featured Trey Hawkins' advocacy update and Chad Richter sharing vital employment law insights. Sakash discussed market niches, while VanDenBerghe focused on future-ready board leadership. After mini sessions on topics like cybersecurity and strategic planning, attendees participated in roundtable discussions. The event concluded with an inspiring keynote from James Robert Lay, who offered strategies for navigating change and leveraging AI for growth. A special thank you to our Platinum sponsor, TruStage, and our Gold sponsors Alloya Corporate Credit Union, CU Digilend, Envisant, Sharetec, and Strategic Resource Management. We also appreciate Trellance for hosting our Minnesota gathering and Alloya Corporate Credit Union and Visa for the post-conference event. Mark your calendars for the 2026 Roundtable on February 2-3, 2026, at the Paris Hotel! Increase in Noncitizen Membership and Loans: MnCUN has been receiving more compliance questions regarding a recent increase in applications for membership and/or loan products from noncitizen consumers.
Join Us for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Credit Unions in Minnesota at Accelerate 25! MnCUN's biggest event of the year will take place April 21–23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake.
These 3 days will feature guest speakers, educational sessions, networking, the state’s largest tradeshow and opportunities to support great causes. Early bird registration ends March 14. What’s New This Year?
We’re also embracing a fresh approach to our recognition format this year. While we won’t be having the traditional awards breakfast, we’re excited to incorporate new ways to celebrate the incredible contributions of our credit unions throughout the event and shine a light on the remarkable work done over the past year. Let’s come together to celebrate our achievements and look forward to the future of credit unions! |
The PulseThe Pulse is MnCUN's newsletter that keeps credit union professionals and board members updated on current news and information. Archives
April 2025
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