The Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) celebrated a landmark event signifying a century of service and community impact for Minnesota Credit Unions, the ACCELERATE 25 Conference. Packed with engaging guest speakers, educational sessions, and networking, it was the state’s largest trade show with professional development opportunities for credit union board members and employees. The last three days included speeches from elected officials, credit union leadership, and statewide financial experts. 

​Congressman Brad Finstad joined the conference as a strong supporter and member of a credit union. Congressman Finstad reflected on the community-based model under which credit unions operate, emphasizing “you’re in our communities, you’re a part of our communities, you understand the communities that you serve, and the value that you provide is great.”

​Congressman Finstad mentioned that for this reason and others, his family is proud to be a member of their local credit union. 

MnCUN is excited to share the launch of two services it is providing: CU Law Partners, affordable and expert legal representation to meet the demands of credit unions, and TruLync Medicare Advisors, a service to help members navigate Medicare and save on their annual premiums. 

Also, during the business meeting, the results of the 2025 MnCUN Board of Directors were announced. Aaron DeJong, Red Wing Credit Union, and Dana Garrett, North Memorial Federal Credit Union, were re-elected and Trina Hoff, Northern Communities Credit Union, was elected to a full term after being appointed to fill the remainder of Deb Almirall's term after she retired.

​Finally, the conference celebrated 100 years of credit unions in Minnesota with a 1925-themed anniversary party. Attendees sported their finest roaring 20’s themed outfits and celebrated a century of the credit union advantage in Minnesota. 

The Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) proudly presented the Outstanding Credit Union Professional of the Year and Director of the Year at a ceremony held during the MnCUN ACCELERATE 25 Conference on April 22 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minn. These two awards highlight leaders who pioneer and embody what it means to put first the community and financial well-being of Minnesotans. 

​His expertise and dedication to credit unions has been on full display since he took the helm at THFCU. In 2012, THFCU was struggling with little community visibility. Randy oversaw a complete transformation, with Two Harbors Federal Credit Union becoming a flourishing member of our network, serving its members, supporting its community, and contributing to credit unions statewide.  

After receiving his award, Randy reflected on the work credit unions do, saying: "People helping people is not just a slogan -- its really what we do."

​Under Daryl’s direction, the credit union has grown from 4,500 members and $18 million in assets to 9,500 members and $190 million in assets today. For 32 years, Daryl has provided steady, consistent governance, with a practical, member-centered vision for how our credit union functions. 

In accepting his award, Daryl kept the focus on credit union members, emphasizing: "Credit unions big, small and in between, let's remember the main thing, taking care of our members, one at a time."

​"We are proud to honor these great leaders, who have spent their careers contributing to Minnesota's credit unions and their members," Mara Humphrey, MnCUN President and CEO.

Last week, the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) convened the second annual Fraud Prevention Summit. Nearly 90 attendees from over 35 credit unions from across the state participated.

The event served to connect credit unions with law enforcement, regulatory, and service vendor representatives engaged to combat financial fraud from their respective areas of expertise.

This included expert presentations on emerging fraud trends, preventive and remediation resources, and small group discussions for attendees to share information and resources. Speakers included:

• Safe Senior Financial Protection Act: Lisa Lovering, Senior Financial Exploitation Investigator; MN Department of Commerce
• Fraud Prevention: Michael Burke, Senior Robbery and Crisis Management Consultant; SHAZAM
• Fraud Detection and Prevention Product Demos: ACUTE Technology Solutions, Optimize Cyber,  and Payrailz Fraud Monitor.
• ​Fraud Schemes: Tony Ofstead; Director/Chief Law Enforcement Officer; MN Commerce Fraud Bureau

"Fraud is a persistent and evolving threat for consumers, businesses and financial institutions. Credit unions are embracing a collaborative approach to prevent and address fraud with regulatory and law enforcement partners," said Mara Humphrey, President & CEO of MnCUN.

MnCUN is announcing the formation of credit union peer fraud taskforce to combat fraud proactively across Minnesota. The goal is to leverage resources and share information to cooperatively combat fraud more effectively.

What to expect:

• Quarterly Meetings: Share experiences, resources, and information to stay ahead of evolving forms of fraud.
• Collaboration: The group will regularly engage with law enforcement representatives and other relevant regulatory authorities. 
• Dedicated Minnesota Community Page: Post real-time questions and issues related to frauds and scams.
• Focus Areas: Protect credit union members, prevent Elder and Vulnerable Person Financial Exploitation and prevent harm to credit union operations.

Participation details:
Who Should Attend: Open to all credit union staff.
Cost: Free to attend

Dates and registration:
The task force will meet on the following dates from 2-3 p.m. via webinar. Follow the links for more information and to register:

• May 20th
• August 19th
• November 18th

With questions, please contact MnCUN Director of Engagement, Xiong Lee, by email.

​Early bird registration closes this Friday for ACCELERATE 25, being held April 21–23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. You won’t want to miss this landmark event celebrating a century of service and community impact for Minnesota Credit Unions, along with engaging guest speakers, educational sessions, networking, the state’s largest credit union tradeshow and opportunities to support great causes. 

​We're pleased to welcome acclaimed futurist and trend caster, Dr. Shawn DuBravac, who will share the Tuesday keynote Economic Insights: Navigating the Future. In today’s turbulent economic environment, leaders face unprecedented challenges, from persistent inflation to shifting conditions to an uncertain political landscape. These issues are compounded by geopolitical risks and evolving market dynamics. Dr. DuBravac will provide a critical exploration of the U.S. economic landscape tailored for credit unions.

DuBravac is an internationally-recognized thought leader, delivering pragmatic and provocative insights on the trends, technologies, and paradigms transforming the globe. He is president of the Avrio Institute, who helps leaders prepare for uncertain and divergent futures. Clients include Fortune 100 and Global 1000 companies, scrappy start-ups, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Grounded in economics, DuBravac served over 12 years as chief economist for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer tech companies, and owner and producer of CES. DuBravac writes extensively on disruptive technological shifts and has been widely published on the topics of technology, finance, and economics. His analysis has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, Wired, Los Angeles Times, Barron’s and on-air with CNBC, Bloomberg, NPR, CBS, and other media outlets.
​
Early bird pricing for the conference ends March 14. 

​Are you looking for a professional development opportunity or for ways to get more involved with the Minnesota Credit Union Network and make the most of your membership? 

​MnCUN Committees are seeking interested members for appointment. The MnCUN Board Chair will appoint Committee members to serve for one year – from their appointment through the following year’s Annual Business Meeting, taking place during the ACCELERATE conference in April. 

​​Interested candidates can apply by completing an application by Friday, April 4, 2025. The application lists descriptions for each committee and any specific questions can be directed to the MnCUN Staff Liaison listed for each committee. ​

Three candidacy declarations were received by the closing date of February 28, 2025 for the three Minnesota Credit Union Network Board of Directors seats up for election:

• Aaron DeJong: At-Large
• Dana Garrett: Fewer than 10,000 members
• Trina Hoff: Fewer than 10,000 members

Because one candidacy declaration was received per open seat, no ballots will be issued in accordance with MnCUN bylaws and the election results will be announced at MnCUN’s Business Meeting during the Accelerate Conference, Tuesday April 22, 2025.

The Minnesota Credit Union Network Election Committee, appointed by the Chair of the Minnesota Credit Union Network, has the responsibility of overseeing the 2025 Network Board of Directors election process.

​Candidacy declarations and Board Election rules are available on the Member Portal Board Election page (login required.)

​Make sure you register for ACCELERATE 25, April 21–23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. You won’t want to miss this landmark event celebrating a century of service and community impact for Minnesota Credit Unions, along with engaging guest speakers, educational sessions, networking, the state’s largest credit union tradeshow and opportunities to support great causes.

We're pleased to welcome Kevin Brown who will present The Hero Effect®: Being Your Best When It Matters The Most! In his signature keynote, Kevin shares ideas, strategies and principles that will inspire and equip participants to show up every day and make a positive difference. At the heart of Kevin’s message is a simple, yet powerful philosophy for life that drives every thought, every action and ultimately every result we achieve both personally and professionally. Your team will be motivated to reach beyond what is required and do something remarkable! The Hero Effect® framework drives organization excellence and customer loyalty and inspires individuals to create an unforgettable experience for the people they serve and serve with. 

​For two decades, Kevin was a sales and marketing executive that helped transform SERVPRO® from a little-known family business into an industry giant with annual revenues reaching two billion dollars. After a career in franchising, Kevin decided to retire from corporate America and pursue his passion for bringing The HERO Effect® message to as many people and organizations as possible. Kevin is on a mission to help people and organizations embrace a simple philosophy that separates world-class organizations and high-performance people from everybody else. He is passionate about helping people expand their vision, develop their potential, and grow their results. 

​This session is generously sponsored by Alloya Corporate Credit Union. Early bird registration ends March 14. 

The Minnesota Credit Union Network continued to receive high ratings from credit unions statewide in the 2024 Performance Survey. MnCUN conducts a yearly survey to measure its performance over the previous year as it strives to advocate, accelerate, and collaborate to ensure a thriving credit union system in Minnesota. 

According to the 2024 Performance Survey:

• 100% of CEOs and 81% of all respondents noted that MnCUN has improved or maintained its service to credit unions over the past year.
•  Satisfaction remains high with 75% of all survey respondents answered “extremely satisfied” or “satisfied” with MnCUN’s performance.
• Legislative advocacy, regulatory compliance information, and keeping you up-to-date on issues that impact your ability to serve members are top reasons for membership.
• MnCUN’s has an overall net promoter score of 56 – which is considered to reflect a strong, customer-focused company.

​"Thank you for your participation in our annual performance survey—we truly appreciate your insights,” said MnCUN President & CEO Mara Humphrey. “Your feedback helps us better serve our members and our industry, and we welcome your thoughts and suggestions all year long."