CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council is now officially accepting entries for the 2021 Diamond Awards. To honor the critical and challenging work executed by credit unions this year, a Crisis Management category has been added. The Diamond Awards are the pinnacle of achievement for creative excellence in the credit union industry.

“This year’s new Crisis Management category gives applicants the opportunity to showcase their response and community impact during the pandemic,” says Amy McGraw, Diamond Awards Chair. “We know there’s no shortage of stories demonstrating the value of credit unions and the work they’re doing to provide members with stability and comfort as we all discover what our new normal looks like.”

Proceeds collected from entry fees for the all-new Crisis Management category will be donated to one of three organizations making a difference across the country. Applicants can choose to allocate their entry fee(s) towards Family Promise, Feeding America or The Salvation Army by indicating their choice on the entry form.

Submitting a campaign to the 2021 Diamond Awards gives you and your credit union the opportunity to earn recognition as an industry influencer. Winning entries are put in the spotlight at the annual CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference to help inspire great work across the movement.

“Becoming a judge is another great way to give back to the industry by shining a spotlight on incredible work,” says Lynn Heider, Recognition Awards Chair. “It’s also a behind-the-scenes look at how credit unions across the country are pushing boundaries to engage and sell products and services in fresh, exciting ways.”

Judging applications will be accepted through October 19, 2020. The judging period will last between one and two weeks and will occur through a private online platform. Get the full details here.

The early bird deadline for submitting entries to the 2021 Diamond Awards is December 21, 2020, with a final deadline of January 15, 2021. Explore all 2021 Diamond Award categories here, including the all-new Crisis Management category.

As businesswomen, we know the importance of speaking up and out in getting a seat at the table. But in
a competitive workforce and overcrowded talent pool, sometimes hard work and perseverance isn’t
enough. You have to bring a strong innovative voice to your work and life.
 
The Women’s Leadership Network invites female credit union colleagues to our next virtual event on
October 1 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. for INNOVATION IS YOUR BUSINESS: A businesswoman’s playbook for getting a strong and valued seat at the table.
 
Tamara Ghandour’s break-through work combines 25 years of personal experience, neuroscience, brain
mechanics, and behavioral psychology to help you unlock innovation and advancement for yourself and
the teams you lead. Her proprietary assessment, The Innovation Quotient Edge, shows individuals the
keys to unlock their innovative minds so they can perform at their peak, create breakthrough outcomes,
and project a stronger, more valued voice in the world.
 
Join us for an engaging conversation online, connect with your Women’s Leadership Network
colleagues, and receive resources from the day.
 
Visit the event page to register. 

Join us for the fall Business Services & Commercial Lending P2P session on Wednesday, September 23 at 1 p.m. via webinar and video conference.
 
For this event, we will open up the audio lines for the group to join a facilitated discussion regarding hot topics facing credit union business services and commercial lending practices. All aspects of this session have been created with the intention of shared learning among facilitators and attendees.
 
Visit the event page to register.
 
The full list of upcoming P2P sessions can be found on the MnCUN Event Calendar. With questions, please contact MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering by email or by phone at 651-288-5519.

Join JMFA on Thursday, September 17, 2020 11:00 am., for a compliance webinar titled “Safeguard Member Relationships, Revenue and Reputation” presented by Cheryl Lawson, EVP of Compliance Review. Learn how you can safeguard your credit union from compliance and legal scrutiny, while improving your service delivery and generating revenue. Visit JMFA to register. 

Credit unions and leagues across the nation are going casual today as a part of the annual Credit Unions for Kids Miracle Jeans Day event in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Credit union employees donated $5 each for the opportunity to wear jeans to work mid-week and most credit unions will be offering paper icons that members can purchase for $1 in support of the fundraiser. Proceeds are donated to the credit union’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. All funds raised in Minnesota’s CMN geographic market stay local, supporting Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare  in St. Paul, Minnesota.
 
To learn more about Miracles Jeans Day, please visit cu4kids.org/mjd. If you are celebrating today, share a photo on social and tag @CMNHospitals, @GilletteChildrn, @mncreditunions, and #CU4Kids.
 

The October 21st MN CU4Kids Bowlorama event has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation. The safety of our participating credit unions and partners remains our top priority. If you would still like to support Credit Unions for Kids – please visit the committee’s page online to contribute or find fundraising ideas that can be implemented at your organization. 
 
Credit Unions for Kids is a nonprofit collaboration of credit unions, chapters, leagues and business partners engaged in fundraising activities to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network and its affiliated children’s hospitals across the country. All funds raised in Minnesota’s CMN geographic market stay local, supporting Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare  in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

​The pre-event survey, capturing your credit union’s commitment and involvement in CU FORWARD Day 2020 is ready and will remain open through Monday, September 14! Please see below for the link to confirm your credit union’s participation and give us an initial glimpse of your impact.
 
Confirm Your Participation:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cuforwardday2020
 
As you continue to put together the pieces for your CU FORWARD Day involvement, please take a few minutes to complete the pre-event survey. For now, our main goal is to understand if your credit union is participating and what you’ll be doing on the day. Best estimates and approximations for impact are great – we will continue gathering impact data after the day.
 
More details, ideas for involvement and updates regarding the day to come! For now, you can stay up-to-speed via these resources:
 
CU FORWARD Day Home Page
CU FORWARD Resource Page
 
And, don’t forget to register for the  CU FORWARD Day Media and Check-In Call on Tuesday, September 15 at 11 a.m. 

​Mary Ann Kosel passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2020. Funeral service details are pending.
 
Mary Ann has over a half century of service to credit unions in Minnesota as a member, volunteer Board member, an employee and as a consultant. Most recently, she was Operations Support Specialist at South Metro Federal Credit Union. Additionally, she serves as the Board Treasurer at Wakota Federal Credit Union. Mary Ann served as a volunteer at Wakota on both the Board and Supervisory committee since 1991.
 
Mary Ann believed strongly in the credit union principles “People helping People,” and “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” and has personally been instrumental in perpetuating the movement here in Minnesota. She was recognized with the Credit Union Builder Award in 2017 for her contributions to the Minnesota Credit Union movement.