Today is the day our 3^rd year students have been anxiously anticipating as they present the information they’ve spent the past year researching for their team whitepaper… that’s why you will notice that they’re all dressed up today, and why they’ll be celebrating this evening! Second year students will get the scoop on the whitepaper project that they will complete in the coming year, and first year students will get an introduction to their project – this is your opportunity to ask questions and make sure you understand what is expected of you so take lots of notes during these presentations and get more information on any areas that you don’t fully understand.

Second year students — wear your class -shirts Tuesday; we will take a group picture at 12:00 NOON in the Pecan Tree Galleria (lobby) right before lunch. Third year students — wear your class t-shirts Tuesday; we will take a group picture at 1:00 PM right before we leave for the service project.

Today’s schedule at a glance:

1^st Year (Room K/L)

8 AM                     Negotiation (Dr. Charles Lankau)
12 PM                   Lunch – Magnolia Ballroom
1 PM                     Emotional Intelligence (Dr. Melenie Lankau)
5 PM                     Introduction to 2^nd Year Project

2^nd Year (Room Q)

8 AM                     Leveraging Your Strengths (Dr. Melenie Lankau)
12 PM                   Lunch – Magnolia Ballroom
1 PM                     Employment Law 1 (Dr. Charles Lankau)
5 PM                     Introduction to Whitepaper research project

3^rd Year (Room R)
8:30 AM                White Paper Presentations
12 PM                   Lunch – Magnolia Ballroom
1 PM                     White Paper Presentations
4 PM                     CU Financial Simulation
5 PM                     Debate preparation

First and second year students will participate in team-building experiences today at the UGA Challenge Course. Please wear comfortable athletic wear and tennis shoes. We will have bottles of water and granola bars on the bus for you but you are still encouraged to bring a water bottle. The weather will be in the 80’s and cloudy but we will be outdoors so make sure you wear sunscreen and/or a hat.

Today’s schedule at a glance:

1^st Year (Room K/L)
8 AM                   CU Safeguards for Today’s Branches (Robert Jarosinski)
12 PM                 Lunch Buffet – Magnolia Ballroom
12:45 PM            Meet at circle driveway by hotel entrance
1 – 5 PM             Team Building Experience – Challenge Course

2^nd Year (Room Q)
7:45 AM              Meet at circle driveway by hotel entrance
8 AM                   Team Building Experience – Challenge Course/High Ropes
11:45 AM            Return to Georgia Center
12 PM                 Lunch Buffet – Magnolia Ballroom
1 PM                   What Fraudsters Know That You Need to Know (Robert Jarosinski)
5 PM                   Debate preparation

3^rd Year (Room R)
8 AM                   CU Financial Simulation
9 AM                   Employment Law 2 (Dr. Charles Lankau)
12 PM                 Lunch – Magnolia Ballroom
1 PM                   Business Development Strategy (Denise Wymore)
5 PM                   Debate preparation

Make sure you “like” SRCUS on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cumanagement) and also request to join your class Facebook group to stay up to date with the latest news and information, You can also share photos on the class pages and connect with your classmates.

First year students: Don’t forget about officer elections tomorrow at 5:00 PM after the conclusion of your Financial Analysis class.
Second year students: If you have not found a white paper team yet, please contact Jennifer Green so you can be paired up with a team and begin selecting your topic.
Third year students: Remember to wear your class shirt on Tuesday for a class photo before we depart for the service project.

Today’s schedule at a glance:

First Year (Room K/L)

8-12 PM   Financial Analysis
12 – 1 PM   Lunch (Magnolia Ballroom)
1 – 5 PM    Financial Analysis
5 PM          Officer elections
6:30 PM     Class Dinner (5 Bar)

Second Year (Room Q)
8-12 PM   Strategic Marketing
12 – 1 PM   Lunch (Magnolia Ballroom)
1-5 PM       Presentation Skills
6 PM          Class dinner (Saucehouse)

Third Year (Room R)
8-12 PM Cyberscams
12 – 1 PM   Lunch (Magnolia Ballroom)
1-4 PM       Service project
6 PM           Class dinner (LRG Provisions)

Random, useless fact (to see if anyone reads to the bottom of this post): Did you know that on this day (June 13) in 1920, the U.S. Post Office Department rules that children may not be sent by parcel post? It’s true! So for those of you who left children at home with your spouses to take care of by themselves and you’re worried they may be just about ready to ship the kids to you at UGA for the rest of the week… no worries! They can’t!

Today is flag day! (You can read more below on flag day and how it started.) It’s been a great week so far! We know you’re getting tired and your brain is getting full, but hang in there… we still have lots of great classes to go and there’s always more to learn! As Craig said in his presentation on Friday when you got here, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and getting outside for a little fresh air and exercise daily.

Final debate preparations are happening today and we’re all excited about the debate tomorrow night. We will be going “live” with the debate on Facebook, so feel free to invite your colleagues back home to tune in to facebook.com/cumanagement tomorrow evening at 6 PM to watch! The debate topic for next year’s debate, which has been selected by our first year class

The handouts from Friday’s general session with Lee Wetherington are available here.

Today’s schedule at a glance:

1^st Year (Room K/L)
8 – 12 PM            Ratios
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 3 PM              Ratios, contd.
3 – 6 PM              Business writing

2^nd Year (Room Q)
8 – 12 PM            Presentation skills
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 5 PM              Presentation skills, contd.
5 – 6 PM              Debate prep

3^rd Year (Room R)
8 – 9 AM              CU Financial Simulation
9 – 12 PM            Lending
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 5 PM              Lending, contd.
5 – 6 PM              Debate prep

Did you know… On June 14, 1877, the first Flag Day observance was held on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes. As instructed by Congress, the U.S. flag was flown from all public buildings across the country. In the years after the first Flag Day, several states continued to observe the anniversary, and in 1949 Congress officially designated June 14 as Flag Day, a national day of observance.

Today is your last full day of classes, so you’re in the home stretch! We’re looking forward to the debate this evening – don’t forget we’ll go “live” with the debate on Facebook, so feel free to invite your colleagues back home to tune in to facebook.com/cumanagement tomorrow evening at 6 PM to watch! The topic for the 2018 debate, which has been selected by our first year class, will be announced this evening. And the winner for the 2017 debate will be announced at the graduation brunch Friday morning. All students should wear business attire for the debate.

Friday’s graduation brunch will begin at 10:30 AM in the Magnolia Ballroom; business attire is requested for all attendees.

The standard check out time is 12:00pm for the Georgia Center but we have an extended time of 1:00pm so you will have time to enjoy the closing brunch and then check out.

Today’s schedule at a glance:

1^st Year (Room K/L)
8 – 11 AM           Ethics
11 – 12 NOON   Credit union philosophy
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 2 PM              Credit union philosophy, contd.
2 – 5 PM              Communications
6 – 7:30 PM        SRCUS Debate

2^nd Year (Room Q)
8 – 12 PM            Asset-liability management
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 5 PM              Strategic planning
5 – 6 PM              Debate prep
6 – 7:30 PM        SRCUS Debate

3^rd Year (Room R)
8 – 10 AM           CU simulation wrap-up
10 – 12 NOON   Relationship with the board
12 – 1 PM            Lunch
1 – 5 PM              Investing and ALM
5 – 6 PM              Debate prep
6 – 7:30 PM        SRCUS Debate

Not all learning at the Southeast CUNA Management School takes place in the classroom, and students recently participated in a variety of outdoor challenge activities designed to promote teamwork, self-confidence, leadership, and the expansion of their problem-solving abilities.

Second-year students took to the “high ropes” course at the UGA Challenge Course and navigated their teams through elements comprised of cables, logs and ropes, building courage and confidence throughout the day as the challenges increased in complexity. First-year students participated in the “low ropes” challenges where they used critical thinking skills and teamwork to navigate complex challenges and solve problems.

“It was amazing to watch the transformations that took place in both the individual students and the team dynamics out on the course throughout the day. We witnessed students’ self-confidence increase as they stepped out of their comfort zones and accomplished things they never would have even attempted without the encouragement of their teammates,” explained Jennifer Green, SRCUS Student Liaison. “The ropes course has been a highlight of our program for many years because students see the results – increased self-esteem, group cohesion, and leadership, just to name a few– right away. And they can easily see how these skills will transfer into their daily work back at their credit unions.”

The Southeast CUNA Management School is a three-year program for credit union leaders. The program is sponsored by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS), and over the course of the program, students participate in lectures and class exercises covering a variety of topics including business development and communication, risk management, strategic planning, financial analysis, and leadership. Successful completion requires that students participate in courses on campus over a three-year period, development a comprehensive project, and writing and presenting a whitepaper on a relevant industry topic. Graduates of the Southeast CUNA Management School consistently continue on to top leadership positions in the credit union industry.

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About SRCUS: Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) is a collaboration of eight southeastern credit union leagues, including the Carolinas Credit Union League, Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, Kentucky Credit Union League, League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, Louisiana Credit Union League, Mississippi Credit Union Association, Tennessee Credit Union League, and Virginia Credit Union League. Through collaboration with CUNA and Affiliates, the first SRCUS Management School was established in 1970. Since the school’s formation it has graduated over 1,100 credit union management professionals from 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to the management school, SRCUS also hosts an annual Director’s Conference, which provides a full range of informative educational sessions about critical issues important to today’s ever-changing financial industry for credit union directors and committee members. For more information, visit www.srcus.org.

The Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) is pleased to announce that 45 credit union executives recently graduated from the Southeast CUNA Management School after successful completion of the three-year program on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.

For more than 45 years, the SRCUS Southeast CUNA Management School has equipped graduates with the skills and knowledge to meet the leadership challenges that arise in the credit union industry. The curriculum develops students’ operational, managerial and leadership abilities as they receive advanced academic instruction on a variety of topics including management, leadership, and financial analysis. Students also apply the knowledge gained from the on-site sessions to projects that require strategic analysis of their credit unions and research of relevant issues facing the credit union industry.

In addition to a rigorous academic curriculum, the Southeast CUNA Management School provides students the opportunity to develop their leadership capabilities and better understand the credit union philosophy so that they can contribute to the success of their credit unions and to the movement as a whole. In the true credit union spirit of “people helping people”, the Class of 2017 participated in a volunteer outreach effort with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, where they assisted with food recovery for families in need in Northeast Georgia.

Graduation from the Southeast CUNA Management School is recognized throughout the credit union industry as a prestigious mark of achievement. Upon successful completion of the program, students received a graduation diploma issued in conjunction with the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. For more information on the Southeast CUNA Management School, visit www.srcus.org/management.

Graduates of the Southeast CUNA Management School Class of 2017, listed by state, include:

Florida

• Shannon Duran, Guardians Credit Union
• Stephen Johnson, IBMSE Credit Union
• Jeff Kolhagen, IBMSE Credit Union

Georgia

• Maureen Bock, Georgia Credit Union Affiliates
• Blair Boyer, Georgia’s Own Credit Union
• Christa Brumitt, PenFed Credit Union
• John Garrett, LGE Community Credit Union
• Nicole Heffelfinger, IBMSE Credit Union
• Melanie Hill, PenFed Credit Union
• Kelly Newton, LGE Community Credit Union
• Cheryl Smidley, Southeastern Credit Union
• Lisa Spearman, Peach State Federal Credit Union
• Kelly Stover, IBMSE Credit Union
• Kevan Williamson, Georgia’s Own Credit Union

Idaho

• Ethan Morriss, CapEd Federal Credit Union

Illinois

• Rachel Noltner, AAEC Credit Union

Kentucky

• Ashley Bean, Class Act Federal Credit Union
• Candace Stanley, Ashland Credit Union

Louisiana

• Michelle Jinks, Access of Louisiana Federal Credit Union
• Theresa Wolff, Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union
• Jill Zeringue, Louisiana Federal Credit Union

Michigan

• Lisa Cody, TruNorth Federal Credit Union
• Hailie Patterson, Michigan One Community Credit Union

Mississippi

• Rebecca Dawsey, Ferguson Federal Credit Union
• Aimee Younger, Gulf Trust Credit Union

North Carolina

• Nadia Abed-Rabo, Coastal Federal Credit Union
• Benjamin Bailey, Champion Credit Union
• Greg Daniels, Electel Cooperative Federal Credit Union
• Stacey Mills, Welcome Federal Credit Union

South Carolina

• George Ingalls, SPC Credit Union
• Erica Jackson, Family Trust Federal Credit Union
• Hannah McGee, Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union
• Leslie Rogers, SPC Credit Union
• Micah Smith, SC Telco Federal Credit Union
• Cheryl Spragg, Family Trust Federal Credit Union
• Timothy Sullivan, SRP Federal Credit Union

Tennessee

• Debra Ervin, Kimberly Clark Credit Union
• Mike Harrison, ORNL Federal Credit Union
• Jason Long, ORNL Federal Credit Union
• Dawn Millican, ORNL Federal Credit Union
• Letisha Simmons, Memphis City Employees Credit Union
• Mary Wood, Fortera Credit Union
• Matthew Zumbrun, Tennessee Credit Union League

Virginia

• Jennifer Christopher, BayPort Credit Union
• Mendy Salvey, Freedom First Federal Credit Union

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About SRCUS: Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) is a collaboration of eight southeastern credit union leagues, including the Carolinas Credit Union League, Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, Kentucky Credit Union League, League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, Louisiana Credit Union League, Mississippi Credit Union Association, Tennessee Credit Union League, and

Virginia Credit Union League. Through collaboration with CUNA and Affiliates, the first SRCUS Management School was established in 1970. Since the school’s formation it has graduated over 1,100 credit union management professionals from 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to the management school, SRCUS also hosts an annual Director’s Conference, which provides a full range of informative educational sessions about critical issues important to today’s ever-changing financial industry for credit union directors and committee members. For more information, visit www.srcus.org.

June 27, 2017— The Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) organization is pleased to announce that Ethan Morriss has been awarded the 2017 Hugh Watson award at this year’s session of the Southeast CUNA Management School. Selected by vote of his classmates, Morriss received this award as a result of his leadership and exceptional contribution to the class as a whole over the three years of SRCUS. He is an outstanding role model and mentor to his peers, and an asset to the credit union movement.

Ethan has over 20 years’ experience in the credit union industry and has worked in nearly every area of credit union operations. He presently serves as the Chief Lending Officer for CapEd FCU in Boise, Idaho, and graduated from the Southeast CUNA Management School in 2017.

“SRCUS is a challenging and rewarding experience that really brought all the key areas of the credit union together for me,” explained Morriss. “I am honored to be the recipient of the Hugh Watson Award.”

Three years ago, SRCUS instituted the “Hugh Watson Award” to recognize an outstanding third year student and to honor the retirement of Hugh Watson from SRCUS. Watson joined the SRCUS faculty in 1971 and during his tenure, he taught in all 3 years, served as academic coordinator and facilitated the 3rd year simulation for 43 years. Upon his retirement from SRCUS, the Hugh Watson Award was instituted to honor the 3rd year student whose service to SRCUS has been closest to that exemplified by Dr. Hugh Watson.

A whitepaper discussing how credit unions can effectively use content marketing to attract and retain members has been published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). The paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program comprised of Ashley Bean (Class Act FCU – Louisville, KY), Candace Fyffe Stanley (Ashland CU – Ashland, KY), Hailie Patterson (Michigan One Community CU – Ionia, MI), and Theresa Wolff (Greater New Orleans FCU – New Orleans, LA). Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for their exceptional work on both the written paper and their oral presentation.

Businesses send consumers thousands of pieces of marketing every day, most of which is not relevant or valuable to the consumer at that point in time. What makes content marketing so intriguing, especially for credit unions, is that allows your audience to control what type of content they consume and when, which drives customer/member interaction. In the report, “The Not So Secret Ingredient to Marketing Success”, the authors explain that good content marketing makes a consumer stop, read, think and then behave differently. The key to creating that initial interaction is the offering of relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing member behavior. Basically, it’s the art of communicating with the member without selling; instead of pitching your products or services, it’s delivering information that makes the member more intelligent.

In addition to providing a thorough overview of content marketing and how to create content marketing opportunities, the paper discusses the challenges and opportunities created by content marketing, as well as recommendations and solutions for credit unions to consider. The authors posit that, if planned and executed properly, content marketing can help credit unions earn more money and grow membership, define their brand, foster trust, and inspire referrals. But they caution that credit unions considering utilizing content marketing to understand that there is not a “one size fits all” approach to content marketing. Just as strategic plans are different for every credit union, so too, are content marketing strategies. Credit Unions must understand organizational goals and invest some time developing a plan customized to their unique organizational focus to ensure success.

To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, please visit www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/.

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About SRCUS: Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) is a collaboration of eight southeastern credit union leagues, including the Carolinas Credit Union League, Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, Kentucky Credit Union League, League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, Louisiana Credit Union League, Mississippi Credit Union Association, Tennessee Credit Union League, and Virginia Credit Union League. Through collaboration with CUNA and Affiliates, the first SRCUS Management School was established in 1970. Since the school’s formation it has graduated over 1,100 credit union management professionals from 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to the management school, SRCUS also hosts an annual Director’s Conference, which provides a full range of informative educational sessions about critical issues important to today’s ever-changing financial industry for credit union directors and committee members. For more information, visit www.srcus.org.

There has been much discussion recently on the changing of credit union branches due to technology. How does the current labor force, specifically tellers, adapt to the increase in available technology through credit unions and their branches? What is the balance needed between personal, human interaction type service to our members and do-it-yourself technology that credit union members and potential customers have grown to expect and sometimes prefer?

A whitepaper discussing these questions and more has been published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). The paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program comprised of Maureen Bock – Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (GA), Blair Boyer – Georgia’s Own Credit Union (GA), Shannon Duran – Guardians Credit Union (FL), and Mendy Salvey – Freedom First Federal Credit Union (VA). Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for their exceptional work on the research paper.

In the report, “The Changing Face of Tellers”, the authors explore how best to find the “tech versus touch” balance by examining current research and trends in technology and innovation, credit union employees’ skill set necessary for technology adoption, the effect technology makes to the traditional physical branch model, and member engagement and adaptation to technology solutions. Recognizing that tech and touch are not mutually exclusive, but rather a spectrum, each credit union will come to a different conclusion about the “right” balance for their organization and their membership. This paper is an excellent resource for credit unions as they determine the balance that is right for success and develop a plan to move forward.

“Finding that perfect balance is a challenging venture all credit unions face, no matter their size. But, it is also an absolute necessary venture in order to ensure the ongoing survival of credit unions. All credit unions should be researching different technology options and discussing implementation goals as part of their strategic planning,” explained team member and co-author Shannon Duran, Executive Vice President, Guardians Credit Union.

To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, please visit www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/.

Save the date and make plans to join your peers from credit union boards across the Southeast for two-and-a-half days of education designed for credit unions’ volunteer leaders. The 2018 Southeast Director’s Conference, set for July 14 – 18, 2018, features a full range of informative sessions on critical, timely issues, with first-rate speakers to address the economy, lending environment, and much more.

The Southeast Regional Directors’ Conference is designed for credit union directors and committee members. The conference location rotates among the ten Southeastern states, giving each state an opportunity to host their fellow credit union volunteers and showcase the best of what their state has to offer. This conference features a full range of informative educational sessions that provide a conduit for learning about critical issues important to today’s ever-changing financial industry.

The 2018 program will be hosted by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions and held at The Breakers in West Palm Beach, Florida. One of America’s legendary resort destinations, The Breakers is a modern-classic resort situated on 140 acres on the island of Palm Beach, Florida; conveniently located six miles from Palm Beach International Airport, 42 miles from Fort Lauderdale International Airport and 72 miles from Miami International Airport.  Both Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike provide easy access to South County Road), which leads to the entrance of The Breakers.

Check back for more details!

More than ever, credit union members have an endless array of options that allow them quick and easy access to all of their financial needs, regardless of the preferred channel of interaction. Credit unions must consider challenging questions to remain relevant: Are we a financial services organization looking to catch up with technology? Or can we shift to a technology company that excels in providing financial services to our community? Trust is the key, but how do we develop the personalization through social media and other digital channels that members turn to? As credit unions weigh the costs and benefits of investing in technology, is it best to cater to your current membership, or is it more advantageous to adopt newer, costlier digital channels and technologies?

A whitepaper discussing these issues has been published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). The paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program comprised of Ben Bailey, Champion Credit Union (Waynesville, NC); Greg Daniels, ElecTel Cooperative Federal Credit Union (Raleigh, NC); John Garrett, LGE Community Credit Union (Marietta, GA); Jeff Kolhagen, IBM Southeast Employees Credit Union (Delray Beach, FL); and Kevan Williamson, Georgia’s Own Credit Union (Atlanta, GA). Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies earlier this summer for their exceptional work on the research paper.

Though technology trends, such as “data science” and “big data”, are rampant buzzwords in any relevant business these days, a much more focused analysis of general data shows us that implementing a strategic technology plan in this era of digital transformation is paramount for the success of credit unions. In the report, “Technology trends and the opportunity costs of early adopter and late majority credit unions”, the authors explain how credit unions have long been known for their focus on the financial betterment of their members and local communities but are too often leery of the varying obstacles that some large-scale technology changes can present. The reality is that other financial institutions are pouring substantial amounts of resources into technologies that are often not an option for most credit unions. Despite the vast majority of credit unions being well capitalized and poised to spend dollars on new opportunities, the ability to understand the inner workings of technologies to ensure they make the proper decisions at the proper time is reaching complexity at a rate that ironically aligns with the very technologies looking to be adopted.

The authors posit that technology is only a tool, but one in which each credit union should heavily invest under the guidance of a structured process and a strategic technology plan, and this plan should always look to ensure security, efficiency and reliability of new solutions. There is not a secret technology adoption plan that can be copied; there is only your credit union’s unique plan – which may or may not even exist yet. Credit unions exist to meet members’ needs and must seek structured processes to rise through the digital transformation at the right time. The concept of “people-helping-people” is still extremely relevant in today’s world; now, more than ever, it relies heavily on a tool called technology.

To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, please visit www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/.

A distinctive characteristic of the Southeast CUNA Management School is the annual debate, which allows students to explore all sides of a relevant topic as they hone their skills in research, analysis, presentation, and negotiations. The debate topic for 2017 was “larger credit unions should subsidize smaller credit unions.” A recording of the debate is now available online here.

A whitepaper discussing payday lending and what credit unions are doing to combat this problem has been published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). The paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program comprised of Lisa Jo Cody, TruNorth Federal Credit Union (Ishpeming, MI); Lisa Spearman, Peach State Federal Credit Union (Lawrenceville, GA); Jennifer Christopher, BayPort Credit Union (Newport News, VA); and Becky Dawsey, Ferguson Federal Credit Union (Monticello, MS). Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for their exceptional work on this project.

In a society where many families are living paycheck to paycheck, it’s no shock that our nation is struggling with a predatory lending epidemic.  An amazing 12 million Americans used payday lending services in 2010. Forty-seven percent of Americans say they do not have enough money saved to cover a small emergency such as car repairs and medical bills. For someone with low income and imperfect or limited credit, turning to a payday lender may seem the best available option. Because this is something that so many credit union members are personally impacted by, many credit unions have begun offering cost-saving alternatives and financial education.

In the paper, the team researches what credit unions are doing to combat the problem and seek to determine if credit unions are helping or contributing to the problem.  The history of payday predatory lending is discussed, as well as the growth of this industry over the years. Current and possible solutions are analyzed to help determine how credit unions are responding. The authors also provide a review of past and current regulations surrounding payday lending to determine if they have had positive or negative implications on the payday lending industry. A thorough analysis is included, as well as an appendix containing recommendations and solutions.

To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, please visit www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/.

Congratulations to SRCUS graduate (Class of 2016) Heiwote Tadesse for recently being named a CU Rock Star by Credit Union Magazine. This award recognizes those unique, innovative people who excel in their areas of expertise—and by doing so make our movement a better, more interesting place… and Heiwote certainly fits the bill! 

As vice president of the contact center at Associated Credit Union in Peachtree Corners, Ga., Heiwote Tadesse is intentional in shaping both her leadership style and her team’s work environment. The contact center employs 40 people in lending, member services, and online banking. When Tadesse was promoted to vice president, resolving the department’s high turnover became a priority… continue reading…

The 2018 session of the Southeast CUNA Management School will be held Friday, June 8, 2018 – Friday, June 15, 2018 at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens, GA. Registration is now open for the 2018 session; click here to register online.

Wondering what the week at SRCUS 2018 will include? The agenda for this summer’s session is now available online. You can view the schedule for each day, complete with instructor names and topics.

The Southeast CUNA Management School’s mission is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to meet the leadership challenges that arise in the credit union industry. The 2018 session will be held from Friday, June 8, 2018 – Friday, June 15, 2018 at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Register before April 1 and save $150!

Click here for more information and to register!

April 20, 2018 — If you have not registered for the 2018 session of the Southeast CUNA Management School yet, there’s still time! More than 50 credit union professionals have already registered for the upcoming session, so if you’re planning to attend, register soon to avoid being placed on the waitlist. Recognized throughout the industry as the premier learning opportunity for credit union professionals in the southeast, this year’s program is being held from Friday, June 8 through Friday, June 15, 2018 at the University of Georgia Hotel & Conference Center, 1197 South Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA.

The Southeast CUNA Management School’s mission is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to meet the leadership challenges that arise in the credit union industry. Over the course of this three-year program, students receive advanced academic instruction on a variety of topics including:

• Board Relations
• Communications
• Emerging Risks/Regulatory Roadmap
• Emotional Intelligence
• Employment Law
• Ethics
• Financial Analysis
• Fundamentals of Supervision
• Innovation through Collaboration
• Investments and ALM
• Lending
• Managing Reputation Risk
• Negotiations
• Presentation Skills
• Project Management
• Strategic Planning

Students also apply the knowledge gained from the on-site sessions to projects that require strategic analysis of their credit unions and research of relevant issues facing the credit union industry.  Upon successful completion of the program, students received a graduation diploma issued in conjunction with the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Graduation from the Southeast CUNA Management School is recognized throughout the credit union industry as a prestigious mark of achievement.

For more information or to register, please click here.  If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Tom McWilliams at (800) 748-8627, ext. 310 or tmcwilliams@mscua.com. To stay up to date with the latest SRCUS news and information, ‘like’ us on Facebook.

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About SRCUS: Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS) is a collaboration of eight southeastern credit union leagues, including the Carolinas Credit Union League, Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, Kentucky Credit Union League, League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, Louisiana Credit Union League, Mississippi Credit Union Association, Tennessee Credit Union League, and Virginia Credit Union League. Through collaboration with CUNA and Affiliates, the first SRCUS Management School was established in 1970. Since the school’s formation it has graduated over 1,100 credit union management professionals from 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to the management school, SRCUS also hosts an annual Director’s Conference, which provides a full range of informative educational sessions about critical issues important to today’s ever-changing financial industry for credit union directors and committee members. For more information, visit www.srcus.org.

Giving back to the community is a way of life for credit unions. During this year’s Southeast CUNA Management School, students took a break from the academic rigors of the program to put credit unions’ “people helping people” philosophy into action, as forty-three individuals from the Class of 2018 volunteered at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia (FBNEGA) in Athens, Georgia.

FBNEGA recovers donated and salvaged surplus food and, with the help of volunteers, distributes it to human-service agencies that then distribute the food to residents in need in the community. Students gathered on Tuesday morning and packed nearly 1,000 meals that will be provided to food-insecure families and individuals in northeast Georgia. In addition to giving of their time, the Class of 2018 also made a financial donation of $1,000 to the food bank, which will help further the mission of the food bank as they work toward ending hunger as part of an overall community effort to alleviate poverty.

“Concern for community is the 7th cooperative principle – these principles are the foundation for why we do what we do as credit unions,” explained Michael Poucher, President of the Class of 2018 and Financial Center Manager at First Commerce Credit Union in Florida. “This is one of the many things we learn at SRCUS. Each year we come to Athens, Georgia to embark on our journey to improve ourselves as leaders within our organizations as well as the credit union movement. While we spend our time here, the community of Athens – the “people” – welcome us with open arms, so when given the opportunity to engage in the community that has been so good to us, we jumped on board. Why? Enhancing peoples’ quality of life is what we do.”

The Southeast CUNA Management School is administered by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). Students in the Class of 2018 serve credit unions in ten states among the southeast region, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.