Directors Conference

Optional Event: Truffles and Trifles Cooking Experience

8:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop Registration

12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop – separate registration required

1:00 – 3:30 p.m.

What Would You Do? Situational Strategies for Boards
Ancin Cooley, CIA, CISA, Founder and Principal, Synergy Credit Union Consulting, Inc.

As a board, you must be prepared for each potential situation your credit union may encounter. However, all too often boards are caught flat-footed during situations requiring their leadership. 

As a director, it’s your responsibility to ensure your credit union has a playbook for ways to handle your most difficult situations. In this workshop, Ancin will address the pressing questions commonly asked by credit union boards, including: 

• Our balance sheet is stagnant. How do we grow our loan portfolio? 
• How do we improve income? 
• Our CEO is being recruited by another credit union. What do we do? 
• We haven’t started preparing for CECL. What should we do now?
• Our CEO proposed a merge with another credit union. What should we do? 
• What would you do if you credit union gets hacked?

Conference Registration & Sponsor Showcase Open

2:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Welcome Party

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Breakfast

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Opening General Session

8:00 – 9:15 a.m.

How to Be a Visionary Leader (And Predict the Future)
Rohit Bhargava, Founder, Non-Obvious Company, Innovation and Marketing Expert

What if mastering one skill could help you stay relevant, retain top executive talent, and manage risk for your credit union all at once? Leaders with vision need to have a highly developed sense of intuition of the future. 

In this keynote presentation based on his bestselling book Non-Obvious, frequent disruptor and innovation expert Rohit Bhargava will reveal the five key steps of his signature “Haystack Method,” which is currently used by dozens of the most pioneering companies in the world to predict and prepare for the future.

In addition to learning how to anticipate the future, you will also be among the first to see five new "megatrends" shaping business in 2020 curated from Rohit's upcoming Non-Obvious Megatrends book scheduled for publication in January 2020.

Networking Refreshment Break

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.

Open Forum Sessions

9:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Facilitators: Les Wallace, Ph.D., President, Signature Resources; Patricia Brownell Sterner, President/CEO, JFB Associates, LLC, Michael Daigneault, Principal/Founder, Quantum Governance, L3C; Chris Jones, Executive Benefits Consultant, OM Financial

You drive the topics! We’ll explore current and critical issues that are most important to you. Designed to tap into the knowledge and expertise of the people in the room, this session recognizes that the collective wisdom of the group is far greater than what any one individual possesses. 

You and your fellow attendees will be asked to talk about the things that are on your mind, and the facilitator will guide the discussion to make it more meaningful and valuable for the participants.

Networking/Travel Time

10:45 – 11:00 a.m.

Breakout Sessions

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

The Most Critical Responsibilities of Newer Board Members
Les Wallace, Ph.D., President, Signature Resources

Assuming a governing board seat, even if you have prior board experience, is quite different today than it was even two years ago. Expectations have broadened, focus has expanded, and credit union boards would do well to keep pace. 

This session will highlight the most critical board responsibilities, what to look for and questions to ask based upon the contemporary governance literature from BoardSource and the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Strategic Governance
Patricia Brownell Sterner, President/CEO, JFB Associates, LLC

Boards of directors have a responsibility to set the strategic vision for their credit unions. This often feels like a daunting task, with hours spent in a room trying to wordsmith a vision statement. Strategic governance means determining the board’s aspirations for long-term strategic positioning and measures of success that leads to transformational growth—a critical responsibility of board leadership. 

This interactive session will explore new ideas about and methods for implementing strategic governance, and provide examples for how boards today are forecasting the future for their organizations in an ever-changing world.

Turn Your Branches into Real Assets
Joe Karlin, Owner, Karlin Consulting, LLC

No doubt, the branch environment is shifting. We need branches, but their importance is changing and their usage shrinking. In this session, Joe will provide alternatives to maximize the value of your branches while minimizing their cost.

Your Role in Digital Transformation
Belinda Caillouet, Owner, Looking Glass Consulting

Digital. It’s been the buzz word for the last couple of years, and has threatened to disrupt the credit union industry as we know it today. If that’s true, what do you need to know as a board member, and how can you help your credit union go digital?

This interactive session will explore future trends in digital transformation and topics you should be talking about around the board table. 

Convergence: The Intersection Between Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Audit
Ancin Cooley, CIA, CISA, Founder and Principal, Synergy Credit Union Consulting, Inc.

To grow your institution’s revenue quickly and in a sustainable manner, there must be a strategic relationship between enterprise risk management and internal audit. Why? Because these functions answer two important questions for boards and supervisory committees: 

• Have we accounted for all our risks? 
• Are we doing what we said we were going to do to manage those risks? 

In this funny and interactive session, Ancin will provide the guidance you need to improve and increase collaboration between these vital functions.

Awards Luncheon and General Sessions

12:15 – 2:30 p.m.

NCUA Update – Joe Ostrowidzki, Associate Regional Director of Programs, Southern Region

Please join us as we discuss:

• Organizational Changes
• Credit Union Statistics
• Examination Process 
• Supervisory Priorities
   

Non-NCUA Affiliated Session:  The Road to High Performance–How to Make Your Credit Union’s Strategic Planning Process Really Work
Bill Goedken, CPA, CMA, CGMA, CEO, idea5, Inc.

Want to learn the secrets of consistent high performance at successful credit unions? Want to know why you can improve the decisions made during your strategic planning process? Learn from a veteran of the credit union industry and fellow credit union director who has been involved with over 600 strategic planning sessions in his career in this interactive and engaging session. 

Networking Refreshment Break

2:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Breakout Sessions Repeated from 11:00 a.m.

2:45 – 4:00 p.m.

Breakfast

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

General Session

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

To All the Economists I've Loved Before
Anirban Basu, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Sage Policy Group, Inc.

We’ll discuss global, national, and regional economic performance using the most current data available. Special attention will be devoted to certain aspects of economic life, including the performance of the financial, labor, real estate, and construction markets.

Networking Refreshment Break

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Breakout Sessions

9:15 – 10:30 a.m.

Payments Trends and Industry Update
Tony DeSanctis, Senior Director, Cornerstone Advisors

What are the latest trends and disruptors in payments, and how can your credit union make sure you are keeping up with the ever changing payments dynamic? This session will include an overview of debit, credit, P2P, and disruptors in the space including large banks, credit unions, fintech and large tech.

How to Recruit, Engage, and Retain Millennial Board Members
Moderated by: Michael Daigneault, Principal & Founder, Quantum Governance, L3C
Panelists:  Gregory Jenkins, Chair/Board, Greensboro Municipal Credit Union; James Sackett, Director, Firefly Credit Union; Shanna Yonke, Director, Connexus Credit Union

20 Questions Directors Should Ask About Board Recruitment, Development, and Assessment
Richard Leblanc, Ph.D., President, Boardexpert.com, Professor, Attorney

Effective boards are built by identifying the mix of skills, experience, personal qualities and diversity needed collectively to steer the organization toward achieving its mission. 

This mix provides the basis for finding the right directors for the role, enriching their skills and knowledge, and developing plans for their succession. To sustain their effectiveness, these boards also set processes for assessing their performance, following through on results, and reporting assessment outcomes to promote confidence among stakeholders.

Join Richard and learn board recruitment, development, and assessment best practices.

Blockchain Benefits - Trusted Transactions and Distributed Data
Steve Stasiukonis, Managing Partner, Secure Network

Blockchain technology changes the way data is moved through the internet. Originally designed for managing digital currency like bitcoin, blockchain technology has opened doors for many applications. 

Blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger of economic transactions that can manage anything of value. Closed systems that restrict visibility and limit access could be replaced with blockchain technology, allowing transparency with no central authority. 

This presentation provides a basic understanding of the blockchain, including an exploration of how blockchain works, how blockchain safeguards information, and examples of blockchain applications.

Credit Unions 2025 – The future is closer than you think!
Bill Goedken, CPA, CMA, CGMA,  CEO, idea5, Inc.

The pace of change is rapid and accelerating. Delivery channels, multi-generational member and employee needs, cybersecurity issues, risk management and competition are all factors in navigating the present and future. 

In this session, you will learn from various studies, polls, and trends of best—and not so best—practices at credit unions today. Discover how credit unions and banks are using information and innovation to help find the right combination of the services and delivery channel. 

This session will examine the observations of hundreds of financial institution best practices. We’ll also discuss your strategic planning, ALCO process, and governance considerations.

Networking Refreshment Break

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Breakout Sessions repeated from 9:15 a.m.

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch on your own – or join us for an optional event!

12:00 p.m.

Optional Events: Showcase of Citrus Tour & Boggy Creek Airboat Rides

Afternoon

Separate registration required.

Breakfast

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

General Session

8:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Making Digital Personal: The Way Forward in the Era of FinTechs, BigTechs & MegaBanks
Lee Wetherington, AAP, Director of Strategic Insight, Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

At its best, banking is personal, but traditional approaches to digital banking have leveraged technology and automation to depersonalize the franchise. Strategic differentiation, not emulation of megabank automation of everything, is the way forward for the vast majority of credit unions who now have a historic opportunity to differentiate themselves in digital channels precisely where fintechs, bigtechs and megabanks are weakest. 

But, how? Join Lee for an inspiring review of how credit unions are beginning to translate their trust and personal service meaningfully into digital channels by humanizing support at the limits of self-service.

Networking Refreshment Break

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.

Closing General Session

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Running Towards Chaos
Natalie Stavas, Inspirational Boston Marathon Hero, Humanitarian, Award-Winning Physician

Natalie Stavas was born on a farm in Nebraska. She was once told that people from Nebraska don’t do well in places like Boston. She proved them wrong. Natalie was the first person from Nebraska to be accepted into the Harvard Pediatric Training program at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

An avid runner, Natalie’s philosophy for success is “You Run Toward.” This philosophy was never more apparent than on April 15, 2013; she had just run 26 miles and was about to finish the Boston marathon when bombs detonated at the finish line. 

Instead of turning around and running away with the crowd, she ran toward the chaos—and saved four lives that day. 

In this inspiring session, Natalie will speak about her experience as a first responder, and what ultimately led her to make that fateful decision to run into a terrorist attack that day.

Directors Conference Concludes – safe travels home!

10:30 a.m.

Truffles and Trifles Cooking Experience

8:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
$195 US/$250 CAN per person

This is your opportunity to experience Truffles and Trifles, the largest, most successful cooking school in the Southeast, and one of The Food Network’s top five cooking schools in the country.

To get things started, your team will select a menu from among several choices, and prepare two or three recipes, depending on the degree of difficulty. Professional chefs will be there to guide you through the cooking process, and answer any questions you have along the way. 

Then, the best part—you’ll enjoy the meal you and the others in the group have prepared. You’ll take home a PDF of all the recipes, so you can try your hand at creating them once you’re home. 

Itinerary

8:30–8:45 a.m.                  Group departs hotel
9:00 a.m.                           Group arrives at Truffles and Trifles
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.        Private cooking class and brunch
12:00–12:15 p.m.              Group departs Truffles and Trifles
12:30–12:45 p.m.              Group arrives back at hotel

Showcase of Citrus Tour

12:30–5:45 p.m.
$195 US/$250 CAN per person

Get ready for an adventure off the beaten path at the family owned and operated Showcase of Citrus estate, known for its world famous 100% Natural Orange Juice Slushy and Creamsicle. 

We’ll start with lunch at a local gastropub. Then, it’s off to the estate, which cultivates more than 70 citrus varieties. 

You’ll tour the 2,500 acre working citrus and cattle ranch from 12 feet in the air, comfortably aboard a GIANT truck. These highly modified vehicles are massive, and geared low to provide a safe and relaxing ride through native woodland, pastureland, groveland, and swampland. Sit back and relax in comfort while you learn about the estate’s history and interesting Florida facts. 

Then, enjoy browsing at the Old Time Country Store and partake in wine tasting while you’re there. 

Itinerary

12:30 p.m.                 Group departs hotel
1:15 p.m.                   Group arrives for lunch
1:15–2:30 p.m.          Lunch on the patio at local gastropub
2:30–2:45 p.m.          Guests depart and travel to Showcase of Citrus
2:45 p.m.                   Guests arrive at Showcase of Citrus and are escorted to tour
3:00–4:00 p.m.          Estate tour 
4:00–5:00 p.m.          Guests enjoy free time at Old Time Country Store and wine tasting
5:00 p.m.                   Guests depart Showcase of Citrus
5:45 p.m.                   Guests return to the hotel

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides

12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
$195 US/$250 CAN per person

Discover territory that remains unaltered by man in the wilderness of the central Florida Everglades from a U.S. Coast Guard-inspected 17 passenger airboat. Let our experienced master captains take you into the breathtaking beauty of natural wonders, including wetlands, cypress trees, and wildlife. Ride with a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and see Florida alligators, turtles, birds and more in their natural environment. This safe, exciting and educational airboat ride is filled with surprises and fascination, and each is a unique experience, and never the same twice. You will enjoy whisking across the surface of the water at speeds of up to 45 mph while riding between walls of tall grass. Before you embark on this adventure, you’ll enjoy a local barbecue buffet lunch with all of the fixins’.  

Itinerary

12:30 p.m.                  Group departs hotel
1:30 p.m.                    Group arrives for lunch
1:30–2:30 p.m.           Lunch at Boggy Bottom BBQ
2:30–3:30 p.m.           Check In, Free Time, Gator Pit, Games
3:30–4:30 p.m.           1 Hour Airboat Tour
4:30 p.m.                    Guests depart to hotel
5:30 p.m.                    Guests return to the hotel

Cost $250 US /$320 CAN

Bring your guest along to Sunday’s Welcome Party, and have them join you for breakfast on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Be sure to check out the Winter Park and Art Corner/Characters in Flight tours below; both include this meal package.

Winter Park Tour

8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
$495 US/$630 CAN per person

The centerpiece of a lavish winter retreat since 1887, Park Avenue at Winter Park has long been a place for a relaxing stroll on famous brick streets and alleyways of nostalgic stores and cafes. 

Your tour includes a relaxing, one-hour scenic, open-air boat ride past Rollins College and luxurious homes along three beautiful lakes and canals. Every tour guarantees plenty of swaying palms, towering cypress trees, lush ferns and a variety of flourishing sub-tropical flowers. Breathtaking views of opulent private homes and exquisite estates sprawling along the shores are also a key feature of the scenic cruise. 

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, internationally renowned for the world’s largest Tiffany glass collection, and a highlight of this fanciful excursion. There will be plenty of time to browse the exclusive boutiques and art galleries filled with one-of-a-kind treasures, as well as stores bearing the names of your favorite designers. Take a break at one of the Avenue’s open-air cafes, or just sit in the park and people watch. 

This program also includes Sunday’s Welcome Party, as well as breakfast on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. 

Itinerary

8:30–8:45 a.m.                    Group departs hotel
9:30–9:40 a.m.                    Arrive at Park Avenue for escort to the boat tour
9:40–10:50 a.m.                  Enjoy a one hour boat tour
10:50–11:00 a.m.                Walk to nearby restaurant, 310 Park South
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.        Enjoy lunch
12:30–2:45 p.m.                  Free time to enjoy the Morse Museum or shopping on Park Avenue
2:45 p.m.                             Depart Winter Park
3:30 p.m.                             Return to the hotel

Art Corner/Characters in Flight Tour

8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
$495 US/$630 CAN per person

Embrace this fun-filled escape, offering two activities in one! Our group will be split into two smaller groups, who will take turns enjoying the Art Corner and Characters in Flight. 

The Art Corner showcases a variety of talented artists and their original artwork. You’ll create your own design with floating inks on water, and head home with a custom-made scarf or framed piece of artwork. 

You’ll also have the opportunity to hover over Disney Springs from 400 feet in the air, and be treated to stunning vistas up to 10 miles away, via the world’s largest tethered helium balloon, Characters in Flight. Custom-built by Aerophile S.A., the Aero30 is filled with 210,000 cubic feet of helium. The balloon’s 19-foot-diameter basket holds up to 29 people plus the certified pilot per flight.

After lunch at the Industrial Gothic-style restaurant, The Edison, the group will have time to explore Disney Springs, which is brimming with unique boutiques, culinary surprises and lively entertainment.

This program also includes Sunday’s Welcome Party, as well as breakfast on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. 

Itinerary

8:30-8:45 a.m.                    Group departs hotel
9:00 a.m.                            Arrive at Disney Springs
9:00-10:30 a.m.                  Group split in half between Characters in Flight and the Art Corner
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.       The groups will switch activities 
12:15-1:45 p.m.                  Enjoy lunch on the terrace at The Edison
1:45-2:45 p.m.                    Shop and explore Disney Springs
3:00 p.m.                            Return to bus and depart to hotel
3:30 p.m.                            Return to the hotel

CUES Directors Conference is for credit union directors, board chairs, board officers, supervisory committee members, and CEOs. Consider sending your entire board so your group can benefit from learning and participating in discussions together, and heading home on the same page.

We can also help you arrange a board meeting while you’re at Directors Conference, contact us at cues@cues.org and let us know you’d like the details.

In addition to the great content and speakers we have lined up, your registration includes:

• A Welcome Party
• Three breakfasts
• One luncheon
• All educational sessions & materials

All cancellations must be in writing; email cues@cues.org to notify us: 

• Sixty days or more before an event’s starting date for a full refund
• Between 31 and 60 days before an event’s starting date for a 50% refund

We’re sorry, but we cannot offer a refund if we are notified 30 days or less before the start of an event. 

Substitute attendees are welcome, subject to eligibility. 

CUES reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the event due to unforeseen circumstances, and will refund fees if the event is rescheduled or location is changed and you are unable to attend.

Yes! This conference meets the following standards:

• CPE credits earned: up to 16.5
• Program Level: Overview
• Delivery Method: Group-Live
• Advanced Preparation: No advance preparation is required
• Prerequisites: Not required for this program

CUES is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, through its website linked above.

The comfort and well-being of our attendees is of utmost importance to us; we will make every effort to make sure you are comfortable at our events! 

Please email events@cues.org as soon as you know you’re attending a CUES event. Be sure to include your name, credit union, the CUES event you are registered for, and everything we need to know to accommodate your request. 

We’ll be in touch with any questions we have, and let you know how we can help.

Right here! We’ve prepared an Information Sheet for you; it contains everything you need to know about attending this event, including:

• Where to stay
• What airport to fly into, and other transportation information
• When to arrive
• What to pack
• Spouse/guest information, if applicable
   

Information Sheet