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Taras Nohas, CMC, MBA, ICD.D
Taras started his consulting practice, TN Governance and Strategy, after serving as SVP Strategy and Governance for Servus Credit Union for over 14 years where he was a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Taras’ consulting focus is on governance, strategic planning and government relations.
Prior to Servus, Taras held several senior management roles in 4 ministries with the Government of Alberta, spanning 15 years in: Health and Wellness, Economic Development, Seniors and Community Development. His responsibilities focused on business planning, policy development, issues management and marketing.
Taras' educational background includes:
- MBA and BComm from the University of Alberta;
- Master's Certificate in Risk Management and Business Process from Schulich School of Business;
- The ICD.D, Institute of Corporate Directors designation from Rotman University in Toronto; and
- CMC, Certified Management Consulting designation from CMC Canada.
Taras is involved in several Boards including as Vice Chair of North Central Cooperative, Governance Committee member of EMCN, and Treasurer of Kappella Kyrie Choral Ensemble. In his spare time Taras enjoys spending time with his family and 4 dogs, golfing, biking, and playing the accordion.
Andrew Seepersad
Andrew is the Director for the Business Design Initiative (BDI), an education and research center at University of Toronto which focuses on Design-led Innovation Management. A graduate of Rotman’s MBA program he is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at the Paris School of Business. He is also a highly trained and experienced Design Thinking and Lego Serious Play facilitator.
In addition to his work at BDI, Andrew provides consulting on organizational innovation projects across a range of industries in both public and private sectors. Prior to joining UofT, he worked extensively in Corporate Strategy, Planning, Financial Management and Partner Relations Management. In addition, he was actively involved in theatre, having founded and led a successful not-for-profit theatre company.
CUES & Cornell Empower Aspiring Credit Union Leaders to Unlock the C-Suite Mindset
MADISON, Wis.— CUES Advanced Management Program from Cornell University is returning in 2024. This nine-month program, which runs July 10, 2024, through April 1, 2025, offers emerging credit union leaders a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the C-suite by equipping attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the challenges faced by top executives.
The program pairs eCornell’s award-winning certificate programs with live-taught online classes, developed and led by Cornell University faculty—offering credit unions a resource to fill their leadership pipelines and giving future leaders access to Ivy League-level education without travel or time out of the office.
The program delves into the minds of top executives, offering insights into the CEO's strategic vision-setting, the CFO's financial acumen, and the COO's operational efficiency. Participants will also explore the CMO’s viewpoint in brand building and digital marketing, harnessing data and technology for member engagement from a CIO’s perspective, mastering contract management from the CCO’s suite, navigating risk and fostering collaboration as a CRO, and developing high-performing teams from the CHRO office.
Get an attendee’s first-hand account of the program when you read Learning Leadership Vision from CUmanagement.com.
Learn more about CUES Advanced Management Program from Cornell University. Learn more about CUES at cues.org.
CUES is the leading talent development solutions provider for credit unions in North America. We educate, develop and support credit union CEOs, executives, directors, and emerging leaders through partnerships with premier business schools, live and online events, digital learning, networking, and premium content. With over 49,000 members and growing, we measure success one leader at a time.
Connect with CUES at CUES.org and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. For daily insights on issues impacting credit unions visit CUmanagement.com.
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Chad Helminak
Chad Helminak brings two decades of leadership experience supporting purpose-driven organizations and leaders in the credit union industry. He has worked with notable organizations including the National Credit Union Foundation, TruStage, Filene Research Institute, and the Wisconsin Credit Union League. Chad facilitates experiential training for credit union leaders, leads boards and executive teams through strategic sessions, and drives growth in people, programs, and organizational capabilities.
Chad lives in Wisconsin with his family. Outside of work he enjoys playing guitar, running, basketball, and discovering new music from different cultures and eras.
Pixie Gray
Pixie Gray brings over a decade of experience in leadership development, coaching, design thinking, and process refinement. As an organizational development leader, she excels in process and experience design, executive coaching, employee engagement, cultural transformation, and organizational health. She has cultivated her talent for fostering engaged and thriving teams as a consultant and through various roles at University Federal Credit Union in Austin, TX.
Pixie is known for her expertise in guiding strategic processes that deliver tangible results and leading organizations through transformative growth and change. She is a skilled facilitator who systematically defines core principles, fosters communication, manages change, and engages the pillars of human innovation.
Throughout her career, Pixie has been passionate about cooperative movements, social responsibility, and connecting people with resources to resolve their greatest challenges.
She holds certifications in Leadership Circle Profile (LCP), From Bud to Boss Facilitation, and QA Analysis, and she is an Organizational Development Certified Professional (ODCP). Her technical knowledge includes countless project management tools, and various methodologies such as Design Thinking, Waterfall, and Agile.
Pixie is committed to continuous learning and professional growth, and she is dedicated to enhancing organizational outcomes and improving quality of life by enabling individuals to contribute to their organizations in increasingly effective ways.
Recruiting and Retaining Successful Leaders Recording
Original Air Date: 06-26-2019
Speaker: Chris Jones, Executive Benefit Consultant, O. M. Financial Group
We review the issues that impact employee recruiting and retention from compensation, to culture, to benefits. We will also discuss ways to selectively provide benefits to your key employees that act as “Golden Handcuffs”.
36 Rising Stars Selected for 2024 CUES Emerge Program
MADISON, Wis.— Thirty-six emerging leaders with the potential to make a lasting impact in the credit union industry have been selected to participate in the prestigious 2024 CUES Emerge program, offered in partnership with Currency Marketing.
The cohort was selected from a competitive pool of 121 applicants. They hail from 15 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces and represent 25 distinct roles within the credit union industry.
Participants will receive tailored coaching, training, and invaluable resources to enhance their leadership acumen and strategic thinking abilities.
They will also benefit from participating in Mastermind groups, refining their ideas into compelling business cases, and competing to be named the 2024 CUES Emerging Leader. The Masterminds are an integral part of the CUES Emerge program; each will support six participants, helping them connect the learning to their business case and supporting them through the competition phase. They are:
- Jana Chamberlin, CCM, Instructional Design Manager, Northwest FCU, Herndon, VA, USA
- Zachary Churchill, CCM, VP of Consumer & Mortgage Lending, Achieva CU, Dunedin, FL, USA
- Jayde DelGado, CCM, VP/Member Experience, American Lake Credit Union, Tacoma, WA, USA
- Lyla Elliott, CCM, Director of Consumer Loan Production, TwinStar Credit Union, Olympia, WA, USA
- Alex Hsu, CCM, Vice President, Planning & Change Management, SchoolsFirst FCU, Tustin, CA, USA
- Amber Stutzman, CCM, People Experience Business Partner, Oregon Community Credit Union, Springfield, OR, USA
All Masterminds are previous participants in the CUES Emerge program. Additionally, the group has three CUES Emerging Leaders; Hsu took home the honor in 2021, Churchill in 2022, and DelGado in 2023.
See the 2024 CUES Emerge cohort members here, then follow along on their journey at CUESemerge.com or #CUESEmerge.
Learn more about CUES at cues.org. Learn more about Currency Marketing at CurrencyMarketing.ca.
CUES is the leading talent development solutions provider for credit unions in North America. We educate, develop and support credit union CEOs, executives, directors, and emerging leaders through partnerships with premier business schools, live and online events, digital learning, networking, and premium content. With nearly 50,000 members and growing, we measure success one leader at a time.
Connect with CUES at CUES.org and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. For daily insights on issues impacting credit unions visit CUmanagement.com.
Currency is a credit union-focused marketing firm. Our unique programs—It’s a Money Thing and CUES Emerge—focus on helping credit unions raise awareness, build relationships and foster financial empowerment with young adults.
Connect with Currency at CurrencyMarketing.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
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CUES Strengthens Industry Commitment with Strategic New Hires
MADISON, Wis.— CUES is pleased to announce two new leadership positions that will play a critical role as the organization expands products and services to equip its members with the skills, tools, knowledge, and relationships needed to thrive.
Chad Helminak has joined CUES as VP of Talent Development Programming. Helminak brings two decades of leadership experience supporting purpose-driven organizations and leaders in the credit union industry. He facilitates experiential training for credit union leaders, leads boards and executive teams through strategic sessions, and drives growth in people, programs, and organizational capabilities.
“As VP of Talent Development Programming, Chad will lead the charge in designing and delivering cutting-edge customized and in-house programs and products tailored to the evolving needs of credit unions.” said Heather McKissick, CUES CEO.
Pixie Gray will join CUES as VP of Organizational Development in May 2024. She brings over a decade of experience in leadership development, coaching, design thinking, and process refinement. Gray is known for merger and acquisition culture alignment and facilitating strategic processes that yield tangible results.
“Pixie will spearhead our efforts in internal and external organizational development, thought leadership, and organizational change, and will launch a new CUES consulting suite,” said McKissick.
“As a leadership and talent development organization, Chad and Pixie’s appointments underscore our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation and providing unparalleled support to our members. We are thrilled to have them both,” said McKissick. “This investment in talent programming and organizational development sets CUES up for success and empowers our members to reach successful new heights.”
Learn more about CUES at cues.org.
CUES is the leading talent development solutions provider for credit unions in North America. We educate, develop and support credit union CEOs, executives, directors, and emerging leaders through partnerships with premier business schools, live and online events, digital learning, networking, and premium content. With nearly 50,000 members and growing, we measure success one leader at a time.
Connect with CUES at CUES.org and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. For daily insights on issues impacting credit unions visit CUmanagement.com.
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Note to Editor: Photos Attached
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| Chad Helminak, CUES VP of Talent Development Programming | Pixie Gray, CUES VP of Organizational Development |