February 2022 Newsletter

On the first Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. CST, we grab some coffee and get together for a Meet ‘n Greet. These are a great way for new members to meet CUWLA and the topics come out of the small talk. You never know what we’ll cover, so feel free to come with a question. Here are the notes from our last Meet ‘n Greet in January. We will not hold the March Power Hour due to GAC, so mark your calendar to join us Wednesday, April 6 at 10 a.m. CST.

CUWLA CONFERENCE

Join us for our inaugural CUWLA Conference September 11-13 at the Hotel Santa Fe in New Mexico. Enjoy this tradition-centric retreat that invites you to experience true hospitality in the city’s only Native American-owned hotel. Join us to hear special guest speakers on CUWLA focused topics, panel discussions, entertainment, and networking. More details are coming soon.

DISCUSSION BOARD

CUWLA’s inaugural Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, April 6, during the Meet & Greet time. During this meeting, you’ll hear about what we accomplished in our first year and plans for 2022.

GAC MEETING

Meet up with your CUWLA sisters for a drink at the Marriott Marquis on Monday, February 28, from 9-10 p.m. This is an informal event for you to drop by if you are able. Grab a drink and meet at the fireplace to the right of the bar.

Who Is Your Best Advocate?
By Sarah Waters, Vice President of Advocacy for Tennessee Credit Union League.

Advocacy is the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. You likely advocate for different things every single day. You may convince your family to visit a certain restaurant, let your child’s school know how you’d like to raise funds for the PTO, or any other event throughout your day. You are an advocate each and every day, and probably didn’t even realize it.

You can take that natural advocacy in you and be a credit union advocate! Who are credit union advocates? They are credit union executives, credit union board members, credit union members – they are ALL of us! When we ALL advocate for our credit union, credit unions are the strongest force in the financial institution world.

Decisions and policies that affect your credit union are created and altered continually. You have the power to influence those policies and create the best outcomes for your credit union. Your best advocate is YOU being the best advocate you can be. How can you be a great advocate?

Be Informed. Being informed means knowing your credit union story. You know your credit union, your members, and the community you serve better than anyone. Legislators want to hear how you are serving their constituents, your members. In addition to knowing your credit union, keep up to date with current issues and what’s happening at your state capitol and in Washington, DC. There’s an advocacy professional in your state who’d love to keep you updated on the current issues facing credit unions; get to know them!

Take Action. Being informed is just half the battle. You’ve got to put your knowledge into action. The most important maxim in advocacy is that if you don’t tell you’re your story, someone else will and probably not the way you’d like. Get involved with your state league, meet with your legislators, and build relationships. Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. Email your legislators, go visit with them in their district and in your state capitol, and attend their events.

The credit union movement is only as strong as it’s advocates. Be the best advocate for your credit union and always tell your story.

Join us the second Thursday of the 3rd month of the quarter (March, June, Sept, Dec.) at 3 p.m. CST for our Power Hour where we invite guests to speak on various topics, many times suggested by you, our members. Our next Power Hour is Thursday, March 10 with Sarah Waters, Vice President of Advocacy for Tennessee Credit Union League.

REFER A FRIEND

Friends with a female CEO of a credit union under $300M in assets? Have them join CUWLA and be a part of this networking alliance.