Drawing on interviews with 14 participants, this session explores the products and services young adults use, how they evaluate them, and what drives their financial decisions. We’ll examine how 18- to 29-year-olds assemble a portfolio of tools, from savings and checking accounts to investments, peer-to-peer payments like Venmo and Zelle, credit cards, and more, while sharing their perceptions of the institutions behind them. Learn how credit unions can tap into Gen Z’s motivations for choosing, switching, or adding financial providers, and support this generation in navigating today’s fragmented financial ecosystem.
Unlocking Member Well-Being
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Mathieu Despard, PhD, MSW Clinical Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Social Work
Watch as Dr. Mathieu Despard, our Fellow for Member Well-Being, explores the challenges many households face in today's economy. He'll explain how financial stress impacts our decisions, no matter our income. Discover how credit unions can better help their members achieve financial well-being by understanding these behaviors and tailoring their services.
In this popular session, Dr. Lamont Black, our Fellow for Credit Union of the Future, shares his expertise on stablecoin fundamentals and explains how credit unions can adapt to the passage of the GENIUS Act. This session provides a stablecoin roadmap for credit unions in 2026 as the Act enters its implementation phase, addressing potential disruption of interchange fees alongside emerging opportunities for innovation. Dr. Black discusses how credit unions can educate boards and exec teams, develop strategic plans, and position themselves as key facilitators of stablecoin payments by empowering members to receive, store, transfer, and spend stablecoins securely.
This session looks at how to design your organization for a digital world, craft a digital strategy, and go digital without losing distinction by leveraging what makes your credit union special. You'll also get an exclusive first look at data from a new survey assessing the current state of digital in the industry. Learn how to strategically use digital tools to amplify your unique value proposition, strengthen member relationships, and create a truly differentiated experience that larger institutions can't easily replicate.
Join Dr. Amy Hillman, our Fellow for Leadership, Strategy, & Governance, as she takes you through the steps your credit union should be considering before a merger or acquisition. Consolidation is a steady force in the credit union industry, with merger inquiries and opportunities becoming more common. This session, based on extensive research and interviews with credit union leaders, will help you establish a proactive, logical approach to mergers and acquisitions. Dr. Hillman will walk you through a clear framework for developing an M&A playbook, from defining your strategic "why" to creating a checklist for evaluating potential partners. Learn how to identify and overcome the common emotional and logistical obstacles to a successful merger, allowing you to confidently prepare your credit union for the future of the industry.
Join Dr. Mai Ngyuen, our fellow for Community Social Impact, as she moderates a dynamic panel of credit union leaders who are at the forefront of innovative housing solutions. Drawing from our recently released housing innovations series, this session will explore how credit unions can tackle some of the most pressing housing issues today. Panelists share their on-the-ground experiences with a range of topics, including 40-year mortgages, zero down payment, no PMI mortgages, and more. Gain practicing insights into the opportunities and challenges in developing innovative mortgage products.
