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1 month ago | 
cuinsight.com | Jeff Rendel |Adam Hodz |Max Young
Growth is exciting: it’s the mark of a thriving credit union. But let’s be real: growing the wrong way can be just as dangerous as standing still. Expand too aggressively, and you risk losing the very essence of what makes your credit union special. Play it too safe, and you could get left behind in an increasingly competitive financial world. So, how do you scale without selling out? More members, bigger loan portfolios, and higher deposits seem like obvious wins.
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Jan 15, 2025 | 
cuinsight.com | Kevin Martin |Jeff Rendel |Mark Arnold |Randy Pennington
In the dynamic world of business, changing your strategic plan is not a matter of if, but when. The challenge lies not in recognizing the need for change, but in identifying precisely what needs to change and why. Through years of experience in strategic planning, I have developed what I call the Smart Strategy framework—a simple system that breaks strategy down into distinct, manageable parts. This systematic approach also enables diagnosing and adapting strategic plans when they need adjustment.
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Dec 17, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Jeff Rendel
In the competitive and dynamic credit union industry, a disciplined approach to strategy and execution can make the difference between thriving and merely surviving. The 90-day strategic sprint—guided by the cycle of “Finish. Start. Research.”—offers a proven method to balance short-term wins with long-term vision. The “Finish. Start.
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Sep 10, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Jeff Rendel
In the world of credit union governance, the importance of open dialogue, spirited debate, and even dissent cannot be overstated. A Board of Directors that encourages unrestricted discussion and differing viewpoints is more likely to make well-rounded, thoughtful decisions. While every voice deserves to be heard, no single voice should have the power to derail the decision-making process or stall important initiatives.
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Aug 5, 2024 | 
cutoday.info | Jeff Rendel
By Jeff RendelLate-summer is here and the season for annual strategic planning will soon be upon us, a time when many credit unions engage in the recurring practice of objectives, tactics, and KPIs. However, for credit union CEOs, there is a new perspective that can transform this annual exercise from a recharge of last year’s agenda into a practical, frank, and strategic exercise.
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Jun 14, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Jeff Rendel
“When our entire organization, from the front line to the boardroom, understands our strategy—and their particular roles in seeing strategy succeed—we execute better as a team and accomplish more,” shared a west coast credit union CEO. “In many organizations, strategy communication often fails to convey the necessary framework for employees to grasp the full meaning and rationale behind strategic decisions, and this can create a huge disconnect.”Strategic communication is important.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Mark Arnold |Jeff Rendel |Carol Schillios |Schillios Consulting
The Federal Reserve’s debit interchange proposal could undermine recent progress in bringing low- and moderate-income (LMI) consumers into the financial services system, a bipartisan group of representatives wrote Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell this week. The letter comes after strong credit union opposition to the proposal, and a credit union-backed bill was introduced this week to delay the rule until its implementation can be studied.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | David Baumann |Mark Arnold |Jeff Rendel |Carol Schillios
Consumer Reports, which frequently recommends credit unions over banks, appears to be having second thoughts, citing a California report that credit unions are charging higher overdraft fees than banks. That’s not the only problem the consumer group and publication has with credit unions.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Kate Gibson |Mark Arnold |Jeff Rendel |Carol Schillios
American Express Co. has told an undisclosed number of cardholders that their account information may have been breached in a recent hacking of a merchant processor. Current and previously issued American Express Card account numbers, expiration dates and customer names may have been compromised, AmEx stated in a notice filed last week with Massachusetts regulators.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Mark Arnold |Jeff Rendel |Carol Schillios |Schillios Consulting
You can’t drive a car by pressing both pedals at once, and it doesn’t work if you only use one pedal and not the other — you need both to drive safely and effectively. In the business world, that means you have to have one foot in the present and one in the future if you want to successfully navigate transitions and transformations without losing core cultural company values. Nathan Cox, CEO of InRoads Credit Union, learned that fact as he stepped into the role of CEO this past year.
