Michael has been in the financial services industry for over 20 years, serving in various roles at two community and regional banks then as a loan department lead for one of the largest financial institutions in the country. He joined the Credit Union industry in 2014 and was named President/CEO at First Financial in 2015. FFCU grew over 300% under his leadership and attracted many suitors. In 2024, he led a joint process to merge with Great Lakes Credit Union and was named the Chief Strategy Officer at GLCU following the transaction. Today he oversees numerous initiatives in areas of business development, lending, mergers and acquisitions and external growth and is the CEO of GLCU Holdings, CEO of Mortgage Forward, and CEO of GLCU Insurance, all closely held CUSOs of GLCU.

Michael serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Credit Union Foundation, the Illinois Credit Union League as Vice Chairman, Vice Chairman of Envisant, Vice Chairman of Services Credit Union and Chairman of the National Credit Union Insurance Alliance. He is also an advisor on various investment and other ventures both as a volunteer and in support of other businesses. In 2025, he was named to the Board of Directors of Aviary, an industry first AI solution which he helped to jumpstart as CEO of one of the initial investors in 2023. Beyond the four walls of finance, he helps to serve as a Board member of Synergies Seed Fund a first of its kind non-profit assisting those with disabilities in their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Past experience includes roles on the Board of Xtend in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Treasurer at Resources for Community Living in Rolling Meadows, IL. Michael is also an Adjunct Faculty Member teaching classes in Finance and Management in the MBA program at North Park University, a role he has held since 2018.

Michael received a BA from DePaul University in 2007 and an MBA in Finance in 2012 as well as a post graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in 2016.

Michael resides in the northern suburbs of Chicago as a life long resident of the Chicagoland area with his wife Erin and their 3 children Anderson, Maddon and Gracyn. He enjoys coaching their collective youth sports teams and is an avid Chicago Bears and Cubs fan despite the heartbreak they bring in most seasons.

Jonathan is a seasoned entrepreneur and fintech executive with deep expertise in product development and capital markets. He is the Founder and CEO of Takara, a company redefining the mortgage space at a time it is most needed.

Before Takara, Jonathan was the Founder and CEO of Contigo, a pioneer in mortgage product innovation. Previously, he served as VP of Product at Setoo, where he helped build a fully automated parametric insurance platform, and as VP of Product & Marketing at Creditplace, leading the development of a P2C factoring marketplace.

Earlier in his career, Jonathan was a trader and trade floor manager at Matrix Capital, trading and overseeing high-frequency trading of STIR futures on the CME.

With a BA in economics and MSc in civil engineering, he combines an engineer’s structured thinking with a racer's instinct for speed and precision, driving innovation in every venture he leads.

Jonathan splits his time between the US and Israel where he lives with his wife Tal and 4 daughters. He enjoys table tennis and skiing, although regularly disappointed by the lack of snowfall in Israel in most winters.

Peter has spent over 7 years in the insurance industry. He was a State Farm Agent before coming to SELCO Group as the Personal Lines Sales Manager in 2024. Before working in the insurance industry Peter spent 12 years working in various management roles for a sporting goods retailer.

Peter grew up in a small oil town located in the central valley of California. He and his family now live in a small town outside of Eugene Oregon. Peter loves to golf, play basketball, fish, backpack and spend time with his family doing anything they want.

Afternearly a 20 year commercial banking career in Michigan, Bill led the launch ofMichigan Business Connection, LC in March 2004 and serves as its president and CEO. MBC is a collaborative effort by creditunions throughout the State of Michigan to provide small business andcommercial real estate financing. Sinceinception, MBC has helped the credit unions originate and manage over $2.5 billiondollars in financing for Michigan business owners and real estateinvestors. The company is headquarteredin Ann Arbor and has a professional staff of 70.

Sincestarting the CUSO Bill has been a continuous advocate for collaboration betweencredit unions and CUSOs, and actively engaged in NACUSO. Upon joining NACUSO, Bill led the creation ofa coalition of business lending CUSOs to promote responsible lending,reenergized and chaired NACUSO’s Business Advisory Committee, promoted andfacilitated two NACUSO MBL conferences and engaged in member recruitment andretention efforts. Bill was elected tothe NACUSO Board in 2017, has served on its Executive Committee since 2022 andcurrently serves as Board Chair. Bill has been a frequent facilitator andparticipant in NACUSO conferences, CUSO Award Committees and the Next Big Ideacontest.

A life-long Michiganresident, and Michigan State University graduate, Bill lives in Saline,Michigan, and he and his wife have four children and three grandchildren. Bill has a long history of community andorganizational leadership including Commissioner and past Chairman of the City ofSaline Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, Chairman of the local American Red Cross,Chairman of the Washtenaw Economic Club, President of the New Enterprise Forum(a venture capital support organization) and other community and economicdevelopment organizations.

Karan Bhalla is the Founder and CEO of AiVantage, a company launched in 2024 to help financial institutions turn data into action through ethical, scalable, and hyper-personalized engagement. He is widely recognized across the credit union ecosystem for answering the question many organizations struggle with after dashboards and models are built: now what?

Prior to AiVantage, Karan founded CU Rise Analytics, a global CUSO focused on helping credit unions better understand, influence, and retain members through data science and predictive analytics. CU Rise was acquired by Trellence, where Karan went on to serve as Chief Growth Officer. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at IQR Consulting and worked as an analyst and risk auditor at Capital One, building a strong foundation in risk, analytics, and financial services.

With more than two decades of experience, Karan has led global teams across the U.S. and India and collaborated with organizations including Capital One, PenFed, and American Express. His passion is leveling the playing field for small and mid-sized institutions by enabling AI that delivers the right message to the right member at the right moment, without compromising trust or compliance.

Nick has worked within the Financial Services Industry since 1999. Currently overseeing SELCO Group, a wholly owned Subsidiary of SELCO Community Credit Union headquartered in Eugene, Oregon.

Prior to SELCO, Nick worked for both Mountain America Credit Union and it’s CUSO Mountain America Financial Services, most recently as Vice President of Insurance Services. Nick has a deep background in creating and managing various for profit CUSO’s which include Property & Casualty Insurance CUSO’s, Medicare and Life Insurance CUSO’s, Lending CUSOs and Property Management CUSOs.

Nick holds a Bachelors (BA) in Criminal Law with a Foreign Language Minor and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). During his free time, Nick enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife and 3 kids. Nick has attended NACUSO since 2007 and worked as a volunteer member of the NACUSO Property and Casualty Advisory Board since 2010, currently acting as Chairman

Bob is a graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania with over 35 years’ experience in consumer lending and over 30 years specifically in indirect auto lending. He managed a consumer discount company and achieved the highest growth in his region while maintaining superior asset quality through diligent underwriting and consistent collection efforts. Bob then joined a regional bank and established their indirect auto lending center and was instrumental in developing the product and growing the portfolio to over $700 million. He joined one of the world’s largest banks in 2004 and achieved high level status among Regional Sales Manager. Bob has been the CEO of Keystone Lending Alliance since it was founded in 2008 and has directed the CUSO to be a market leader, lending nearly $6 billion to date with extremely low delinquency and losses. He has been involved in his community, working with YMCA youth activities and local sports programs. 

Justin is the President/CEO of CU Business Group, and an experienced banking executive with 23 years of commercial lending experience at both credit unions and community banks. Justin started with CUBG in 2017, bringing a unique perspective as both a former CUBG client and an employee. Justin has extensive experience in managing teams within the commercial, consumer, and mortgage areas, including the commercial team and business lending department at a now $4 billion credit union. Justin’s background also includes time as the Chief Credit Officer for a community bank, overseeing commercial, mortgage, and consumer lending. In his role at CUBG, Justin leads program and product development, manages the CUSO’s staff and teams, and consults with credit unions on business services strategies. Justin also serves on CUNA’s Associate Business Membership Advisory Committee. 

Adrian is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a BBA and earned his MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. He began his lending career in 1994 at Omni American FCU, where he developed an indirect loan program that helped the credit union achieve the highest national total loan percentage increase for 1995. In 1996, Adrian co-developed the indirect lending program for FLS Services in Fort Worth and Dallas, successfully aggregating auto loans for eight credit unions. By 1997, under his leadership, FLS's Dallas/Fort Worth operations generated over $84 million in loan volume, maintaining zero losses and only $82,000 in loans delinquent over 60 days.

Before joining FocusOne, Adrian played a pivotal role in launching Community Credit Union’s auto leasing program with AutoFlex Leasing. He became President and CEO of FocusOne in 2000, where he spearheaded the re-launch of the company's indirect lending program. By expanding the dealer network and refining the model, Adrian drove the growth of FocusOne's platform across six states, serving more than 60 credit union clients and aggregating over $800 million in auto loans within just three years. Since 2007, Adrian and his team have expanded FocusOne into two additional business units: FocusOne Mortgage Solutions, a full-service mortgage company, and FocusOne Insurance Solutions, an insurance services agency.

Julie J. Esser is a visionary leader with over 40 years of experience shaping growth and innovation at the intersection of credit unions and Fintech. As the Founder and CEO of IgniteFI, Julie helps Fintech companies and credit unions turn strategy into measurable progress—bridging the gap between innovation and real-world adoption.

Her leadership was recently recognized on the 2024 Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Powerlist, named one of the Standout 45 Industry and Knowledge Champions for her influential work advancing inclusive, technology-driven financial services.

Julie’s reputation is built on decades of impact across start-ups, enterprise organizations, and the credit union system. At Bonifii, she led client engagement efforts for digital identity solutions like MemberPass. As Vice President of Alliance Development at CUNA Strategic Services, she launched 46 new partnerships that expanded industry reach and revenue, while introducing a benchmark alliance process still used today.

Under Julie’s direction, IgniteFI has evolved into a strategic growth partner for both Fintechs and credit unions. The organization provides fractional support across product strategy, go-to-market execution, partnership development, and market readiness.

For Fintechs, IgniteFI helps refine positioning, strengthen sales strategies, and accelerate entry into the credit union channel. For credit unions, IgniteFI offers guidance on evaluating, selecting, and implementing Fintech partnerships—helping them align innovation with member needs, reduce risk, and bring new solutions to market faster.

By combining deep industry knowledge with hands-on execution support, IgniteFI enables credit unions to confidently adopt emerging technologies while helping Fintechs build solutions that resonate in a highly relationship-driven market.

Julie also served as a board member of the Association for Financial Technology (AFT), where she contributed to improving digital accessibility and member engagement.

With a career grounded in trust, clarity, and action, Julie continues to guide Fintech founders and credit union leaders as they bring new ideas to life and create meaningful impact across the credit union ecosystem. 

Daniel Goldstein is the Co-Founder and President of Trust & Will, the largest digital estate planning platform in the U.S. Since 2017, the company has helped over one million families plan for the future — partnering with 20,000+ financial advisors and 200+ institutional partners to bring estate planning into the modern financial stack.

Daniel is currently leading Trust & Will's evolution from a document-generation platform to an AI-native estate management company — rethinking how families create, maintain, and act on their plans over time. He oversees operations, growth, product strategy, and organizational development, with a focus on building teams that can move at startup speed at scale.

Before Trust & Will, Daniel led growth at custom software firms, working alongside venture-backed founders to design and ship mobile and web products from zero to market.

Daniel lives in Dallas with his wife and three kids. 

Amber Harsin is a visionary and leading innovator in the financial services industry. With over 25 years of experience in multiple executive roles, Amber has a proven track record of driving growth, fostering innovation and building team cultures.

Amber's expertise lies in leadership, culture building, strategic planning, and technology operations management. She is renowned for her ability to turn innovative ideas into successful executions. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Governors University and has been recognized as CUSO of the year 2020 for her contributions to her field during her tenure as a CEO.

As a thought leader, Amber is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, where she shares insights on digital transformations for the purpose of creating financial access for all and executive leadership using social responsibility. Her dedication to these areas extends beyond her professional life, as she actively participates in youth sports leadership, higher education goal setting and athletic recruitment strategies.

In her spare time, Amber enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and reading.

Nicole Haverly is Vice President of Credit Union Sales at nCino, where she has built her career over the past seven years - beginning in customer success, moving into support engineering leadership, and now driving the company's credit union go-to-market strategy and sales for Credit Unions. Before joining nCino, she held roles at two regional credit unions in the Midwest - experience that continues to inform how she leads her team and engages with customers today.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is based in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she resides with her three daughters and serves on the boards of United Way of the Cape Fear Area, A Safe Place, and the WILMA Executive Advisory Board.

Andrew Houy serves as Assistant Vice President of Insurance Services at Dupaco Insurance Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dupaco Community Credit Union. With 14 years at Dupaco, Andrew brings broad operational experience and a strong commitment to advancing the credit union mission.

Andrew began his Dupaco career in 2012 as a teller with no prior financial services experience. Through progressive leadership roles including Member Service Representative, Consumer Loan Officer, Operations Assistant, and Branch Manager, he built a foundation in member service, lending, and operational excellence. Most recently, as AVP of Branch Services, Andrew led multiple branches with a focus on improving operational efficiency, developing leadership bench strength, and reinforcing Dupaco’s core values to ensure long-term sustainability.

In January 2023, Andrew transitioned to Dupaco Insurance Services to reimagine agency operations and drive strategic growth. Since then, he has led a structural realignment of the agency, enhanced technology solutions to elevate both member and employee experiences and implemented process improvements that have strengthened profitability and internal alignment within the credit union. His leadership centers on building scalable systems, empowering teams, and delivering insurance solutions that integrate seamlessly with the broader financial relationship.

Andrew is a 2006 graduate of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, earning a degree in Communication with minors in Business and Chinese Studies. He and his wife, Lynn, have two sons, ages 15 and 11. Outside of work, Andrew is a passionate Chicago sports fan, enjoys golfing, and values time spent with his family.

Kurt is a graduate of the University of North Texas. He joined the credit and collection industry in 1991 as an underwriter of automobile and mortgage loans. Throughout his years in the industry, he has played an integral role in the development and implementation of policies and procedures in the areas of credit & financial analysis, credit scoring, loan origination & servicing as well as various accounting functions.

While serving in a management capacity for Indirect Lending Services, he has overseen various aspects of cash flow management, Human Resources, Project Management and Information Technology.

Kurt joined FocusOne^TM in 2000 and has been instrumental in the development of the systems and infrastructure which have made FocusOne^TM the industry leader in indirect lending.

T.W. has 25+ years of financial services leadership experience, recognized for building high-performance cultures, modernizing operations, and delivering measurable growth. In his current executive role at a Houston-based credit union, he has helped drive historic performance—including ~70% asset growth , strong loan expansion, improved profitability/ROA, and record member satisfaction.

Previously, he held senior leadership roles at some of the worlds largest banks, leading multi-state retail branch networks, small business functions, and commercial banking teams. He currently serves as Board Chair of FOCUS ONE, a multi-state CUSO supporting credit unions with auto, mortgage, and insurance programs across multiple states. 

Emily Jorgenson is the Director of Operations & Training at Credit Unions First, where she leads operational strategy, training, and enablement across the organization. With over a decade of experience in teaching, coaching, and program development, Emily specializes in building training systems that improve adoption, efficiency, and confidence. Her work focuses on onboarding, process alignment, and turning complex tools into usable knowledge. Outside the office, Emily is a CrossFit Level 2 Coach with 10 years of coaching experience, bringing the same clarity, structure, and energy to the gym as she does to the workplace.

Mark Keeling, Senior Manager of Payments Strategy and Product Innovation at Catalyst, plays a key role in developing faster payments offerings such as FedNow®, RTP®, and P2P. With 37 years in correspondent banking and a former COO of The Bankers Bank, he brings deep expertise across payment rails: ACH, wires, checks, cash, and cards. Mark served on the Fed’s Faster Payments Task Force and now sits on the U.S. Faster Payments Council. A graduate of SMU and the Conn Graduate School, he frequently speaks at industry events hosted by Nacha, FRB, ABA, BAI, ICBA, OBA, TBA, and ECCHO.

Ken Lako, JD, is President and CEO of Members Trust Company, an OCC-regulated trust and investment firm serving credit unions, RIAs, and advisors nationwide. With more than 25 years of experience in fiduciary management, investment strategy, and trust administration, he has led large-scale teams and multi-billion-dollar platforms at firms including Wells Fargo and Comerica Bank. Since 2023, he has driven MTC’s strategic transformation, expanding its national presence and advancing innovative, client-focused investment and trust solutions.

Ian Lampl is the co-founder and CEO of LoanStreet Inc., an innovative online platform that helps financial institutions to manage, scale and analyze loans on their balance sheets, connect with partners and effectively share risk.

Prior to launching LoanStreet, Ian served as Deputy Chief Counsel for the Office of Financial Stability which implemented the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) for the United States Department of the Treasury. While at Treasury, Ian developed and managed a number of the Treasury programs to stem the financial crisis. For his work, he received the Treasury Secretary's honor award for exemplary public service.

Ian is recognized as an industry leader in loan participations and is a frequent speaker at banking, credit union, and financial technology conferences. Before joining Treasury, Ian was an attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, where he focused on commercial lending and securities offerings. He graduated with honors from both University of Chicago Law School and Princeton University, where he received a B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering.

Anne Legg is an internationally recognized credit union strategist, author, and founder of THRIVE. She is the architect of the CU Power Framework - a measurable impact operating system designed to help credit unions quantify, demonstrate, and accelerate their mission-driven results.

Through THRIVE, Anne has worked with over 600 credit union leaders across the United States to transform data into evidence of member, employee, and community impact. THRIVE was named a 2022 Luminaries Award Finalist for advancing data activation in the credit union movement.

Anne is also the author of Big Data/Big Climb, the only industry playbook on data activation and currently used as the text for the only CPE-accredited data education offering, and recently added to the America’s Credit Union Museum’s Ensweiler research library. She has served as the lead Data and Analytics faculty for the Southwest Credit Union Management School and the Western Credit Union Management School. Her MBA thesis on the credit union business model received high praise from the top Credit Union CFO Organization, and she has two internationally published whitepapers on credit union business strategy. She has also served as an author of the Leading Industry Environmental Scan, the industry’s leading strategic planning guide.

Additionally, Anne has taught and developed curriculum for the leading Credit Union Marketing School and served as a subject-matter expert for the Center of Professional Development. She has also served on various Credit Union Boards, including CUNA’s Marketing and Business Development Executive Council, MAC, and the California and Nevada Credit Union League’s public advocacy committee.

She has received numerous awards, including the CMBDC Marketing Professional of the Year, the Credit Union Executive Society Rising 100, and a CO-OP THINKPRIZE semi-finalist. Anne was also named “A Woman To Watch” by the Credit Union Times. Her work has been published and presented at the 2012 and 2014 International Cooperative Summit, making her the only Credit Union professional in the United States to do so. In 2019, she climbed the tallest freestanding mountain on the planet, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

With more than 25 years of experience across insurance, finance, and banking, I specialize in transforming complex business challenges into clear, human‑centered experiences. As Senior Vice President, Head of Experience Activation at Hudson Valley Credit Union, I lead the strategy and execution behind how our members, employees, and communities engage with our brand.

My leadership extends across three core areas:

Channels: Driving innovation in experience design across digital platforms—including mobile, desktop, and CRM—while expanding our insurance referral ecosystem.

Insights: Harnessing the power of data, analytics, and voice‑of‑experience programs to inform decisions, elevate outcomes, and ensure we stay connected to the needs of the people we serve.

Community: Providing strategic direction and oversight for public affairs, employee volunteerism, financial literacy initiatives, and community sponsorships—strengthening partnerships and programs that reflect HVCU’s mission and broaden our local impact.

In addition to these verticals, I strengthen connectivity across the Experience Team by working with a cross-functional team to uncover the connective tissue between each —amplifying impact, improving engagement, and elevating results with strategic guidance from our Chief Experience Officer.

I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University, a bookkeeping certificate from Dutchess Community College, and the Certified Professional Insurance Agent designation. I’m also a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program through the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, where I now serve as Co‑Chair of the Executive Leadership Program Committee.

Community involvement has always been important to me. I’ve volunteered with the American Red Cross, Rebuilding Together Dutchess County, The Chamber Foundation, United Way, and the Junior League of Poughkeepsie—experiences that strengthened my commitment to service and nonprofit leadership.

Outside of work, my husband, Carl, and I enjoy life with our children—Annaliese, Paisley, and our son, Kayden. We love spending time with family and friends and exploring new places together whenever we can.

Todd Mason joined MBC in 2023, as chief operating officer. Todd currently oversees the operating environment of the organization and works with other senior leaders to drive organizational performance and growth.

He is a veteran of the Credit Union Movement having focused his career on helping credit unions innovate, grow and serve their members. He began his work with credit unions at the Michigan Credit Union League and Affiliates where he held numerous positions over course of nearly 20 years, including helping form and lead League InfoSight. He served as Chief Strategy Officer for RouteOne, a fintech that supports thousands of dealers, banks and credit unions in the US and Canada with the automotive purchasing and financing process. He was also the President and CEO of the Maine Credit Union League and Synergent, which provides managed technology, payments and marketing services to credit union nationwide.

Todd holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Oakland University, and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Throughout his career, he has been an active volunteer in efforts ranging from adult literacy and food insecurity to holding board positions in credit union-related organizations. He is also a frequent industry speaker, presenter and advocate.

Nicol Matthews, Chief Operating Officer of Innovative Business Solutions, brings over 37 years of financial industry experience, with nearly two decades of executive leadership in credit unions and a proven track record of transformative leadership. She’s led organizations through substantial growth initiatives – driving an increase in assets by over 250%, leveraged growth in the loan portfolio by over 240% and doubled membership from 30,000 to 60,000 in less than 10 years solely through organic growth. She is a recognized leader in business services consulting, leadership development and training initiatives --- equipping credit unions to grow stronger through strategy development, setting expectations and accountability, culture refinement, and training enhancements. Nicol’s leadership is rooted in purpose, shaped by experience and driven by a desire to create a positive, lasting impact --- one credit union at a time.

James McBride is a credit union advocate, strategist, and longtime industry leader with more than 25 years of experience working alongside credit unions of all sizes across the country.

In November 2024, James founded Let’s Go! with a clear mission: to ensure that today’s youngest generation grows up in a world where their grandchildren still know — and benefit from — local credit unions.

Throughout his career, James has served in senior executive and leadership roles, helping credit unions navigate growth, change, and increasing complexity while remaining anchored to their cooperative purpose. His work spans strategy, governance, culture, and organizational leadership, with a consistent focus on long-term sustainability rather than short-term optimization.

James believes the credit union movement is at a critical inflection point. Scale, technology, regulation, and shifting consumer expectations are reshaping financial services, and tradition alone will not preserve relevance. Let’s Go! exists to challenge comfortable thinking, confront hard realities, and support credit unions in making the decisions required to remain meaningful, independent, and member-owned for generations to come.

Known for his candid voice and practical perspective, James writes and speaks regularly about leadership, growth, and the future of cooperative finance. His work is grounded in a simple belief: credit unions still matter — but only if we are willing to do the hard work necessary to evolve with intention and courage. 

Jed Meyer is a visionary leader with nearly 30 years of experience in banking and financial services, known for blending bold innovation with a deep commitment to people-first values. Since becoming President & CEO of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) in 2014, Jed has led the organization through more than 400 percent organic growth, achieving an average annual growth rate of 14 percent, far outpacing the 3 percent industry peer average. Under his leadership, membership has doubled and loan growth consistently outperforms peer benchmarks, driven by a strategic focus on lending excellence, product innovation, and purpose-driven leadership.

Jed has positioned SCFCU at the forefront of fintech transformation. Under his leadership, the credit union—one of the owners of DaLand CUSO—became the first in the industry to launch a digital asset vault, a ground breaking solution developed by DaLand to meet the evolving future of money. Jed also serves as chair of DaLand’s Board of Directors, helping guide the CUSO’s strategic direction to empower local financial institutions address the diverse needs of underserved markets.

This collaboration reflects Jed’s forward-looking approach to the evolution of money and payments, enabling credit unions to thrive in a rapidly changing financial ecosystem. He also supported the successful launch of cannabis business banking services, further demonstrating his commitment to the credit union serving emerging markets and meeting members where they are.

In recognition of this bold leadership, St. Cloud Financial Credit Union was named one of the Most Innovative Companies to Watch in 2025, a testament to Jed’s ability to combine strategy and heart in guiding a mission-aligned institution into the future.

Beyond his role in financial services, Jed and his wife Sara Meyer are co-owners of the Family Achievement Center of Central Minnesota, a pediatric therapy clinic specializing in occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Together, they are committed to supporting holistic health and developmental outcomes for children and families in their community.

Jed is also the co-founder of the TriUnity Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to alleviating financial burdens for individuals facing terminal illness, enabling them to focus on relationships, healing, and dignity in life’s most difficult seasons.

His community impact is deep and sustained: he has served on the Sartell City Council, held leadership roles with the Sartell Baseball Association, St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation, and the Pinecone Central Park Board, and coached youth sports for more than 16 years.

Nikki has worked inside of financial institutions since 2009, joining the insurance industry in 2011. She has held many different positions within Credit Union Insurance Agency, a wholly owned subsidiary of Members Resource LLC, a credit union service organization, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantage Credit Union, located just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. She is currently the Director, overseeing the daily operations of the agency, as well as fostering relationships between three additional credit union partners.

Nikki has an extreme passion for sports, having competed at the collegiate level for women’s soccer, graduating from Missouri Southern State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance & economics. When she’s not at the office, she enjoys spending time exploring the great outdoors with her husband and twin daughters, with most of the spring through fall weekends filled with RV/camping trips.

Anna Pirovolos is a Business Development Leader with InsureOne Insurance Services, focused on driving growth through strategic credit union partnerships. With over a decade of experience in the insurance industry, she specializes in relationship building, training, and sales coaching—helping teams turn everyday member interactions into meaningful referral opportunities.

Anna is known for her modern, hands-on approach to partner engagement, working closely with credit union teams to build confidence, strengthen collaboration, and deliver consistent results. She is passionate about elevating the role of insurance within the credit union ecosystem and represents a next generation of leaders focused on integration, education, and long-term value creation.

Outside of work, Anna enjoys playing tennis, spending time with her family and new baby, and traveling.

Ken Potter is a Vice President with InsureOne Insurance Services and is an experienced insurance executive with deep expertise in sales leadership, analytics and relationship management. He plays a key role in expanding strategic partnerships within the credit union industry, leveraging InsureOne’s national scale, carrier relationships, and multi‑state capabilities to drive measurable value for partner institutions and their members.

Ken manages relationships with numerous credit unions, including Hudson Valley, SDCCU, Provident, Kinecta and Logix, as well as select mortgage and real estate partners. He is known for building collaborative insurance programs that enhance member services and generate non‑interest income. Previously, Ken held senior leadership roles at Apollo Insurance, Allstate Insurance, and MetLife Auto & Home. He earned a BA in Economics from UCLA in Los Angeles, California where he was starting player on the schools’ football team.

Becky Reed is a co-founder of the Credit Union Service Organization, PureIT CUSO, which provides technology infrastructure support and professional services to credit unions. She is a credit union industry veteran and thought leader with more than two decades of leadership in credit unions and CUSOs. In her most recent role as the CEO of Lone Star Credit Union, Becky led the organization through a complete digital transformation starting with a technology foundational remediation in 2016 which allowed the credit union to achieve economies of scale through increased efficiency. Ms. Reed is also CEO and Founder of BRaaS. Renowned for her unique perspective as both a credit union executive and CUSO leader, her expertise and advice are sought after by those who seek to embrace innovation. Ms. Reed was elected to the Board in 2018. 

Keith Reed has served as Cooperative Business Services' (CBS) top executive since its inception in August 2003. He has over 30 years of commercial experience with regional banks, national lenders, and most recently, with credit unions.

Keith has worked in all business lending facets, including business loan origination, underwriting, closing, and management. Since 2003, Keith has grown Cooperative Business Services (CBS) from an initial group of 7 credit unions in three cities to over 150 credit unions in 16 states with a portfolio of nearly 1,700 active credits and $3 billion in loan dollars under management.

During Keith's more than 20 years of leadership, CBS has been twice nominated as one of Cincinnati's Best Small Businesses To Work For and also received Top Lender Status with area SBA offi ces related to producing SBA 504 and 7(a) business loans.

Keith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Miami University (Ohio) and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Ashland University.

Ben Rempe works with fintechs, CUSOs, and credit union leaders navigating one of the hardest phases of growth: when the product works, early momentum exists, and progress still feels slower and harder than it should.

As Founder of Limitless Growth Guild, Ben partners with leadership teams to bring clarity to strategy, discipline to execution, and structure to go-to-market efforts. His work spans revenue strategy, capital alignment, partnerships, and organizational focus, with an emphasis on building repeatable growth engines rather than chasing one-off wins.

Ben’s background includes senior leadership roles at fintech companies such as TMG Financial Services and LenderClose (Coviance), both recognized with NACUSO CUSO of the Year awards, where he helped scale teams, revenue, and capital through periods of rapid growth.

John is a Texas State University graduate with over 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation within the credit union ecosystem, with deep expertise in indirect auto lending, mortgage lending, insurance products, and CUSO strategy. He has led national expansion initiatives, built collaborative dealer and credit union partnerships, launched member car-buying platforms, and aligned product strategy with evolving market demands. As a senior executive overseeing sales, marketing, and business development, John is known for disciplined execution, relationship-driven leadership, and delivering scalable, credit-union-centric solutions that create long-term value.

Mark Ritter is the CEO of Member Business Financial Services (“MBFS”). MBFS is owned by fourteen credit unions and works with over one hundred, credit unions nationwide. In 2002, Mark started Members 1st FCU’s business lending program that grew to be one of the ten largest for federal credit unions. In 2012, Mark took on the CEO role for MBFS. Since Mark joined MBFS and the company has grown to offer a full line of services to assist businesses and credit unions, including servicing a $3.0 billion loan servicing portfolio.

Cassie Schock is a fractional Chief Compliance Officer and Partner at de Risk Partners, where she helps credit unions and community banks design exam-ready compliance programs that scale with innovation. 

David has been helping companies and their employees reach their financial goals for almost 20 years now and believes financial success does not happen by accident, rather it is the combination of hard work, discipline, knowledge, and execution. He has his Financial Planning degree from Baylor University, where he was also played on the football team as a free safety. After starting his career in banking and finance in 2003, David decided that he wanted to play a bigger role in his client’s financial success and became a financial planner in 2008. The highlight of that time was working with USAA’s high-net-worth clients that served our country. In 2013 he was asked to help hire, train, and develop the next generation of financial advisors with Principal Financial Group as a Managing Director. After being among the top in nation three years in a row for recruiting and running the advance planning executive benefits for the Dallas office, David realized he missed working on a personal level with his clients and decided to focus on his client’s business and financial success, which lead him to open his own planning and consulting firm, Ten Talents Wealth Management. The firm’s focus is on business owners, corporate benefits, business succession strategies, tax and estate planning strategies, risk management, and wealth management services.

In 2017, after working with multiple credit unions to redesign their retirement plans and executive benefits, David started Credit Union Benefit to focus on the unique challenges the credit union executive and boards face each day. In partnership with the NCUA, David designed Total Benefit Prefunding, that allows credit unions to fully pay for their employee benefit cost without impacting their bottom line.

As part of his dedication to continual improvement, both professionally and personally, David has also earned his MBA and MSA with a focus in tax to help better serve his clients. He also earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS), and his Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) designation. Additionally, David holds his Series 7, 22, 24, 51, 63, and 65. David has also served on the Board of the Society of Financial Service Professional and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

When David isn’t working with his clients, you will find him spending time with his wife and four amazing children. David also serves in the children’s ministry at Watermark and has previously served in their financial guidance ministry Moneywise and job seeking ministry Careers in Motion. In his spare time, which isn’t much, he enjoys shooting the highest score in golf, using his math skills in Texas Hold’em tournaments, and getting away to the mountains to ski. 

At the helm of Pure IT Credit Union Services and Janusea, Inc., Jack focuses on pioneering IT solutions tailored to Credit Union challenges. His team excels in identifying and bridging infrastructure gaps, ensuring our clients are equipped with robust and secure systems. With an emphasis on transparent communication, we guide Credit Unions through potential improvements and strategic investments.

As a CRO, I apply my acumen in business strategy and sales management to drive forward innovative service models and operational best practices. Our mission is to empower the Credit Union community through cutting-edge, cost-effective IT services. The goal is to create a lasting impact in the marketplace and contribute positively to society by serving the unique needs of our clients.

John Wingate is a visionary entrepreneur, technologist, best-selling author, and the CEO of BankSocial, a leading fintech platform pioneering decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions for traditional financial institutions. With a career rooted at the convergence of blockchain, AI, and cooperative finance, John has built infrastructure that empowers credit unions and banks to deliver secure, user-controlled financial experiences.

He is the author of the best-selling book Quantularity: A Quantum Framework for the Human Experience, a groundbreaking exploration of how humanity’s future lies not in merging into a single AI consciousness, but in expanding across dimensions through interconnected intelligence, quantum systems, and cooperative value frameworks. The book has been widely recognized for reimagining the intersection of technology, consciousness, and economics, inspiring readers from futurists to financial leaders.

John is a driving force behind the integration of Artificial intelligence, digital finance, decentralized recovery systems, and real-time fraud prevention tools across all traditional and DeFi rails. A frequent speaker at global forums—including the World Economic Forum in Davos—he champions the role of open finance and next-generation trust frameworks in reshaping the financial landscape.

He has collaborated on initiatives at top universities around the world—Harvard, MIT, and King’s College—supporting emerging fintech innovation through the Converge Accelerator.

Mark Zook began his career at Maps Credit Union in 1992 and now serves as President and CEO. In addition to leading Maps Credit Union, he is the CEO of Unified Solutions, overseeing a portfolio of five diverse companies. Zook’s commitment to community and education is evident through his service on the Salem Health Board of Trustees, Western Oregon University Board of Trustees, and the Maps Community Foundation.

His academic achievements reflect a dedication to lifelong learning. Zook holds an MBA from Southern Oregon University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Oregon University. Further enhancing his expertise, he completed the BAI/Emory University Graduate School of Executive Bank Management in Atlanta, Georgia.

He also serves on the Trellance Board of Directors and the NACUSO Business Services Board.