Power Up Registration Now Open: Attention credit union all-stars! (That's you!) Join us for some fun and games — and a lot of learning and networking — at this year’s Power Up Conference & Expo May 22-23 in Helena!

We'll kick things off with two fundraisers benefiting MCUCD on Wednesday followed by registration and vendor expo. Thursday is full of education sessions with an excellent lineup of speakers, MCU’s 87th Annual Business Meeting, and an Awards Dinner.

Register yourself, staff, and volunteers before May 8!

A Direct Line: Sharing is caring, and the sharing of great tools and resources is one of the credit union industry's greatest benefits. Learn more in the latest blog, then share it with others.

Consumer Blog: This week, we outlined five ways credit unions are good for their communities. Why limit the list to five, though? What suggestions do you have that we can include next time?

Young Professionals Professional Development: The HYPE community is inviting you to join their first professional development call of the year at 11:00 AM on February 5. (That's Monday for anyone else still in denial that today is already February 2. 🙋‍♀️🙋) Carlos Joaquin, Employee Development Manager at Rocky Mountain CU, will discuss how bullet journaling helps with productivity, organization, and intentionality.

Just a reminder that the HYPE community is open to anyone 40ish or younger who wants to learn and network with other young professionals in the industry. Sound like you? Let Kelsey know!

Over the next few weeks, we'll share elements from our 2023 Impact Report. Here's a look at Montana Credit Unions for Community Development (MCUCD) by the numbers in 2023:

• $20,524 was raised through personal giving, donations, and fundraising events.
• 20 professionals obtained CCUFC designation through the FiCEP program.
• 75+ participants from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality attended* financial wellness classes presented by CCUFC designees.
• $24,500 was distributed through the MT WINcentive program.
• 1003 members at 7 participating credit unions saved $861,809 in their WINcentive accounts.

The Definitive Guide to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Business continuity and disaster recovery are critical for credit unions to continue serving their members and communities. Download this guide by Agility Recovery to learn about:

• The safety of your financial institution
• How to assemble a disaster recovery team
• How to create a disaster recovery plan
• Testing, fine-tuning, and retesting your disaster recovery plan
• What to include in a go-bag
• Regulatory compliance

Artificial Intelligence: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: As ChatGPT and other AI tools become more easily accessible, many organizations have begun to explore how to effectively integrate them into their workflows. However, many executives are still a bit cautious about the technology — with good reason. Join TruStage’s experienced risk consultants for a one-hour webinar at noon on February 14 as they share what’s working well with AI along with some potential risks and threats that have already materialized. Can’t attend? Sign up to receive an email link to the recording.

In recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Clearwater CU is sponsoring a free pregame clinic (ages 4-13) and a game day experience (ages 7-13) on February 10 in conjunction with the UofM women's basketball game. Participants will learn sport-specific skills and meet some of their favorite Lady Griz student-athletes. What a fun experience making the #CUDifference!

From Left: Sharon Small (The Morning Star FCU) and Maria Valandra (Clearwater CU) shared their "Cooperatives Impact Highlight Story."

Gerry contributed to the “Cooperation Across the Cooperative Community" panel.

Principle Six: Cooperation among Cooperatives: I had the privilege of meeting with our cooperative colleagues from across the state this week for the Montana Council of Cooperatives (MCOC) annual meeting in Great Falls. I participated in a panel with cooperative leaders from ag, telephone, housing, and electric coops along with Tracy McIntyre, the leader of MCOC. We discussed common challenges and opportunities facing our cooperatives across the state, and we explored ways toward great collaboration. Doug O’Brien from the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) facilitated a robust policy discussion with the group, identifying several key policy initiatives for us to explore at the state and national levels.

Credit unions were prominent throughout the event. Eighteen credit unions across the state (including the league) are members of MCOC, and we participate in discussions, roundtables, and committees to ensure the cooperative voice is heard. (A few instances are shown above.)

More than 160 cooperatives across the state serve Montanans, and I am so proud of the work of our credit unions with members and communities, making a real, meaningful difference in people's lives. We have many opportunities to collaborate with other cooperatives in community support, cooperative education, and advocacy, along with issues that face all of us: housing, childcare, employment, et al.

One of the highlights of my time in Great Falls this week was connecting with Steve King, retired CEO of Montana Credit Union. Steve is beloved across the state, and I was grateful for the chance to talk about family, community, and credit unions! We discovered that we have a lot in common, and I really appreciate his wisdom and support. He will forever champion credit unions across the state.

Stay tuned for future updates on what cooperatives are doing across the state and how you can get involved. If you are not currently a member of MCOC, consider joining us. We are part of a larger cooperative family with a common purpose and framework to serve our members and communities.

Cooperatively, Gerry