THIS WEEK'S BLOGS

Consumer Blog: Some of us worked retail during our quarter-life crisis and spent too much money on Ann Taylor clothes because the discount on clothing only applied if we used the store credit card. The moral of the story is that there are consequences to paying for everything on a credit card. Read this week's consumer blog to help educate your younger members on credit card best practices.

A Direct Line: This week's blog has another recommendation for your TBR list. It's a bulletin from the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions on the importance of succession planning for more than just your CEO role. The bulletin states, "It is increasingly important to identify and plan for the potential departure of other key management positions." What strategies will you implement to ensure successful succession planning?

The Future of Deposits: Learn how your credit union can use CNote to learn the following:

• access a source of no-cost deposits
• receive marketing resources to highlight your organization
• impact evaluation support to tell your qualitative and quantitative impact stories

Defense Against Rising Debit Card Fraud: The impact of compromised cards and the resulting fraud can be significant for credit unions and their members. Taking a closer look at trending tactics for collecting card information and using them for fraud attacks helps credit unions take more effective proactive steps to guard against them. Discover how you can protect your credit union and members in this blog from Envisant. Then, help us congratulate Envisant, named the 2024 CUSO of the Year by the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO). Congratulations to our partner!

Ravalli County CU kicked off Credit Union Youth Month with a reality fair at Florence-Carlton High on April 8. Thirteen volunteers — six from RCCU and seven volunteers from local businesses. Forty students had a blast learning about financial education in the real world. This was their sixth reality fair, and they're already planning another for the fall.

The thumbs up — or down — are the students showing how the chance cards on the wheel of life treated them (pictured above). It was very eye-opening for them to realize they need to have a plan for life's unexpected expenses. When asked how his experience was, one student said, "It showed me that I need to start putting money in my savings account today! You never know what will happen in the future."

In addition to the reality fair, the credit union is offering account matches and donating to the Linda Massa Youth Home or Bitterroot CASA.

Said the credit union, "Our goal is to encourage our youth to make a difference in their lives by saving, and that by joining our credit union, they can make a difference by giving back to our community."

That's the #CUDifference during #CUYouthMonth!

The Power of Connection: I’ve had several recent opportunities to see the power of connection in action: sudden leadership changes in an organization, a former colleague losing her mom, a child struggling in sports, a celebration of a major milestone, and a leadership handoff. In each of these moments, I saw people rise to the occasion and meet their colleagues, friends, and family members where they were in their time of need, whether it was a happy or sad occasion. This reminded me of a key element of emotional resiliency, which we talked about in the Personify Leadership Training^® program: Connection.

In this program, we talk about critical skills in being an emotionally resilient leader. One of these skills is connection — having a strong support system. Dr. Brené Brown from the University of Houston describes "connection" this way:

"Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship."

I have several people in my support system with whom I feel this level of connection. I call them my “2 am friends," those people I know will pick up the phone in the middle of the night if I need them. I hope I am that person for others as well. As you head into the weekend, read Dr. Brown’s quote again and reflect on those people in your life —at work, at home, and in your community — who provide this deep level of connection. Take a moment and let them know how much they mean to you and thank them!

My challenge to you? Think about what actions you need to take to be that person for someone else. Our employees, our members, and people in our families and communities are dealing with a lot of heavy things right now. I’m thankful you are there for them in their tough times and in their times of celebration. Helping those in our circles manage stress and become more emotionally resilient is a key role we can play. Together, we help others feel “seen, heard, and valued.”

Cooperatively, Gerry 

"What eclipse?" is what you may have asked a friend after last week's eclipse. Turns out that 80% of you missed the event!