DENVER—Noting the list is long, a panel of credit union executives addressed the major issues facing credit unions, pointing out accelerating consolidation and the “relentless” pursuit of scale are at the top.
The group spoke during the second full day of VeleraLIVE annual conference being held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center here.
The panel included Chris Harlan, president and CEO, University of IL Community Credit Union; Jenny Vipperman, president and CEO, ORNL Federal Credit Union; Jim Hayes, president and CEO, State Department Federal Credit Union and Patty Corkery, president and CEO, Michigan Credit Union League and CUSG.
The group noted that macro trends focus on accelerating consolidation and the relentless pursuit of scale, unprecedented advances in technology and payments transformation, changes in consumer behavior, attitudes and expectations, new waves of competition from large-scale incumbents and new entrants and demographic shifts and changes in the future of work. All of those issues, the panel emphasized, are set against regulatory changes and the burden of compliance, cybersecurity and risk management threats. Economic and geopolitical factors must e considered as well.
“All of these trends are those that credit unions are experiencing and facing on a daily basis,” said moderator Mark Sievewright, of Sievewright and Associates.
When discussing how to differentiate credit unions from banks and other competitors, Corkery highlighted leaning into the opportunities that CUSOs can provide.
“CUSOs are a superpower,” she said. “They can help credit unions scale and do things they might not be able to do alone.”
Keynote: No Barriers
World-Class Blind Adventurer Erik Weihenmayer shared how he approaches living a “no barriers” life. Despite losing his vision at age 14, Weihenmayer has continued to live his life to the fullest and help others live theirs to the fullest along the way.
“Forget mountains for a second – life is full of challenges as is,” he said.
Many people can be classified into three groups: quitters, campers and climbers, he said.
“The quitters are self-explanatory,” Weihenmayer said. “Campers are those that start out climbing, but somewhere along the ascent, things get in the way – they might lose belief or feel cynicism toward certain aspects of their lives.”
Climbers, on the other hand, are a rare group: they are the ones that continue to figure out ways to grow, explore and challenge themselves every day until the day they die,” Weihenmayer said.
“How do I climb when it is so much easier to camp?” asked Weihenmayer. “We are all reaching into the darkness, but it is worth it once we get to the top.”
Keynote: Winning Together: A Conversation With Troy Aikman And Emmitt Smith
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and Hall of Fame running back and president and CEO of Emmitt Smith Enterprises Emmitt Smith, sat down with Velera’s Chief Service Officer Dean Young in the closing keynote.
The trio discussed everything from favorite pregame meals to teammates they admired the most and the current state of the Dallas Cowboys, where they both played for more than a decade. The conversation also included predictions for the upcoming NFL draft and 2025 season, as well as what each is up to nowadays.
Young – who emceed the conference – wrapped up general sessions by sharing that Velera will host VeleraLIVE 2026 in Orlando from April 13-15, 2026, as well as other numerous regional in-person meetings, VeleraNOW, throughout fall 2025 in various U.S. cities.
Throughout the afternoon, attendees took advantage of over 12 breakout sessions, covering topics ranging from digital lending to risk management and membership growth, among others. The event concluded with a Closing Party at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, where GRAMMY-nominated band OneRepublic performed.