CU*Answers Co-Hosts ‘Underground Collision,”
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. –CU*Answers co-hosted the Underground Collision meeting here alongside staff at Mitchell, Stankovic and Associates, a consulting firm that works with non-profits, including redit unions, to build strategic partnerships.
During the exclusive event, CU*Answers CEO Randy Karnes and other industry experts discussed challenging issues, pushing for real action to create radical change within the credit union industry.
Karnes spoke alongside Sarah Canepa Bang, EVP, CO-OP Financial Services, and Kathryn Davis, CEO, BALANCE, on “Innovation versus ‘Only if I Win’ Collaboration.” The topic covered challenges facing collaboration, suggesting that collaborating credit unions often care more about their
own return than what’s good for the industry as a whole. Karnes disagreed with the notion that collaboration and self-interest are mutually exclusive saying: “Collaboration is a business, not a social mission. If we could teach and talk more about the business designs of cooperatives we might be better operators and collaborators.”
Other topics included “Big Getting Bigger, Small CUs Might Be the Giants,” “Celebration, Disruption or Extinction,” and a quick fire session covering member engagement, mergers, marijuana, and more.
CUToday.info’s Frank J. Diekmann was among those speaking to the meeting.