Credit Unions, Coffee & Conversations: Recent Episodes
MCUL
Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation with MCUL CEO Patty Corkery is a traveling podcast around the state of Michigan to have casual conversations with credit union leaders. This series focuses on giving both MCUL and listeners a chance to learn more about leaders of the Michigan's credit union community, their professional journey within it and what it means to be a strong leader
This episode, Patty Corkery is joined by Mark Weber, CEO of Strum, and Kaye Chervenak, Chief Marketing Officer of Navari, to discuss the strategy, research and people-first mindset behind Navari’s recent rebrand. The conversation explores what makes a strong brand, why culture and brand go hand in hand and how organizations can use transformation as an opportunity to better serve their clients.
This episode, Patty Corkery talks with Kim Becking, founder of Unstoppable Momentum, about leading through uncertainty and building resilience with both grit and grace. Drawing from her personal experiences and leadership work, Becking shares practical strategies for adapting to change and focusing on what matters most.
In this episode, Patty Corkery sits down with Matt Dicou, co-founder and CEO of Reset, to talk fintech innovation and explore how earned wage access is reshaping financial flexibility for credit union members.
In this episode, Patty Corkery sits down with Julie Leonard, President and CEO of Lake Michigan Credit Union, to talk about leadership, authenticity and purpose.
In this special episode, Patty Corkery welcomes Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for a conversation on leadership, advice for young professionals, financial literacy and the role policy plays in supporting Michigan’s workforce and communities.
In this episode, Patty Corkery is joined by Humanidei President & CEO Jill Nowacki to talk about leadership, career transitions and why curiosity is a leadership advantage.
In this episode, Patty Corkery is joined by America’s Credit Unions President & CEO Scott Simpson for a conversation on leadership, a preview of the 2026 GAC and the responsibility credit unions have to show up and tell their story in Washington.
In this special holiday episode of Credit Unions, Coffee & Conversation, we’re revisiting some of the most thoughtful reflections on leadership from across the podcast. These voices — both seasoned executives and rising young professionals — share unique perspectives on what it means to lead with purpose, vision and authenticity.
Featured voices (in order):
- Deleanna Allen
- Mike Reuter
- John Ballantyne
- Kate Hall
- Lamont Black
- Dylan Bloniarz
- Cathie Mahon
- Josh Herman
- Jeff Rendel
- Julia (Patty's daughter)
- Tiffany Ford
- Sati Smith
Whether you're revisiting familiar voices or hearing these insights for the first time, we hope they inspire and energize your leadership journey heading into the new year.
This episode, Patty Corkery sits down with Karen Browne, CEO of TBA Credit Union, to talk about leadership, the success of TBA's student-run credit unions and why staying grounded in purpose is key to long-term success.
This episode, Patty Corkery chats with Dr. Lamont Black — finance professor and founder of Wide Open Ventures — about how emerging technologies like AI and the stablecoin are shaping the future of finance, and how credit unions fit in.
This episode, Patty Corkery talks with Pankaj “PK” Kulshreshtha, CEO of Scienaptic, about how AI is transforming credit union lending. PK shares insights on responsible AI, empowering lenders with better data and how credit unions can use technology to expand access to credit while protecting members.
This episode, Patty Corkery sits down with John Ballantyne, Founder and CEO of Tru Treasury, to unpack what treasury management really means and how credit unions are stepping up to serve the business community. From Tru Treasury’s origin story to its recognition as 2025 CUSO of the Year, John shares how collaboration and clarity are reshaping the way credit unions support their business members.
This episode, Patty Corkery welcomes Jeff Rendel, President of Rising Above Enterprises, and Paul Marston, COO of Performance Solutions. The conversation centers on what makes credit union leadership effective in today’s environment, as well as a preview of CUSG's upcoming Leadership Forum.
This episode, Patty Corkery chats with Dylan Bloniarz, AVP, Director of Marketing at Embers Credit Union. A lifelong credit union professional, Dylan shares his journey through the movement and how he’s helping Embers stand out with bold, creative marketing that speaks to Gen Z and stays true to the credit union mission.
This episode, Inclusiv CEO Cathie Mahon joins Patty Corkery to talk about why inclusion needs to be more than just a buzzword and how credit unions rooted in their communities are uniquely positioned to close financial access gaps and deliver impact where it’s needed most.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest Jeffrey Kusler, CEO, Journey Federal Credit Union. Kusler talks about what drew him to the credit union mission, the importance of member service and why it’s vital to develop and empower staff — especially in a time of rapid change and increasing demands on credit unions.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features Julia, Patty's daughter! Patty talks with Julia about her generation's perspective on finances and banking, why and how she loves to travel and much more.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest John Kutchey, Eastern Regional Director, NCUA. Kutchey talks with MCUL CEO Patty Corkery about following his passion over money, what he’s seeing with mergers recently and how the NCUA is supporting credit unions amidst an evolving landscape.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest Carrie Hunt, Chief Advocacy Officer, America’s Credit Unions. She talks with MCUL CEO Patty Corkery ahead of the 2025 GAC about their shared history with financial services law and leading a credit union league, as well as each's idea about what the credit union movement may look like five years down the road.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest Josh Herman, CEO of CU WealthNext, who talks about how he got into credit union land, his time as an examiner and developing partnerships that will have generational impacts.
In this special holiday message, Patty extends warm wishes to the Michigan credit union community. Reflecting on the year’s achievements, Patty expresses gratitude for the dedication and resilience demonstrated by credit union leaders and members and shares her excitement for the upcoming year.
The latest episode features guest Kate Hall, VP of Strategic Management, Monroe Community Credit Union. She talks with MCUL CEO Patty Corkery about how she conquered her public speaking fears, her perspective on how young professionals can make the most of their opportunities in the movement and much more.
Patty Corkery talks with MSUFCU CEO April Clobes live, on stage at the 2024 MCUL Executive Summit, about how she navigates current industry trends. They discuss the fintech space, branch expansion, member growth and hiring practices.
The latest episode features guest Mike Reuter, president of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions.
One month away from International Credit Union (ICU) Day 2024, Oct. 17, Reuter talks about what exactly ICU Day is, how credit unions fit into a global community and how they can continue to impact the movement on a global level.
The theme of this year’s ICU Day is “One World Through Cooperative Finance.” Credit unions can share their passion for the movement, as well as how they’re impact communities on social media using #ICUDay2024.
For more ways that you can participate, including ordering one of the pins that Reuter mentions during the episode, visit here.
The latest episode of Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation features guest Deleanna Allen, marketing manager of Public Service Credit Union. MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Allen about growing within the credit union, DEI and what inclusion looks like, leadership must-haves and more.
To read more from Corkery and Allen on this interview, check out this co-authored piece on CUInsight.com.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features Kristine Brenner, CEO of Monroe Community Credit Union, who talks about the evolution of what strong leadership looks like, how to provide opportunities for the next generation of leaders and the importance of being flexible in your career path.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest Mike Lawson for a CUbroadcast takeover! Lawson flips the table on the podcast's format to interview MCUL CEO Patty Corkery about her career journey and an outlook on her impending tenure as joint CEO of MCUL and CUSG.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, puts a new spin on the program. MCUL CEO invited Cornerstone League CEO Caroline Willard for the first episode of Girlfriends, Coffee and Conversation. This format gives Corkery a chance to have a less formal, more casual chat with some of her friends and fellow women in the credit union industry.
For the inaugural episode, Corkery and Willard talk about what traveling means to them, how they cut through the small talk at large events and how they strike their own work-life balance. The two also get candid about their upbringings and how they’ve worked throughout their life to develop confidence.
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features guest Tiffany Ford, CEO of University of Michigan Credit Union (UMCU), who talks about how great mentors have shaped her leadership, maintaining relevance through internal talent development, building through technology and more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with CUSG CEO Dave Adams to look back, on the eve of his retirement, at his career in the credit union industry.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Sati Smith, CEO of Diversified Members Credit Union, about her recent appointment as CEO, how she grew through the ranks of the credit union movement and how she meets each member where they are through financial coaching.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Barbara Mojica, Executive Director of National Association of Latino Credit Unions & Professionals (NLCUP), about her journey growing up in America as a young immigrant, how she became a passionate credit union advocate and the importance of mentorship.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with One Detroit Credit Union Chief Experience Officer Portia Powell about how a small credit union can fuel big community impact, how to network when you're new to an industry and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with League InfoSight CEO Glory LeDu about what's on the regulators' agendas and how the League InfoSight goes about understanding current compliance issues, such as fraud, to best help credit unions navigate these trends.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with NACUSO CEO Ronaldo Hardy about his new leadership role, finding your passion and the sacrifices it takes to accomplish your goals.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with two human resources (HR) professionals, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) Chief HR Officer Silvia Dimma and Performance Solutions COO Paul Marston, about the latest trends in the HR space, including retention, culture, what’s really causing burnout and more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with CUNA President & CEO Jim Nussle about the ongoing vote for a joint national credit union association, the difference between politics and advocacy, as well as some in-depth ins and outs on some current critical points of advocacy.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Element 22 CEO Kenneth Leonard about the many ways this Portage-based CUSO that provides customized commercial lending solutions can help credit unions with business lending, as well as the general state of business lending and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Filene Research Institute CEO Mark Meyer about what he describes as a “boutique credit union university.” They discuss what kind of research Filene is doing, how they’re doing it and the purpose behind it.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with two guests from the CU4Kids Board, Board Chair John Bratsakis and Board Member Caroline Willard, about credit union fundraising, what it means to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network, as well as the story behind CU4Kids ahead of the Michigan-hosted In the Cellar fundraiser.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Public Service CEO and MCUL Board Chair Dean Trudeau about the impact one person can have in advocacy, leading collaboratively and many other observations built on his 26 years as CEO.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Harbor Light Credit Union Contact Center Representative Caitlin Blankenship about why the credit union industry was the right place for her, the benefits of being a part of the FUEL MI group, how to be a great leader in any position and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Illinois Credit Union League CEO Tom Kane and MCUL Advocacy Engagement Coordinator Maria Moore about the tradition of CU Kind Day, what it means for the greater CU community and how you can get involved this year.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with CRIF Select President Jeremy Engbrecht about all things auto lending, including indirect lending programs, delinquency and inventory and more that is sure to pique the interest of lenders and listeners curious about the state of auto lending.
For this episode of Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, MCUL CEO Patty Corkery hands over the reins to the League’s media and publications editor, Shawn Glinis, who spoke with a handful of young professionals from the FUELmi group during this month’s Annual Convention & Exposition.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with World Council of Credit Unions CEO Elissa McCarter LaBorde & Chair Diana Dykstra to get a global perspective on the credit union industry, a preview of the 2023 World Credit Union Conference and much more.
In this special episode of our podcast, we're giving an exclusive preview of our most highly anticipated event, Annual Convention and Exhibition. Join us as we offer a sneak peek into what's in store for this year's gathering.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Limestone Federal Credit Union’s CEO Jennifer Watson and COO Alyssa Swanson about the logistics of micro-branches, working with students on joint ventures, serving members during rising rates and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Mimi Elwell, vice chairperson of the Honor Credit Union Board of Directors, in the first episode about being a board member. And who better to do it with than the first recipient of MCUL’s new award, Board Member of the Year. They discuss what it means to be an engaged board member and how to get involved with a board, as well as Elwell’s personal journey.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with LAFCU Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Diversity Officer Kelli Ellsworth Etchison about marketing in today’s world, where credit unions are at with DEI and how this work is personal for LAFCU’s chief marketing officer.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with BlueOx CEO Steve Cobb about what it means to be a "servant leader,” navigating the recent SVB collapse as a leader, how to retain talent and more.
With this episode, the podcast celebrates Women's History Month, featuring credit union leaders from around the country sharing stories about a woman who has inspired them throughout their careers. Thank you to all who contributed.
Chrissy Siders | True Community Credit Union
Diane Abbonizio | United Bay Community Credit Union
Renee Sattiewhite | AACUC
Patty Corkery | MCUL
Ginger Leach | Community West Credit Union
Carrie Iafrate | Members First Credit Union
Jenny Hoyle | Isabella Community Credit Union
Lisa Gray | Dow Credit Union
Dave Adams | CUSG
Stephanie A. Young | Michigan State Rep - District 16
Brain Knight | NSACUS
Shellee Mitchell | Sapphire Dimensions
Tracie Kenyon | Montana's Credit Unions
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with 4Front CEO Andy Kempf about what the branch of the future looks like, the challenges of technology in our currency financial services landscape, working with young professionals and more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Neighborhood Mortgage Solutions CEO Jamie York about CUSOs, culture development, navigating dropping and spiking mortgage rates as a lender and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with NCUA Chairman Todd Harper about his 10-plus years with the Administration, his Midwestern roots, what motivates him everyday and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with newly minted CEO of PFCU, Michele Makley, about her history in the credit union movement, how she’s approaching the first year as CEO and the importance of enjoying what you’re doing, right now.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Advia Credit Union Community Development Officer Alex Minor about carving out her own career in the industry, what she learned from the payday lending industry, being active in the FUEL YP group and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with United Bay Community Credit Union CEO Diane Abbonizio about coming back to Michigan to lead United Bay, as well as all the challenges and rewards of heading a small-asset credit union.
Our Special Holiday Edition: we did things a little bit differently for this episode. Hear from the team at MCUL about their favorite holiday traditions, gifts, meals, movies and the memories that make this time of year special.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with a couple guests from Team One Credit Union, CEO Gerald Hutto and President Derrick Barber, about Hutto’s career as a collaborative leader always looking to evolve the credit union, leaving it in a great place for Barber to step in and take the reins.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Chaz Rzewnicki, CEO of Vibe Credit Union, about his journey in the industry that started at age 16 and how to maintain sharp leadership skills over the years, as well as current industry issues, such as liquidity, rising interest rates and expenses.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Kris Lewis, CEO of both Allegan Credit Union and Rivertown Community Federal Credit Union, about his journey from teller to CEO and how he’s currently managing a merger.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Carrie Iafrate, CEO of members First Credit Union, about her first year as CEO, how she’s building a strong culture of collaboration, leadership and across-the-board growth.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Brian Waldron, CEO of Dort Financial Credit Union, about his first six months as CEO, how he’s grown as a dynamic leader and his perspective of the brick-and-mortar credit union branch.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Jill Johnson, chief revenue and lending officer of Community Financial Credit Union, who brings her expertise to talk about lending and borrowing in the current economic landscape.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Michael Poulos, CEO of Michigan First Credit Union, on the eve of his retirement. The two reflect on his 22 years as CEO, discussing lessons learned, challenges faced and advancements made, before looking ahead at retirement plans.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Tansley Sterns, the new CEO of Community Financial Credit Union, about student-run branches, how to rise in the industry, what credit union members are looking for and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Allan McMorris, CEO of Vibe Credit Union, about his 35 years of credit union experience. Among other topics, they discuss leadership at a young age, the importance of mentors, industry challenges around fintech and workplace culture and much more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Bill Lawton, CEO of Community Financial Credit Union, on the eve of his retirement from the credit union. Among other things, they discussed his history in the credit union movement, serving a community during difficult times, growing from your mistakes and many other lessons he’s learned along the way.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with fellow league leader, Juan E. Fernandez Ceballos, President/CEO of Credit Union Association of New Mexico. The two use Pride Month as an opportunity to discuss the association’s LGBTQ+ initiatives, how the New Mexico credit union movement served its communities during the pandemic and the collaborative opportunities of the industry as a whole.
CUANM - Employee Resource Groups
https://www.cuanm.com/employee-resource-groups/
Patty sits down with credit union collaborator Shellee Mitchell and talks about diversity, being a minority woman in the industry and how mentorship programs like the one founded by Shellee can help lift up and shine a light on commonalities between women of different backgrounds. Listen in as Shellee describes the painful journey that led her to create the program and how she hopes it will make a difference.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Cheryl DeBoer, CEO of Advia Credit Union, about her 18 years of service as the credit union’s leader before she heads into retirement, as well as some other topics: Advia’s new facility, the current evolution of non-interest credit union income and more.
**MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Andre Vygnanski, President/CEO of Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan Federal Credit Union, about how the current crisis is impacting his community, as well as his personal story of emigrating to the U.S., becoming a credit union leader and more.
Visit MCUL.org for more information about the crisis in Ukraine and how you can help provide support through the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund**.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Karen Church, recently retired CEO of ELGA Credit Union, about her 45 years of service — how she developed her leadership skills, the many challenges along the way and how ELGA grew to such an impact-making credit union in its community.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Heather Luciani, CSO of Honor Credit Union and Board Chair of MCUL, about her work as CEO with Marshall Community Credit Union, her transition to Honor, engaging a team with DEI initiatives and more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery chats with One Detroit Credit Union CEO Hank Hubbard, who shares his insights on the CDFI process, niche products and services available to small credit unions, finding grant funding and more.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Bill Beardsley, President/CEO of Michigan Business Connection. The two discuss the power of CUSOs in the Michigan credit union movement, the current lending landscape and professional development.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Kyle Gurzynski, EVP of Safe Harbor and 2021 MCUL Young Professional of the Year, about the current environment of a small-asset credit union, his enthusiasm about young professional development and what current executives can do to help usher in the next generation of industry leaders.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Attorney General Dana Nessel, a lifelong Michigander that has been in office for nearly three years. Before becoming Attorney General, Nessel garnered a reputation as a lawyer who fought for civil rights issues. Among other things, they discuss her professional journey, coming into office right before a pandemic and issues she and credit unions have successfully collaborated on.
Upcoming Events:
NCUA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit:
https://www.ncua.gov/news/events-calendar/dei-summit-2021
CUNA GAC Registration:
https://www.mcul.org/cuna-gac
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Chrissy Siders, CEO of Jackson-based TRUE Community, a $680M-in-assets credit union, about coming up through the industry through compliance, experiencing a name change, charter conversion and merger, alongside covid, over the past year, as well as how TRUE Community “cultivates legacy-defining moments.”
The latest episode of MCUL’s podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, features MSU Federal Credit Union CEO April Clobes.
When Clobes started at the Lansing-based, $6.26B-in-assets credit union, there were less than 100 employees, which has grown since to nearly 1,000. Those employees serve 311,000 members across 24 branches in the Lansing area.
MCUL CEO Patty Corkery talks with Clobes about women leadership in the industry, how MSUFCU has been making a difference throughout generations and much more, including a positive spin on credit union life during COVID-19.
Women in Investing: https://www.mcul.org/go.php?bid=1237
MCUL Awards: https://www.mcul.org/awards
Patty talks with Jeff Benson, CEO of CASE Credit Union, a $380M-in-assets credit union based in Lansing. The Lansing native, who has been CEO of the 46,000-member credit union for more than a decade, discussed branch evolution, mergers, remote work, the next generation of CU leaders and much more.
The latest guest on my podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, is Connie Toensing, President/CEO of Chippewa County Credit Union in Sault Ste. Marie.
Connie has been with the almost 38-million-asset credit union for more than three decades - the last 24 as CEO - and has truly grown alongside the organization. We discussed running a small credit union in Northern Michigan, some of their biggest hurdles and the specific benefits of being a part of the Michigan credit union movement.
Michigan Legacy Credit Union, headquartered in Wyandotte, has been serving community members since 1946. The credit union has assets totaling more than $260 million and provides services to more than 23,000 members.
President and CEO Carma Peters, who also serves as the Secretary and Treasurer for the MCUL Board, led the credit union to a 2021 MCUL Innovation Award due to her commitment to finding inventive ways to meet members where they are now, and where they will be in the future.
Introducing MCUL's new podcast series, Credit Unions, Coffee and Conversation, where MCUL CEO Patty Corkery will be traveling around the state to do just what the title says: have casual conversations with credit union leaders.
The purpose of this series is to help us, both MCUL and listeners of the series, to better get to know members of the Michigan credit union community.
Patty's first guest is Christian Financial Credit Union CEO Patty Campbell. She was able to sit down with Patty in the credit union’s new administration office in Sterling Heights to see how things are going.
Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, FPCU serves over 55,000 members through its branch network and digital banking channels. Brad works with the credit union team and its Board of Directors to continue its mission of delivering trusted, technologically forward, and easily-accessible financial services to the communities it serves. Prior to returning home to Michigan, the Monroe native most recently served as Vice President and General Counsel of Illinois-based Baxter Credit Union.
Brad holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Western Michigan University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law, and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.