Enroll now in the Southwest CUNA Management 2019 summer session

Investing in professional development pays it forward for credit unions and their communities.

The Southwest CUNA Management School furthers professional development, helps strategically position credit unions, and creates networks that last a lifetime. SCMS is recognized in the credit union movement for innovative, intense, hands-on professional development.

During this three-year program, students have a prime opportunity to do what credit unions do best - share ideas, exchange processes, and learn from each other. This program also enhances leadership skills, fosters forward thinking, and guides students through the development of a real-life strategic plan for their credit unions.

For two recent graduates, SCMS not only gave them invaluable experience, it also helped them carry new initiates forward into their credit unions and their communities.

• Nathan Gillen, SCMS Class of 2017, works as the vice president of Member Experiences at WEOKIE Federal Credit Union in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. WEOKIE FCU has more than $1 billion in assets and over 55,000 members After a successful member survey and beta period, the new WE Care program launched April 5. In the first 12 days of its 90-day promotional launch, WEOKIE FCU opened 148 new accounts.

Gillen developed this innovative, out-of-the box program as part of his SCMS strategic business plan. It brings together the health and financial well-being of members. When members open a WE Care high-yield savings account, they receive two virtual visits per calendar year with Norman Regional Health System. These visits are reimbursed when members use their WEOKIE debit cards.

In building the rationale for this program, Gillen said, “If the nation’s credit unions were to differentiate by incorporating healthcare into their offering streams, one in three individuals would automatically have more healthcare options simply because they were a credit union member. This would be a people helping people solution, executing outside the confines of expected, obligatory channels. Furthermore, because the International Credit Union Operating Principles suggest that credit unions aren’t only in existence to serve their members but to also provide services to the communities in which they serve, there is no reason why credit unions, including WEOKIE, cannot develop a strategy that also impacts non-members, and in the long run offers solutions that make a widespread impact.”

• Eugenia Dupler, SCMS Class of 2018, works as the CEO of the Cochran County Schools Federal Credit Union. Cochran County Schools FCU has assets of about $5.8 million, close to 800 members, and three staff members.

As part of her strategic plan, Dupler wanted to bring financial literacy resources to her local communities. She achieved this by hosting reality fairs and sending her staff through financial counseling certification training. She was able to conduct three reality fairs in a short time frame for Morton Independent School District and Whiteface Consolidated Independent School District (inside the credit union’s membership field) and for the Whitharral Independent School District, which is outside the field of membership.

According to Dupler, “We had a blast listening to the kids as they went through the fair and realizing what was ahead of them. Morton ISD was able to provide several teachers to help us as volunteers, and they were amazing. They would coax the kids just like a salesman would. Cindy Chapman our board president is the math teacher at Whitharral and was able to get parents and teachers to be our volunteers. They all loved it and are willing to let us come back next year.”

She added, “SCMS is a tough three years trying to manage a credit union and do all the homework. I was the first from our credit union to ever attend SCMS, and it has been great for our credit union and gave me the confidence I needed to do my job. The connections I made with classmates cannot compare to just meeting someone at a conference. These are lifetime connections.”

Enrollment is open for the 2019 summer session. First-year applications close when enrollment reaches 55 students. Complete an admission application to join the SCMS Class of 2021.

For more information, contact Janine McBee, CUDE, CMM, Experiences & Events director at 800-442-5762, ext. 6634 or 469-385-6634.