Live event coverage: DCUC Annual Conference – Empathy, advocacy, and a vision for the future
The Defense Credit Union Council’s (DCUC) 2024 Annual Conference is in full swing this week. Held in St. Petersburg for 2024, this trade association event is themed around advocacy and leadership, aiming to strengthen credit unions serving the military community.
Missing the event in person? Here are our key takeaways from opening day so far:
- Empathetic leadership: Col. DeDe Halfhill (USAF, Ret.) delivered the opening keynote. She drove home the importance of empathy and connection in leadership during the session, emphasizing their power to transform challenges into opportunities. “If we are going to be successful in addressing these challenges today and tomorrow, it is with our ability to connect,” Halfhill expressed. “Leaders who are skilled at it have an advantage today but make no mistake, it will be imperative tomorrow.”
- Confronting fears: Halfhill also tackled the fear of irrelevance, particularly regarding AI, urging leaders to engage in open dialogue and management of evolving trends.
- Redefining advocacy: DCUC President & CEO Tony Hernandez spoke on DCUC-Next, a strategic initiative to re-imagine the Council’s advocacy efforts. DCUC aims to provide an alternative voice in the industry by broadening its role, effectively representing the unique needs of defense credit unions. “We need to roll up our sleeve and continue to remind people in Washington on both sides about why they love credit unions,” remarked John McKechnie, a governmental affairs consultant.
- Protecting the future: DCUC’s Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak discusses why DCUC maintains its opposition to Senator Warren’s American Housing and Economic Mobility bill, which it argues could negatively impact credit unions’ ability to serve their members.
- Giving back: DCUC’s annual golf tournament raised $1,370 for USA CARES, reaffirming DCUC’s commitment to supporting the military community. This outing was sponsored by our friends at TruStage.
