Press

CUNA Announces the 2012 CUNA Financial Management Schools in San Diego, CA

Mark Wolff, CUNA Communications; (202) 508-6764
mwolff@cuna.coop
Amy Nigrelli, CUNA Marketing; (608) 231-4246
anigrelli@cuna.coop

Madison, WI (May 8, 2012) –Registration and school information is now available for the upcoming CUNA Financial Management Schools, taking place this August 12 – 16, 2012 at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, California. For more information and to register, visit training.cuna.org/fms.

The CUNA Financial Management Schools provide credit union managers and CFOs first-hand experience in financially managing a credit union in a learning environment. Through use of the Stanford Bank Game, a software program that simulates the operations of a financial institution, credit union financial management professionals will work through the details and decisions involved in running a financially successful credit union. The simulation provides the feel of real life challenges and scenarios in an environment designed to promote learning, develop on-your-feet thinking, provide feedback and establish solid skills.

Attendees of Parts 1 and 2 will work in a team environment to address the various challenges that arise throughout the simulation as they participate against other teams to gain experience working in a competitive marketplace. Expert speakers, including CUNA economist Steve Rick, will help distill the financial management lessons learned through the simulation and prepare attendees to manage their own credit unions. Part 3 attendees will step away from the simulation to discuss the financial management issues specific to their credit union with advanced financial management professionals and experts.

The CUNA Financial Management Schools are offered in three parts:

CUNA Financial Management School: Part 1: All staff members who are involved in the financial decision-making process at their credit union are encouraged to attend Part 1 to learn how to intelligently manage the financial aspects of their institution. Attendees will get hands-on-experience working with a team through financial scenarios provided by the Stanford Bank Game and listen to guided lectures that will draw out the important lessons to be learned in each simulation.
CUNA Financial Management School: Part 2: Part 2 will be a continuation on the themes and theories discussed in Part 1, with the financial scenarios simulated by the Stanford Bank Game gradually becoming more advanced. The discussed financial theories will move beyond the introductory stages and touch upon high level decision making such as strategic financial forecasting for long-term growth. Past participants include CEOs, CFOs, VPs and other senior management positions.
CUNA Financial Management School: Part 3: Part 3 is designed for advanced financial management professionals and departs from the ALM simulation structure of parts 1 and 2. Part 3 attendees will have the opportunity to work through issues specific to their own credit union in productive discussions with a supportive group of educated peers and industry experts.

“CUNA Financial Management Schools provide a solid foundational management education for credit union financial professionals”, said Brad Covey, Manager of Learning Technologies at CUNA. “By incorporating the Stanford Bank Game simulation into the coursework, it provides the opportunity for students to experience first-hand the financial variables and complexities that are involved with running a successful credit union. Most importantly, CUNA Financial Management Schools offer financial professionals the opportunity to share information, ideas, and solutions with their fellow credit union peers.”

The CUNA CFO Council is offering scholarships of up to $2,500 for qualifying credit unions attending Parts 1, 2 or 3 of the CUNA Financial Management Schools. The deadline to apply is July 9, 2012. More information can be found here.

For more information about the CUNA Financial Management Schools and to register, visit training.cuna.org/fms.

About CUNA
With its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, Credit Union National Association (CUNA) serves 90 percent of America’s 7,400 state and federally chartered credit unions, which are owned by nearly 93 million consumer members. Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives providing affordable financial services to people from all walks of life. For more information about CUNA, visit www.cuna.org or the CUNAverse blog and follow @CUNAverse on Twitter. For more information about credit unions, visit www.aSmarterChoice.org and follow @asmarterchoice on Twitter.