In this episode of Members First Mindset, Dan Daggett and Melanie Munsey sit down with Nate Anderson, President and CEO of Rekindle, and Tony Kitt, CEO of Plexcity, to talk through one of the harder decisions any organization faces: when to stop doing something yourself and trust a partner to handle it. Both guests have built businesses around that question, and Credit Unions First answers it from personal experience, having handed off HR, payroll, and fractional CFO functions to Plexcity. The conversation gets into how both organizations were built, where the shared services model works and where it breaks down, and why CUSOs are as much a fit for this model as credit unions and leagues.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The founding of Rekindle (formerly rkGoBig) by six Pennsylvania-area credit unions in 2014 and how shared services, shared contracting, and shared knowledge form a "rekindle cell"
• The three core services Rekindle delivers: compliance, cards back office, and ACH and share draft exceptions
• Why shared services tend to work best for credit unions under approximately $500 million in assets, and what shifts above that threshold
• The founding of Plexcity in 2015 out of the league system, and how the model grew from three leagues to approximately 60 organizations sharing pieces of their back office
• How Plexcity helped leagues reduce operational risk, lower costs, and access talent that would have been out of reach as standalone organizations
• Why shared services aren't just for credit unions and leagues; CUSOs need them too
• Credit Unions First's own experience transitioning HR/payroll and fractional CFO services to Plexcity
• What prompted Nate Anderson to join the Credit Unions First advisory board
• Other shared service organizations in the movement: Xtend, OTS, S3, MSS

On This Episode:

• Dan Daggett - Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Credit Unions First
• Melanie Munsey - CEO & Co-Founder, Credit Unions First
• Nate Anderson - President & CEO, Rekindle
• Tony Kitt - CEO, Plexcity

For more information about Credit Unions First, visit creditunionsfirst.org.

To learn more about Rekindle, visit rekindlecuso.org. To connect with Plexcity, visit plexcity.org or email tony.kitt@plexcity.org.

In this special episode of Members First Mindset, Joshua Barclay (host of Grow Your Credit Union) takes over hosting duties to dive deep into Credit Unions First — the CUSO behind the podcast. Joshua sits down with Dan Daggett, Melanie Munsey, and Emily Jorgensen to illuminate what Credit Unions First does, their mission, and the problems they're solving for credit unions.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The history of credit union insurance alternatives and how Credit Unions First is recreating that model

• Why 80-90% of credit unions use force-placed insurance without knowing blanket lender single interest products exist

• The hidden costs of force-placed policies: adding $6,000+ to struggling members' loans and driving 75-80% of repossessions

• AMOCO Federal Credit Union's results: receiving 78 cents back on every premium dollar vs. 51-52 cents with force-placed

• How the Navigator platform gives credit unions real-time visibility into their insurance programs

• The roadmap: collateral protection insurance, vehicle service contracts, accidental death & dismemberment, and GAP products

• Why Emily Jorgensen was sent to the Credit Union Museum as part of her onboarding

• Building an advisory board and surrounding yourself with people smarter than you

• The "easy button" trap and why credit unions need to do the hard work for members

On This Episode:

• Dan Daggett - Co-Founder, Credit Unions First

• Melanie Munsey - CEO & Co-Founder, Credit Unions First

• Emily Jorgensen - Director of Operations and Training, Credit Unions First

• Joshua Barclay - Host, Grow Your Credit Union

For more information about Credit Unions First, visit creditunionsfirst.org. Check out their interactive CPI calculator and vehicle service contract calculator to see how much money your credit union could be keeping.

Join Dan Daggett and Melanie Munsey as they sit down with Tansley Stearns, CEO of Community Financial Credit Union and recent inductee into the Herstory Exhibit at America's Credit Union Museum. This powerful conversation explores how credit unions can stay relevant by making listening a superpower, creating innovation through member stories, and remembering the humble roots of the cooperative movement.

• Tansley Stearns - CEO of Community Financial Credit Union, former Filene Research Institute leader, Herstory Exhibit inductee, champion of financial wellness and collaborative innovation

• Listening as a Superpower
• The Relevance Crisis
• Innovation Through Collaboration
• Revenue Diversification and CUSOs
• The Humility Factor
• The Chapter Meeting Era vs. Today
• Mental Health and Financial Well-being Connection
• The Regulatory Balance
• Getting Back to Stories Over Scores
• Success Stories and Initiatives
• Collaborative Legacy

Want to keep more, earn more, and serve better? Discover how Credit Unions First helps credit unions build stronger, more profitable communities at creditunionsfirst.org.

The uninsured driver crisis is creating catastrophic exposure for credit union auto portfolios across America.

In the latest episode of the Members First Mindset podcast, hosts Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer at Credit Unions First, and Melanie Munsey, CEO, Credit Unions First speak with Scott Eckerty, President of HUB Financial Services, who brings 33 years of experience helping credit unions manage insurance risks.

They reveal the shocking reality that 35.7 million Americans drive without insurance due to affordability issues, while credit unions face $40,000-$75,000 total loss claims on performing loans when borrowers drop coverage. They expose the "teaser pricing" problem plaguing the insurance industry and show how transparent, collaborative partnerships protect credit union portfolios through monthly stewardship and member education.

Need transparent insurance partnerships that prioritize your members? Contact Hub Financial Services at HubFinServices.com to learn how their collaborative approach protects credit union portfolios.

Want to keep more, earn more, and serve better? Discover how Credit Unions First helps credit unions build stronger, more profitable communities at creditunionsfirst.org.

Building a powerful brand starts with understanding who you serve and why you exist.

In the latest episode of the Members First Mindset podcast, hosts Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer at Credit Unions First, and Melanie Munsey speak with two marketing leaders transforming how credit unions connect with their communities:

Tiffany Dowling, CEO of M3 Group, brings 23+ years of credit union marketing expertise and shares her journey from independent agency owner to CUSO leader. Melissa DeMott, Senior Client Strategist at M3 Group, leads their innovative pod system that delivers dedicated marketing teams to credit unions nationwide.

They reveal how their M3 Method—Magnify, Motivate, Mobilize—helped Credit Unions First grow from 17 LinkedIn followers to nearly 1,000 in one year. They show how authentic branding rooted in research creates lasting member connections and drives measurable growth.

Ready to transform your credit union's marketing? Contact M3 Group at M3group.biz

Want to keep more, earn more, and serve better? Discover how Credit Unions First helps credit unions grow stronger communities at creditunionsfirst.com.

Host Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer of Credit Unions First, is joined by guest co-host Emily Jorgensen, Manager of Training and Development at Credit Unions First, for a conversation with two leaders driving innovation in the credit union space:

• Ben Maxim, Chief Technology Officer at MSU Federal Credit Union and Chief Operating Officer of Reseda Group
• Jonathan Taylor, Executive Vice President of Partnerships at Members Mobile and founding partner of FI SAFE

They explore how Members Mobile started as a way to help domestic violence survivors regain financial control and has grown into a credit union-owned mobile network. Ben shares why Reseda Group invested in the project, seeing it as a new delivery channel for financial services. Together, the group discusses how bundling mobile service with checking accounts and loans can deepen member engagement and improve financial inclusion.

Learn more at:
membersmobile.com
resedagroup.com
creditunionsfirst.org

In this episode of Members First Mindset, hosts Dan Daggett and Melanie Munsey welcome Adam Lee, Head of Innovation at NACUSO and Ronaldo Hardy, Former President, NACUSO to discuss the future of credit unions, the ever-growing fintech landscape, and how NACUSO's "Reimagine" approach is setting the stage for 2025 and beyond. From embracing rapid change to supporting diverse leadership, you'll learn how NACUSO is uniting credit unions, CUSOs, and other industry partners to ensure the movement thrives for decades to come. They also share personal credit union stories that highlight the very real, human impact of putting members first.

• (00:00) Welcome to Members First Mindset

• (02:07) The Elephant in the Room: Why Credit Unions Struggle

• (06:35) Leadership & Mindset Shifts

• (08:55) Reimagine 2025: NACUSO's Strategic Growth Conference

• (11:12) Fun, Creativity, and the "Walls-Down Ecosystem"

• (13:25) Collaboration: NACUSO, Reseda, and CUS

• (16:15) NACUSO Business Services

• (21:40) Personal Stories & Member Impact

• (30:10) Parting Thoughts

• (32:00) Wrap-Up

Disclaimer: This episode featuring Ronaldo Hardy was recorded prior to his departure from NACUSO. We have decided to air this episode in it's entirety as we believe his insights and perspectives remain highly valuable to our audience and the credit union movement.

If your credit union is ready to enhance member experience and streamline operations, consider exploring the benefits of Blanket LSI for your collateral protection program. Connect with us to learn how Credit Unions First can help you "Earn more, keep more, and serve better."

In this follow-up episode of Member's First Mindset, host Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer, Credit Unions First and guest co-host Jon Jorgenson, Co-Founder, Credit Unions First continue the discussion from "Is Your Collateral Protection Program Hurting Your Members?"

Joined again by AMOCO Federal Credit Union's CFO, Jeremy Silva and COO, Ashley Carner, they explore how transitioning from force-placed CPI to Blanket Lender's Single Interest (LSI) insurance has brought meaningful improvements to member experience, operational ease, and financial outcomes.

Dan, Jon, Jeremy, and Ashley share updates on their journey over the past 18 months, focusing on how this innovative program empowers credit unions to "Earn more, keep more, and serve better."

Points of interest

• 00:00 Introduction and Recap of Previous Episode
• 00:21 Meet the Hosts and Guests
• 01:08 Jon's Path from Force-Placed Insurance to LSI
• 03:21 Discovering Blanket LSI: A Solution with Impact
• 04:30 Building Transparency with the Navigator Platform
• 05:38 AMOCO's Transition Journey with Blanket LSI
• 08:58 Improved Member Experience and Operational Ease
• 09:49 Financial Impact on Repossession and Loan Performance
• 10:54 Insights Gained: Reduced Delinquencies and New Efficiencies
• 13:45 Net Benefit Calculations: Measuring the Financial Impact
• 14:34 Real-Time Premium Adjustments and Loss Ratio Control
• 15:51 Reflections on Success and the Road Ahead
• 18:00 Final Thoughts

If your credit union is ready to enhance member experience and streamline operations, consider exploring the benefits of Blanket LSI for your collateral protection program. Connect with us to learn how Credit Unions First can help you "Earn more, keep more, and serve better."