Show us Your Leadership and We’ll Show You The Money!

Do you have talented staff under the age of 30? Are you looking for opportunities to hone and develop their leadership skills? The Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF) and Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) have joined forces to invest in the future of the credit union system through the SCMS C2C Scholarship – Connect to Collaborate!

The Scholarship? Up to $2,899 (tuition for 2010 SCMS summer session) – The full amount of tuition paid by the student’s credit union will be reimbursed for one student though the TCUF SCMS C2C scholarship. Odds are better than 1 in 55 to win! At the end of the 1st year session of SCMS, the student’s classmates will vote on who exhibited the most leadership on campus. Simple majority wins. In the event of a tie, the scholarship will be split. We will announce the winner during the July 21 graduation ceremonies.

Who is eligible? Credit union professionals under the age of 30 as of August 1, 2010 who are enrolled in the July 2010 first year SCMS session. The credit union must be affiliated with their state league. Enrollment closes at 55 students.

What’s in it for the student?

• Connect - opportunity to network and learn side by side with current and future credit union leaders and the school's highly acclaimed faculty.
• Collaborate - peer to peer mentoring.
• Added value for the 1st year students under the age of 30 
  - a special leadership packet – top secret contents!
  - additional bonus opportunities are in the works, like an invite to join 2nd year faculty member, marketing and branding expert, Mark Arnold, for lunch on campus.
  - VIP seating with industry leaders during graduation.

What’s in it for the credit union?

• Connect your rising leaders to a phenomenal credit union network.
• Collaborate with your student(s) as work is done to create a strategic business plan for your credit union.

To encourage and mentor up and coming credit union leaders, SCMS C2C will also hold a casual chat for all SCMS students and alumni under the age of 30 on July 20 after the annual alumni/student auction dinner. Watch www.scms.coop additional details. Wait until you see who is coming to campus to spend time with this group!

A huge thank you goes out to Brent Dixon, Mark Arnold, and PTP New Media for helping me get C2C from concept to reality!

Have questions about SCMS? Contact Director and Synergist, Janine McBee at 800.442.5762x6634, jmcbee@scms.coop or tweet @SCMSJanine.

(No scholarship application is required!)

TechMecca Live Stream - Jack McDonald on Gen Y

Aaron (aka @acm1985) just wrapped up his session with Jack McDonald at TechMecca about Attracting and Retaining Generation Y Business.

It is interesting to hear struggles from attendees with getting social media initiatives started at their financial institutions. Do you have any ideas and thoughts to help them out. Share your thoughts and comments below.

Be sure to follow along and check out the latest live streams from TechMecca here.

Hi Mom! Live at the Mobilize.org Conference! Watch Below...

Watch a live stream from mobilize.org conference and get involved with the chat on the credit union blog.

Credit Unions Can Connect With Gen-Y - Throw a Party

Check out this real story from Good Morning America about how some Gen-Y folk are making money to pay the rent.

From what I saw in the video, they are taking an old concept, putting a spin on it and actually making money to help pay the rent.

How can you or your credit union be able to connect with the Gen-Y market and help out.

I am not saying to pay the rent for them but focus on the relationship.

Maybe sponsor a "rent party", provide food and have someone on hand to answer financial questions to those attending if they have them.  This can not be "salesy" or "pushy" but just a way to chat and visit in a non-threatening environment. 

In any case, the video provides some great, real time insight about some of the struggles the Gen-Y is facing right now.  Shout back below with your thoughts and ideas about how your credit union might be able to help.

Did You Know? Now That You Do- How Will This Affect Your Credit Union?

Very interesting video on change and where the world is going. Now that you do know, how does this affect your credit union? Do you know? Blog back and tell us how!

To bank or not to bank...

Thank you all so much for all your comments and feedback on WWUP- What Would you Pick- the post asking for suggestions on a new credit union tagline. I received so many clever and fun suggestions. The Task Force met recently and we went through each suggestion one by one. One of the main topics that came up during the meeting was whether or not a credit union message should contain the word bank in it. There were several arguments on both sides of this subject. One of the arguments was that we (the credit union industry) have always tried to differentiate ourselves from banks and if we include the word bank (bank as in a verb term) in a tagline that will defeat our purpose. Another argument is if we use the word bank negatively this will this cause us to seem like we are attacking the banking industry? However, if we are trying to explain what a credit union is to a non-credit union person it is hard not to use the word bank, even if we are saying that is what we are not. What do you think? Blog back and tell me if the word bank positively or negatively should be used when trying to get the word out about credit unions.

WWUP- What would you pick?

I am currently serving on the Texas Credit Union League Youth and Millennial Task Force. One of the tasks we have at hand is to create a new tagline for credit unions. Currently some of the taglines used for credit unions are "People Helping People" or "Where People are Worth More than Money." Although, these are true they do not resonate to the majority of the youth market, who is unaware of what a credit union really is… So, if you had to pick a new tagline for credit unions that would captivate the younger mind, what would you pick? Below (not in any order) are a few that I have played around with for fun. Blog back and tell me some of your ideas for a new tagline. Who knows it may be the new tagline for the industry.

• $-greed= credit unions
• Wanna be cool? Join a credit union.
• Bail Out Free since 19__...
• Why make others rich? Join a credit union.
• You have a choice- credit unions.
• Ready for a change? Join a credit union.
• If you like to own stuff- Join a credit union.
• Credit Union = Economic Justice
• Some places let you keep the change- We let you own it- Credit Unions
• We are old school cool- credit unions

Does Your Credit Union Offer a Dream Job?

What attracts people to work at your credit union? Is it a “cool” place to work?  While a lot of emphasis and discussion has taken place about getting Gen-Y to join your credit union as members, what about getting Gen-Y to join your credit union as an employee.

How can you work to attract Gen-Y members when you may not even have Gen-Y staff who can relate to them? 

Check out this dream job I came across this morning.  What an opportunity to “own” an island for six months and blog about the experience and get paid six figures for it.

The reason for the “dream job” is part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.

"Traditional tourism advertising just doesn't cut it sometimes and we are thinking outside the box by launching this campaign.

Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.

"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.”

The above quote sounds close to home with credit unions asking the same thing about blogging and social media.  Is it risky?  What if people talk bad? Will it hurt my brand?

Why not make social media and blogging a “benefit” of working with your credit union? This would surely attract some Gen-Y folk. 

We have a very modern and progressive culture that may clash with the traditional credit union culture.  There is really no dress code (come as you are), listen to your iPod if you want, and enjoy happy hour Friday.

Like marketing, traditional vs. non-traditional, it is important to use different ways to actively recruit Gen-Y employees.  I know a lot of up and coming CU folk who are my age and younger which is so exciting.  They are doing different things and energizing their credit union in ways never been seen before.

Shout back below and let us know what you are doing to attract Gen-Y employees?  What benefits and opportunities do you offer them?  What "dream job" does your credit union offer? We want to hear from you.

Gen Y Marketing 2.0 - Where Innovation Meets Generation

Generation Y is moving in where the Baby Boomers are moving out  Marketing and attracting this technology-savvy group is complicated at best, and the time has never been better to learn what makes them so difficult to categorize.  This session includes some creative ideas to jumpstart your thinking.  Through the use of best practices, case studies, and interaction, you will learn from and share success stories and innovative approaches to prepare for the next generation with Trey Reeme and Kent Sugg.

Click 'play' below to check out the video and shout back at us on the ways your credit union is working to reach Gen Y.

Can U Rel8? A Gen Y Panel Discussion

In this session, you will listen to young people discuss their future as it relates to financial services.  For a change, we're not talking ABOUT Generation Y, we're talking WITH Generation Y.  An actual panel of young people were asked real questions about real issues by you, the Credit Union Leader.

Check out the video below to learn more about how your credit union can reach Generation Y.  Feel free to shout back and share different ways your credit union is working to meet the needs of younger generations.