SCMS Hands-On Social Media Class & More

Southwest CUNA Management School
Grad School - Social Media Lab: Credit Unions Get Down & Dirty

 

It’s time to stop talking about social media, roll up your sleeves, and experience some of the tools first hand. James Robert Lay, Brad Garland, and Kent Sugg team up to divide you up. Attendees will divide into work teams to create various social media elements. You’ll discover that with some strategic thinking, nominal investment, and time, you can effectively take advantage of opportunities afforded you through blogging, polling, podcast, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more.

Unlike other events where you or your staff attend and get excited about the potential of social media, only to return and hit a dead end because you have no idea where to start, you’ll be in real life scenarios to help you better understand and work with social media when you return home.

 

Visit the school site for the full Grad School curriculum, schedule and related details.

 

For the 1st Time - SCMS is Offering a Day Rate

 

Open Invite to Credit Union Professionals to Attend the SCMS Fireside Chat with Robert Gallman and Susan Mitchell - no charge to take advantage of this event and experience the excitement of SCMS!

Swing for a cause - the development of credit union leaders! The 21st Annual SCMS Scholarship Golf Classic is open to all.

 

It's not too late to enroll as a 1st year student! Plan now to connect with tomorrow's leaders. Enroll today!

Invest in the Future

It’s time to rethink strategies and find innovative solutions to today’s challenges. Seeking ways to maximize the return on how time and money are spent is crucial. Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) is an environment where applied knowledge and networking are structured to help students find innovative and sound strategies to help position their credit unions forward.

This is the year to seriously consider enrolling yourself or key staff in SCMS — the place to connect with professionals dedicated to the future, an industry think tank.

- Credit union focused curriculum

- Networking opportunities
- Awesome faculty
- Student participation 

Two innovative credit union communication tools students initiated over the last year:

YouTube Video (Bank vs. CU Novella) - Kudos Alex Rascon, (SCMS Class of 2010 president, GECU)

This blog, CU Grow - Thank you James Robert Lay and Natasha Melugin (SCMS Cl of 2009) for your vision, commitment, heart and passion!

- Opportunity to be part of shaping the future of credit unions!

The school is intense. Less than 80% of a first year class make it to graduation. Successful completion of the school is something to take pride in. A three-year commitment, this summer's session is from July 12-22.

SCMS offers professional and personal development opportunity, providing a strong base for credit union leadership. Take the challenge. Make the commitment. Enroll today!

What's Enron Got to Do With It?

With the current market and some corporate credit unions in conservatorship; how do you differentiate your credit union? What message do you send to your members to let them know just because they hear the word “credit union” on the news it doesn't mean yours?

Jack McAdoo, former CEO of Enron FCU, has experience in dealing with the media and negative press in credit union world. Talk about stressful situations; the Enron credit union was inside of the Enron building at the time of the Enron collapse. The morning after the news of Enron filing bankruptcy, there was a line wrapped around the credit union of people ready to pull all their money out. He and his team saved the credit union, which is now Startrust FCU, through an event most credit union CEO's have nightmares about. According to the NCUA, Jack accomplished the impossible. McAdoo guided the credit union through a successful name change, relocation and field of membership expansion — all within a seven-month span. Jack is currently CEO at Beacon FCU in LaPorte, TX. I recently interviewed Jack McAdoo about his experience:

Can Credit Unions Survive the Current Bailout

Devora contacted us the other day with a great question for discussion.  We thought it would be fitting to put a little “yes/no” survey together to see what the pulse is out there.  We also want you to share your thoughts and comments about if credit unions can prove we don’t need more regulation but less. 

Regarding this “regulation”, Robbie Wright brought to my attention that the Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU) “Safe & Sound” micro-site was shut down by the FDIC.

To access the site you have to go through a back page as the domain now redirects to TDECU public web site.  Here is a link to the “Safe & Sound” micro site.

My take on this is what did TDECU do wrong except take the current bank crisis and capitalize on it by differentiating their strength that credit unions are safe.  They may be a little more “in your face” about it than some of the other credit unions but what a great way to educate and connect with their market on the credit union difference.

In addition, the CU Times reported that Texas Credit Union Commissioner Harold Feeney requested the credit union “delete any references on your  Web site or in any future media advertisements that could imply that deposits in banks are not as safe as deposits in credit unions.”

So, please share your thoughts and comments about if credit unions can prove we don’t need more regulation and survive the current bailout.