Credit union lenders and leaders descended on Denver from Nov. 12-15 for the 2023 CUNA Lending Council Conference. Credit Union Magazine Deputy Editor Bill Merrick was there to share the topics driving the industry.

Some highlights from the event:

• “Relationships matter” for business members, according to a panel of member business leaders who say shared values and deplorable bank behavior drove them to credit unions.
• “Be competitive and original, and you’ll set yourself apart,” says Freedom Credit Union Chief Lending Officer Jeffrey Smith, who was part of a panel discussing the four “Ps” of HELOC success.
• Believing that “the most important factor for success is desire,” author and former Navy SEAL Chad Williams left conference attendees with seven principles that translate from the battlefield to the business world.
• “We’re at the beginning of an industry revolution,” says CU NextGen’s Rae Hoskins, who participated in a technology sprint session examining how artificial intelligence is a game changer for the financial services industry.
• Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union’s Josh Bisson and Embold Credit Union’s John Warner share how to build transparency into dealer relationships.
• “Leadership isn’t for the weak,” says author and speaker Kevin Brown, who attendees that legacy leaders communicate their vision, inspire others, and create a path for those they lead.
• Removing friction in the lending process, rising interest rates, liquidity challenges, fraud mitigation, indirect lending, and other topics drove discussions during Tuesday’s consumer lending roundtable.
• Author and former sports agent Molly Fletcher gives attendees five traits of a champion mindset.

Audio articles

• Maven Leadership’s Nicole Brusewitz and Kirtland Credit Union’s Sarah Horten discuss the four main components of self-leadership, what they’ve learned from their leadership mistakes, and advice leaders can follow to expand their impact. 
• High rates and a lack of housing inventory are creating opportunities in construction and rehab lending, says Ed Rogers, manager at Built Technologies.
• The state of the current housing economy is “savagely unhealthy,” says HousingWire Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami, who says, “There are too many people chasing too few homes with escalated prices.”