Spring Training

March 6 – 9, 2025| TradeWinds Island Grand Resort |
| St. Petersburg, Florida |

Save $100 When You Register  On or Before January 9, 2025!

Revitalize your spirit, refresh your skills and renew your dedication at CU Conferencesʼ annual Credit Union Spring Training Conference. Held during two different weeks in March and in two invigorating & scenic locations. 

And, you will have valuable networking time with fellow board of directors, board chairs, supervisory committee members, senior managers, marketing and business development managers and other credit union professionals from across the country. 

Earn 10.8 CPE credits while attending this conference.

Registration & Hotel Information

Conference Registration

We offer an excellent educational return on your conference investment. Register early for the best conference rates!

Guest Program

Our guest program enables your registered guest(s) to join you during the following conference events: ($259 additional per guest)

Hotel Reservation

Call the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort at (800) 808-9833. Be sure to mention CU Conferences' Spring Training 2025 to receive special rates starting at $299. The resort fee is waived when you book through CU Conferences' room block.

Rates are based on availability. If you are unable to book a room, call CU Conferences at 888-465-6010 for assistance.

Airport and Ground Transportation

Tampa International Airport (TPA) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) are both 40 minutes from the Tradewinds Island Grand Resort

Bats Taxi is approx. $54 from the airport to the hotel

**All rates listed are subject to change and are estimates. Please check rates with the ground transportation taxi and shuttle booth prior to departure.

Weather

The weather in St. Petersburg during the month of March is downright nice. That may be why so many major league baseball teams call the area home during spring training. The average temperature reaches a high of about 76° during the day and 63° in the evenings. 

Speaker Information

Celeste Cook, CEO
cuStrategies, LLC

Bill McKenna, President
McKenna Marketing Network

Paul Robert, CEO
FI Strategies, LLC

Conference Agenda

Schedule subject to change.
Registered guests are welcome during these (GP) credit union conference events.
Earn 12 CPE credits while attending this conference.

Thursday, March 6, 2025

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Conference Registration

1:00 - 1:15 p.m.

Conference Registration

1:15 – 2:15 p.m. 

Strategic Growth for Future Success

Paul Robert
CEO
FI Strategies, LLC

As many credit unions look to grow to survive, many credit unions should be looking to grow to thrive. Their members and communities need them to remain healthy and vibrant, so credit unions need to up their game.

In this session, you will learn the thought process and best practices that can position your credit unions to thrive long into the future:

Exercises in this session will get you thinking about prospective strategies that you can take home and introduce to your credit union.

2:15 – 2:25 p.m. 

Premier Sponsor - PARC Street Partners

2:25 – 2:40 p.m. 

Networking and Refreshment Break

2:40 – 3:40 p.m.

Enhancing the Member Experience in a Digital World

Celeste Cook
CEO
cuStrategies, LLC

What can credit unions do to enhance the member experience in a digital world to increase membership engagement, growth, and retention?

In an ever-increasing digital environment, credit unions must create opportunities to enhance the member experience to increase member engagement and retention. Explore creative and innovative strategies to become more relationship-focused to enhance the member experience to strengthen relationships and increase member engagement as well as attracting and retaining profitable members.

Session Highlights:

3:40 – 4:00 p.m.

Daily Wrap Up

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. (GP)

Welcome Reception

Join us for cocktails, light dining, and great conversation. Registered guests are welcome to attend.

CU Conferences is grateful for the support of its sponsor, PARC Street Partners, and would like to thank them for co-sponsoring the reception. 

Friday, March 7, 2025

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. (GP)

Breakfast

Join us for a hearty breakfast. Registered guests are welcome to attend.

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Opening Remarks

9:15 – 10:15 a.m. 

Brand Building Essentials


Bill McKenna
President
McKenna Marketing Network


There’s a lot of talk today about brand building. How will your financial institution stand out in the growing and evolving financial services marketplace? A great brand does not just happen; it requires strategy, knowledge, and execution of a proven brand-building process.

The greatest marketing mistake you can make is not building a brand that resonates. Focusing solely on your financial products and services, rates, fees, digital banking, and technology is a battle you will never win. This session will show you how to avoid these mistakes and build a brand that truly resonates.

Attendees will learn:

The Integrated Role of Brand and Culture: Align your brand with your organizational culture for a cohesive identity.

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. 

Networking and Refreshment Break

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. 

The Future of Credit Unions: How to Remain Relevant for Growth


Celeste Cook
CEO
cuStrategies, LLC

Explore a holistic leadership approach to become more relevant to your members, businesses, and people in the community to help you maximize loan growth, profitability, and membership growth as well as retention.

In today’s economic landscape, successful credit unions must find ways to become more relevant to consumers and their specific needs and wants as well as to businesses in the community. Creating a culture of creativity, innovation, and engagement is crucial to not only retain existing members but attract new members for long-term sustainability. Explore ways to become more relevant in today’s economic landscape to retain and attract more members!

Session Highlights:

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

It’s Not About “Service” Anymore: Optimize Future Member Experiences

Paul Robert
CEO
FI Strategies, LLC

The role of your delivery channels has changed over the past few years but what will it be in the future? While no one’s crystal ball is fool-proof, credit unions can anticipate the evolving behaviors of current and future members and adjust how they serve their needs.

This session will help you look into the future and set strategies today for optimizing member experiences for how they prefer to interact with your credit union:

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and figure out how to modify (or overhaul) your credit union’s delivery channels so you can consistently deliver the absolute best experiences!

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (GP)

Group Luncheon

Join us for lunch. Registered guests are welcome to attend.

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. 

The Battle for Attention

Bill McKenna
President
McKenna Marketing Network

We live in an over-communicated society. People are no longer interested in being sold to, and companies focusing on selling are often tuned out by most people.

Does this mean marketing is dead? Have we lost the ability to attract people to our financial institutions and use our services? Not at all! It simply means we need a new game plan, new communication tools, and a better way of storytelling about who we are and how we can improve people’s lives.

Attendees Will Learn:

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. 

Board Focus: Getting More Strategic About Loan Growth

Celeste Cook
CEO
cuStrategies, LLC

What can credit union leaders do to build a solid, sustainable strategic plan to maximize loan growth and profitability in an uncertain economic landscape?

Credit unions across the nation must find ways to become more relevant for growth to sustain in an uncertain economic landscape. Successful credit unions must be quick and nimble in their efforts to be responsive to the needs of consumers to grow the credit union with a focus on increased loan growth, profitability, and new members/new money

Session Highlights:

3:30 – 3:45 p.m. 

Daily Wrap-Up

Saturday, March 8, 2025

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. (GP)

Breakfast

Join us for a hearty sit-down breakfast. Registered guests are welcome to attend.

9:00 – 9:05 a.m.

Opening Remarks

9:05 – 10:05 a.m.

The Business Development Toolbox

Bill McKenna
President
McKenna Marketing Network

Are you seeking impactful ideas to grow and build SEG, community, and workplace Partner Relationships? Over the years, support from existing SEG partners, customers, and groups can sometimes wane. Reenergizing old relationships and cultivating new opportunities can be challenging.

This session provides insights and strategies on the messaging and tactics needed to capture attention and grow relationships. With the right people, tools, content, and strategies that create value, getting attention and turning it into business is possible.

Attendees Will Learn:

10:05 – 10:20 a.m.

Networking and Refreshment Break

10:20 – 11:20 a.m.

Build a High-Performing Team: Get the Right People On (and Off!) the Bus

Paul Robert
CEO
FI Strategies, LLC

You’re only as good as your people, right? For most credit unions, their future success depends largely on the future performance of their staff. You can have the best strategy ever created but, without the right employees to execute it, you will never reach your full potential.

Getting and retaining the “right” people has been a significant challenge for most businesses over the past few years, not just credit unions. That challenge has applied to the frontline staff as well as the executive team. This session will provide your credit union with the tools to optimize your culture and position all employees to fully execute your strategies:

The exercise in this session will help you tie together the three components we’ve discussed: strategy, delivery, and people. You’ll walk away with a foundation for success at your credit union.

11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Optional Roundtable Discussion

Exchange ideas with fellow participants during a lively discussion. This roundtable will allow time for discussion on key topics followed by representatives from each table sharing thoughts and ideas discussed at their particular table.

12:20 – 12:30 p.m.

Conference Wrap-Up

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Travel Day - Have a Safe Trip Home!

Register Early and Save!