On Tuesday, REACH 2025 attendees gleaned forward-looking insights during the conference’s REACHtalks sessions. These multiple series of 10-minute briefings provided an actionable blueprint for navigating the industry’s challenges of today — and the future.
(View and download event photos from the REACH 2025 Photo Galleries)
The lunchtime sessions focused on reinforcing core areas for the credit union movement, including engaging Generation Z, leveraging speed as a core competitive asset, and guaranteeing robust governance and culture. The consensus from multiple presenters was clear: credit unions must adapt their offerings and communication styles to win the loyalty of this generation.
Velera kicked off this theme in its session, “Destination Growth: Trust, Transparency & TikTok,” highlighting the seismic shift caused by Gen Z’s digital fluency and deep-seated values around ethical alignment and financial wellness. Presenters emphasized that traditional definitions of trust are being redefined, requiring hyper-personalized, mission-driven and mobile-first banking experiences.
Building on this, the talk from Credit Union Leasing of America (CULA), “Winning the Next Generation: Aligning Credit Union Products with Gen Z Values,” gave a specific product solution. CULA explored how traditional products like auto loans and mortgages can miss the mark with Gen Z, who prioritize flexibility over ownership and face financial pressures. Access-first solutions, such as vehicle leasing, align perfectly with Gen Z’s preferences and can serve as a gateway to forging long-term member relationships.
Shifting the focus to market strategy, a recurring competitive theme emerged — Digital Onboarding Inc.’s “Big Banks Chase Scale. Credit Unions Win With Speed” session, featuring CEO Ted Brown. He argued that credit unions cannot outspend megabanks, but they must outmaneuver them with agility.
The session detailed how credit unions can turn their size into a strategic advantage by moving faster, adapting quicker, and launching member-focused initiatives without the bureaucratic delays plaguing national players. The key to organic growth and defending against competition lies in deepening relationships, activating dormant accounts, and increasing product adoption by engaging existing members more effectively across all digital and human touchpoints.
Moving beyond external strategy, Haberfeld presented “People, Purpose, Performance,” reinforcing the timeless wisdom that culture eats strategy for breakfast. This session provided actionable ideas on how a strong internal culture directly drives both member and employee engagement. Attendees learned how culture can be shaped, measured, and strategically aligned to maximize organizational value and foster long-term growth.
Additionally, the session addressed the need for robust institutional security and integrity. ViClarity focused on “Good Governance for Credit Unions,” detailing the shift away from manual, spreadsheet-based Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) processes toward a centralized, automated system.
ViClarity’s approach covers essential components, including automated compliance tracking, real-time risk registers, efficient audit management, and centralized vendor management. By streamlining these processes, credit unions can maintain regulatory compliance, improve operational efficiency, and most importantly, protect the safety, soundness and vital trust of their membership.
Attendees and League staff will be sharing photos, comments, and memories through LinkedIn at #CUatREACH.
REACH is one of the credit union industry’s premier annual events, attracting leaders and system partners from across California, Nevada, and the United States. It is held from October 27-30 at JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, CA this year.
