Annual Convention & Expo
2023 Highlights
Check out some of the exciting offerings at this year’s event!
golf Tournament May 17
Exhibit Hall May 17-18
Awards Banquet May 17
Featured Sessions
Conference Emcee and Keynote
Mark Mayfield has one of the most diverse backgrounds in the speaking industry, having owned and operated several businesses ranging from livestock production to golf instruction, and spent ten years as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., and in thirteen state legislatures for a Fortune 500 company. He co-founded “FunnierU,” a national comedy training and joke writing service focusing on humor from the headlines.
Mark has received rave reviews sharing the stage with a wide variety of celebrities like Peter Frampton, Rachel Platten, Colin Powell, and Bob Newhart and has introduced the President of the United States on a live, nationwide television broadcast.
He is the author of several business books and two jokebooks, and he makes nearly 100 presentations annually to all types of corporations, conventions, and trade associations. He was raised on a farm, received two degrees magna cum laude from Kansas State University, and taught school before he began his lobbying, comedy, and speaking career. He has received the CSP designation from the National Speakers Association and has been inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Mark Mayfield
Kevin Smith
TEAM Resources
Credit Unions and the Infinite Game
Kevin Smith is Consultant and Publisher with TEAM Resources. He brings extensive experience in training, designing, and implementing professional development resources to nourish the growth of leaders within the credit union industry. Kevin facilitates strategic planning processes, teaches Strategic Governance to Boards of Directors, and oversees the TEAM Resources board self-evaluation programs with credit unions nationwide.
Kevin is the co-author of A Credit Union Guide to Strategic Governance. This essential book helps Governance teams become as effective as possible. He also writes the monthly TEAM Resources blog that is read by thousands nationally. The monthly blog shares guidance on board topics such as governance, strategy, and issues related to the supervisory committee.
Previously, Kevin spent ten years at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in the Center for Professional Development as Director of Volunteer Education. In that role, Kevin developed and oversaw programs for credit union executives, boards, and volunteers. This included conferences and training events, webinars, print programs, and online courses, among others. During his tenure at CUNA, he created and brought several new programs to the credit union movement. One of these is the CUNA Volunteer Certification Program, an intensive, competency-based program for boards and supervisory committees, offered as a five-day onsite event or as a self-study program, both involving rigorous testing for completion. He also created the CUNA Training On-Demand series of downloadable training courses and the CUNA Pressing Economic Issues series featuring the CUNA economists.
Behind the scenes, Kevin has been involved with a team of CUNA leaders focused on creating a culture of innovation within the trade association and working toward keeping the organization forward-thinking to create new and better programs for its membership. This included participation in an IDEO design program
Conference Closing Session
In October 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Darling retired from the United States Marine Corps with over twenty years of active duty service. He flew attack helicopters in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa, in support of Operation Restore Hope.
In June 1998, he was selected to fly as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One, and in October 2000, he was handpicked to work for the White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. It was in that capacity that Lt. Col. Darling supported the President, Vice President, and National Security Advisor in the President’s Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) on September 11, 2001. In May 2002, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School, earning his MBA in Financial Management and subsequently served as a Program Manager for the Chief of Naval Operations supporting the Department of the Navy Flying Hour Program.
As a public speaker on crisis leadership and decision-making, Bob has addressed numerous academic, government, and military organizations, including Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and as a guest lecturer on the subject of Crisis Leadership and Counterterrorism at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Bob is the author of “24 Hours Inside the President’s Bunker, 9/11/01: The White House” and the President and CEO of Quantitative Analytics, LLC, and Turning Point Crisis Management-USA, a crisis leadership, decision-making and management consulting company located in Stafford, Virginia.
Robert J. Darling Lt. Col USMC (Retired)
Nick Henrichsen
WithClutch
Recapture in a Raising Interest Environment
Recapture and refinancing pose a significant challenge in a rising interest environment. Loans that consumers got even 9 / 12 / 18 months ago were at lower interest rate levels. Consumers are more rate-sensitive than ever which has shifted their mindsets. We are now seeing consumers explore refinancing immediately after getting a loan because the rates they got on their original loans are perceived to be disproportionately high. The good news is consumers are comparing the structurally lower credit union rates with commercial lenders rates – this is where you will gain members and movement! This session will focus on how to successfully recapture debt in a rising interest environment. Clutch can help turn your credit union into a fintech, helping members and nonmembers apply for auto loans, personal loans and credit cards.
Consumer lending is broken and Americans are overpaying billions of dollars in interest.
Here’s the problem: consumer don’t shop for loans. They shop for products!
When you buy a vehicle for example, do you really think the dealer has your best interest in mind? When you get your loan at the dealership, the finance manager will give you the loan that’s best for him and not best for you!
The same is true for all kinds of consumer debt and Americans don’t even realize. Not all hope is lost though! Credit Unions – tax-exempt non-profits – help Americans with their financial wellness and really want to try to help consumers.
We believe that with a little bit of technology help, billions of dollars will move from commercial lenders to these mission-driven organizations. We’re on a mission to turn Credit Unions into technology companies!
In 2017, my co-founder Chris Coleman and I sold our previous company to Carvana.com. We helped the digital car retailer grow exponentially and started Clutch in 2020. Since we’ve started Clutch, we’ve grown the business to process billions of dollars in loan applications and saved consumers hundreds of millions in interest charges.
Young Professional Sessions
Credit Union Young Professional Sessions
The Tennessee Credit Union League recognizes young professionals (YPs) are vital to credit unions as the future leaders of the movement. We are excited to offer a Credit Union Young Professionals option at this year’s Annual Convention. The tract is designed specifically for credit union professionals under 40 years of age working for affiliated credit unions.
Credit Union Movement 101
This session is designed specifically for credit union young professionals.
In the Credit Union Movement 101 session, we’ll dive deeper into the origins of the credit union movement starting with the first credit union in rural Germany in 1849 to the centennial celebration of Tennessee’s Credit Union Act. We’ll also discuss how your credit union is part of a more extensive credit union network here in Tennessee, in the United States and even the world. We’ll also discuss the work the League does on behalf of Tennessee’s credit unions, and we’ll wrap up with ways you can participate in the credit union movement.
Growing in the Credit Union Movement
This session is designed specifically for credit union young professionals.
For a generation known for job hopping, what happens when you stumble upon the credit union industry? Most of us get hooked! Hear from young credit union leaders about how they started in the industry, grew their careers and what propels them to stay. During this interactive session, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions to learn more about career development strategies and more.
Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt
As young professionals network with exhibitors in the Exhibit Hall, participate in a special scavenger hunt for a chance to win cash prizes!
YP Focus Group
All credit union young professionals who attend the Annual Convention will participate in a special focus group recapping their time at the event.
Entertainment
Rock and Roll Pianos
This ain’t your Mama’s dueling piano show.
We are ROCK & ROLL PIANOS!
Rock & Roll Pianos shatters the traditional dueling pianos stereotypes by raising the bar with high-energy shows and interactive performers. The Rock & Roll Pianos experience is unparalleled to any event entertainment around.
Whether you want to hear all the classics you know and love or prefer a night filled with Top 40s favorites, we play the oldies, the goodies, and everything in between! Try to stump us, we dare you.
Who Should Attend
- CEOs
- C-Suites
- Board Chairs
- Board Volunteers
- Supervisory Committee Members
- Compliance & Audit Professionals
- Finance & Accounting Professionals
- HR & Talent Development Professionals
- Lending & Collections Professionals
- Marketing & Business Development Professionals
- Operations Professionals
- Payments Professionals
- Technology Professionals