Credit union leaders have been gathering in Washington, D.C., to advocate for credit union members at the Governmental Affairs Conference for 50 years! This year, nearly 70 Tennessee credit union leaders joined more than 6,000 credit union colleagues from all 32 leagues and 50 states for GAC 2025.
The national event featured educational sessions, networking events and advocacy visits with state legislators.
“I haven’t attended GAC since 2020 and was shocked by the magnitude of growth in the event in five years,” said Martin Bradley, president and CEO of tnConnect Credit Union. “Great sessions, plenty of opportunities to explore product and services and the very important opportunity to advocate for the credit union industry. The TCUL staff does a fantastic job keeping us organized and provides excellent leadership with our Hill visits.”
While similar to GACs of the past, this year’s event was clearly significant.
Tax Status
This year is pivotal for credit unions. Key elements of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire at the end of the year. These priorities cost money—and that means they’ll look at every angle for funding. The credit union tax-exempt status could be at risk.
“The Hill visits are a great opportunity for our credit unions to showcase the credit union difference to our legislators,” said Sarah Waters, chief advocacy officer at the Tennessee Credit Union League. “Sharing community impact stories helps lawmakers visualize the importance of credit unions in our communities. Protecting the tax status is essential to the financial well-being of more than 2.5 million Tennesseans who are credit union members.”
Together We Move – Moving with purpose. Moving with passion. Moving with strength.
Throughout the conference, the theme was focused on unity and working together to improve financial well-being across the nation.
A few conference highlights:
Saturday
Saturday evening, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL) awarded Fred Robinson, president and CEO of the Tennessee Credit Union League, with the 2025 Eugene H. Farley League Leadership Award. This award is a testament to his visionary leadership here in Tennessee and on the national level.
Sunday
Sunday evening, the Tennessee Credit Union League collaborated with 11 state leagues to host the 1934 Reception. During the reception, attendees previewed the third season of Opportunity Knocks.
Credit Unions Create Opportunities chief program officer, Jamie Chandler, who previously worked at the National Credit Union Foundation shared, “We are thrilled that the credit union leagues are seeing the value in Opportunity Knocks’ existing content and are encouraging producers to create more episodes.”
We’ll share more about Opportunity Knocks next week. In the meantime, watch an episode from season one as six families travel to Dollywood to meet show host, Ronaldo Hardy, and Opportunity Coaches Jean Chatzky, Patrice Washington and Louis Barajas. Families are paired with the coach they hope will help to change their lives. Inspired by what’s next, families return home to share news of their adventure.
Monday
GAC officially kicked off with the Parade of Flags Ceremony and a keynote presentation by Carla Harris on how to be an impactful, influential leader in today’s environment. Later in the afternoon, league presidents joined the American Association of Credit Union Leagues on stage to discuss the vital role leagues play in shaping state and federal legislation and regulations that protect consumers, promote credit union growth and address critical priorities.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, the League hosted a joint briefing breakfast with the Mississippi Credit Union Association to ensure a unified voice on Capitol Hill. Immediately following the briefing, credit union leaders met with Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.
Later in Tuesday afternoon, Sarah Waters, chief advocacy officer, joined league colleagues from the Illinois Credit Union League, Maryland and DC Credit Union Association and The League of Credit Unions and Affiliates to discuss strategies for tackling state interchange bills and how credit unions can help defeat them. Interchange bills are being considered in 19 states and D.C.
Wednesday
A majority of the Hill visits took place on Wednesday. By the end of the conference, credit union leaders were able to meet with the entire Tennessee delegation.
“Attending GAC for the first time was life changing. From the credit union speakers to the connections made, this week has been totally awesome,” said Sarah Thompson, member service manager at Trust Federal Credit Union. “The connections made with people who have dedicated passion and advocate for our mission of People of Helping People bring a united movement to life. A rejuvenating experience will make an impact at home as we all go back to our credit unions.”
Next Steps
If you are interested in learning more about how you can better advocate for the financial well-being of your members:
- Share a member story to showcase the credit union difference.
- Attend the League’s Annual Convention and Expo to network and collaborate with Tennessee credit union professionals.
- Contact the League with questions about how you can grow your advocacy efforts.
