Northwest Young Professionals Network

Meet the 2017 YP Leads and click here to apply for the 2018 program!

Champions, Leaders, Trailblazers – These individuals have established communities for young professionals in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Scroll down to learn more about the individuals leading the YP Movement throughout the Northwest.

Ed Bedell

Business Development Officer • Spokane Federal CU

My favorite thing about credit unions is that we truly help people. At the end of the day, when I go home and rest my head on my pillow, I know that I made a difference on that day and impacted someones life and situation in some way, whether direct or indirect.

Jake Denning

Financial Advisor • Beehive FCU

My favorite part about working for a credit union is that I have the opportunity to make a positive difference in our member’s lives on a daily basis.  I love the credit union motto of “people helping people”.

Nick Fugal

CFO • Clarity CU

My favorite thing about credit unions is their mission to help those who can’t get help elsewhere. I love that we help people who don’t have perfect credit without taking advantage of them by charging usurious rates like other predatory lenders.

Liz Henderson

Business Development Officer • Maps CU

My favorite thing about credit unions is the philosophy of people helping people!

Alex Johnson

Community Relations Officer • Sound Credit Union

I love the collaboration of credit unions. It’s incredible to see the impact credit unions can make while working together!

Steve Pagenstecher

VP Member Experience • Point West Credit Union

My favorite thing about credit unions is their cooperative spirit – working collaboratively with credit unions and their members for the betterment of our communities – and community impact – we are mission-driven organizations dedicated to improving the lives of our members and our communities at large.

Kym Sajovic

Senior Business Analyst • OnPoint Credit Union

My favorite thing about credit unions is how they benefit the financial well-being of underserved individuals in our communities.

 Jeremy Sankwich

AVP Lending • TAPCO Credit Union

My favorite thing about credit unions is the willingness of credit union leaders to go out of their way to help other credit unions, and of staff going out of their way to help their members. Also, cool swag.

We’re working in collaboration with young professional groups across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to unite the future leaders of the Credit Union Movement. Find out more about the region’s YP groups below.

YCUP Portland & SW Washington

YCUP was founded by young credit union professionals back in 2008 at the Credit Union Association of Oregon’s (now Northwest Credit Union Association) Annual Meeting. This passionate and dedicated crew believes that the credit union movement is deserving of youthful innovation and impact. We are the future, and the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

YCUP Board Members 
Kym Sajovic, Chair | On Point CC
Michael Murdoch, Vice President of Communications | Wauna CU
Edina Rizvic, Vice President of Sponsorship | Unitus CU
Crystal Rustad, Board Member | ARCReports
Evan Strandberg, Board Member | IQ CU
Toni Mathews, Board Member | Trailhead CU
Shannon Cahoon, Board Member | Fibre FCU

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CLIMB Idaho

Climb Idaho seeks to establish and grow the credit union movement among young professionals across the state. Inspired by the Crash Movement by The Cooperative Trust/Filene Research Institute, Climb Idaho began in 2014 when nine credit union employees from across the state were brought together with help from the Idaho Credit Union League. The goal was and remains to discuss and collaborate on ways Idaho can increase engagement and enthusiasm among young professionals to strengthen retention and increase the profile of the credit union movement not only within Idaho, but across the country in coordination with other young professional networks.

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YCUP Greater Seattle Area

Young Credit Union Professionals of the Greater Seattle Area was founded in 2016. For more information about how to become involved with this group, contact Alex Johnson, Community Relations Officer at Sound Credit Union at AJohnson@soundcu.com.

Contact YCUP Greater Seattle Area

Inland Northwest YCUP

The Inland Northwest YCUP works with young credit union professionals in the Inland Northwest to provide real world skills that will help move their careers, credit unions and our industry forward. We focus on leadership, education, advocacy and putting our philosophy into action. We work together to build and sustain a strong network of young credit union professionals that are ready and willing to step up when their members, their credit union or their community calls.

Contact Inland Northwest YCUP

Emerging Leaders

The Northwest Credit Union Association and the DDJ Myers Advancing Leadership Institute are partnering to present a career development program to help you find your leadership voice. The program includes nine days of face-to-face training with coaching and mentoring in between. Participants are guided through project work that will benefit their credit unions, and their professional growth. Training will focus on strategy, assessment skills, leadership models, and the language of leadership.

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Chapters

The Association’s Chapter program promotes unity among credit unions in a local area through communication, networking, training, and participation in community, state, and national projects that support the cooperative spirit of the Credit Union Movement.

Chapters

NWCUA Events Calendar

Check out the NWCUA Events Calendar for more information about upcoming webinars, training, councils, and more.

View Calendar

Numerous career development resources are available to you on a regional and national level. Follow the links below to find out more about how you can advance your star in the Credit Union Movement.

Western CUNA Management School

For more than 55 years, Western CUNA Management School has helped to transform students into passionate strategic leaders through rigorous college level education. The school is targeted to managers and upper level operational staff. College credit is available after completion of the three-year program for those who are interested.

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Credit Union Development Educator (DE) Program

The National Credit Union Foundation’s DE program is a transformative Credit Union Training Program for Credit Union Professionals. The week-long training provides critical lessons in cooperative principles, credit union philosophy and international development issues while incorporating challenges credit unions face today.

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CUNA Professional Development Online (CPD Online)

Through a partnership with an award-winning learning management system, CPD Online is a centralized training hub for your credit union to track measurable and encouraging independent learning.

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CUES Next Top Credit Union Executive

This annual contest shines a light on the top up and coming talent in the credit union industry. Each year, more than $50,000 in prizes are awarded plus the title of CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec.

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Filene i3 program

Filene’s renowned i3 (Ideas, Innovation, Implementation) program brings together the best and the brightest next generation of credit union leaders and sets them loose on the consumer finance industry’s most flummoxing problems. i3 counts more than 200 innovations centered around building operational efficiency, generating loans, mobilizing savings, reaching communities, and strengthening membership.

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The Cooperative Trust – Upcoming Crash Events

Crash events are specific for young credit union professionals which are planned alongside an existing credit union conference. A big part of these meetups is ‘Crash’ sessions, in which industry mentors who lead our groups in open conversations around topics such as leadership, social responsibility, innovation, and more. Past guests have included current and former CUNA CEO’s; Jim Nussle and Bill Cheney, NCUF Executive Director; Gigi Hyland, Filene CEO; Mark Meyer and many more!

See Upcoming Crash Events

Continued education and training of credit union professionals and Directors helps keep the Credit Union Movement vibrant and competitive in the financial marketplace. We understand this can take a significant commitment of time and money.

The Northwest Credit Union Foundation provides scholarships awarding up to $1,500 per year for selected applicants.

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CULAC Kit – Resources related to CULAC fundraising.

LEAP Pillars – Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Philosophy in Action are recommended areas of focus for chapters and other micro-communities to tailor programming around. Together, these pillars offer tangible opportunities for credit union professionals to have an impact on the broader CU movement.

#CUObsessed – #CUobsessed is about telling people the good news about why credit unions are different and the better choice for consumers!