CEO Update: DCUC: Driving Advocacy, Intelligence and Collaboration Across the Credit Union Industry

It has been a great month for DCUC.

​We conducted another successful overseas conference, achieved an important win for homeless veterans, positioned the industry for success on several Congressional interest items, and signed several NEW member credit unions! 

As promised, we have improved DCUC’s value and brand recognition throughout the industry and on Capitol Hill—so we can win together.

The year is only halfway through—and the best is still ahead. In the meantime, we want to continue to be top of mind when it comes to choosing which organization earns your dues dollars. DCUC membership isn’t just a smart investment—it’s a powerful way for all credit unions to save money while continuing to grow. Simply put, there’s no better value in the industry.

Making Wise Budget Choices

As credit unions begin planning their 2026 budgets, dues, and travel, now is the perfect time to remind your fellow CEOs of the tremendous opportunity that DCUC offers. Any credit union can join DCUC and save thousands of dollars. Ignoring or discounting the opportunity could be costly, especially since DCUC is the undisputed leader in our industry. We work very hard and have proven our ability to:
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• Be highly accessible and responsive to our member’s needs • Providing actionable information on critical trends and issues—early and often
• Deliver outstanding service and actual results for our members
• Maximize our credibility on Capitol Hill, inside the Pentagon, and at NCUA
• Forging deep relationships throughout the industry that benefit our members
• Leverage media, events and social platforms that promote our members

If other credit unions need proof, our current DCUC members can attest to our record of achievement—CEO-to-CEO, who can vouch for our track record of success.

Industry partners, who engage with credit unions across numerous conferences and events, can also speak to the value and reputation of DCUC. And our results speak for themselves, which are regularly published in the industry trade press and in Congressional news sources. Why DCUC is a Great Choice The last few years have been hard on credit unions. Interest rate imbalances, regulatory pressures on non-interest income, and increasing technological demands have made it difficult to keep abreast in a sea of competition. We get it; keeping costs under control is crucial for all credit unions.

Yet, there is good news for credit unions struggling to keep pace with inflation, reducing costs, or simply looking to grow. DCUC offers a superior choice for a tenth of what others charge. It makes little sense for credit unions to continue paying 10 times more for 2nd or 3rd best when they can access a first-class, industry-wide organization at fraction of the cost. It’s a smarter, more sustainable choice for today’s credit unions.

t’s no surprise that others are trying to imitate DCUC— we’re gaining momentum, and the results speak for themselves. What sets us apart is our clarity of purpose: we know who we are, we’re energized by where we’re headed, and we have a clear, strategic path to get there. The same can’t be said for others, especially after a series of industry missteps and misdirected attempts to undermine DCUC. Ironically, those efforts have only strengthened our value and affirmed our direction.

At DCUC, we’ve always embraced collaboration with industry trade associations, leagues, and system partners. Our strategy is rooted in building strong, winning coalitions that deliver meaningful results for our members. We respect what makes each organization unique—because that diversity is what makes our industry strong, resilient, and respected. For us, leadership comes naturally. It’s never forced, faked, or self-serving. And when we succeed, we’re proud to share the credit—because we believe in winning together.

We make no apologies for aggressively defending the industry’s tax-exempt status, opposing the Credit Card Competition Act, or rejecting efforts to extend the Community Reinvestment Act to credit unions. As the industry champion, we also do not shy away from going on offense. Credit unions need a champion like DCUC!

DCUC would not be doing its job if we settled for secondbest. We strive for excellence; we don’t wait for change—we lead it. From our actions to our value proposition, everything we do is centered on advancing and supporting our members. There’s simply no better way to serve.

To our dues-paying members: thank you for your continued trust and support. You chose DCUC to be your advocate and champion—and we remain fully committed to earning that trust every day. Let’s keep the momentum going into 2026 and see how many more credit unions recognize the strength of our growing coalition.