SI Graphic 09-14-26

Five things I learned from two CU conferences in two weeks

I just returned from exhibiting at two credit union league conferences in two weeks, back to back. We mostly work remotely for credit unions coast to coast, so getting out there in person always comes with a lot of learning, and a lot of reinforcement of what we already know.

We exhibited and presented at the Indiana Credit Union League Convention in downtown Indianapolis September 29 – October 2, 2026, then exhibited at the GoWest MAXX 2026 conference in Denver the following week, October 6-9, 2026.

Now that I’m back home, here are five things that stood out.

The AI hype and panic are starting to calm down

Obviously, the big news in the CU world (and, well, everywhere) has been AI panic, AI hype, AI, AI, and more AI, for at least a few years. The majority of exhibits mentioned AI, and many of the exhibitors incorporated AI into new and existing products and services.

AI fatigue is definitely setting in, but there’s also a growing interest in what I’d call “practical” AI. Credit union leaders are digging in and asking, “What can AI do, safely, right now, for my members and my team?” 

In fact, at the Indiana Credit Union League Convention, we presented a session called “Cutting Through the AI Hype for Credit Union Marketers”, where we discussed and demonstrated some of the ways to safely use AI in a daily CU marketing workflow, from simple tasks to deep strategic work. We had great attendance and lively discussion in both sessions. (Sound like something you’d like to dig into at your next CU gathering? Get in touch!)

Take better care of yourself

I seem to learn new survival lessons at every conference. Most importantly, wear your most comfortable shoes, no matter what they look like. Everyone will understand and no one will care about your crocs, sandals, sneakers or Skechers. It’s doubly important for us exhibitors and presenters, who spend a lot more time on our feet and standing in one place.

Drink lots of water, too. Talking with so many people is thirsty work in any environment, and Denver happened to be unusually hot and dry that week. I finally remembered to bring a large water bottle to both conferences and topped it up often.

And the same goes for every conference-goer; take breaks, wear comfy shoes, get off your feet when you can, drink lots of water (and maybe less of, er, other beverages), try to eat healthy food despite all the buffet goodies, and move around as much as you can.

Bring a cushy rug

That rug really tied the booth together.

On a related note, we added a furry, well-padded blue rug to our exhibit this year, and honestly it was one of our best booth moves ever. In addition to cushioning the bare concrete floor in Denver, it created a more inviting, comfortable space of our own in what could be a pretty sterile environment.

And of course the bright blue shag really helped us stand out, and was perfectly on-brand for our hairy monster backdrop and monster swag. When people stepped in to talk, you could see the instant relief on their faces. Whether it’s a branch, office, or a booth, make your space a place where people like to be.

Helping young CU professionals catch the CU spirit

At both conferences, we noticed that the leagues had Young Professionals programs, intended to bring people to conferences and expose them to the credit union spirit of cooperation early in their careers. This is a fantastic idea, and everyone I spoke to was excited to learn just how strong and genuine the CU spirit was. 

Credit union people are the best people

OK, this obviously isn’t a new realization… after all I’ve spent pretty much my entire career in the credit union world. But it bears repeating: there’s nothing like getting out there and talking with several hundred genuinely mission-driven people in person to reinforce the fact that they’re pretty much the kindest, most passionate, and most interesting people on the planet. 

Hope to see you at your next credit union conference!

Note: One of the points in our AI presentation was to disclose the use of AI whenever possible. AI was used to remove part of the background of the exhibit photo. However, the text of this post was 100% human-generated by the human in that photo.

Brian Wringer
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