Naperville, Illinois – Hundreds of credit union professionals gathered in Chicago for the Illinois Credit Union League’s 93rd Annual Convention: Innovate. Integrate. Motivate on October 5 - October 7, 2023. Welcomed by ICUL’s President/CEO, Tom Kane, and CUNA’s President/CEO, Jim Nussle, attendees embarked on three days of forward thinking, networking, and fundraising.
In the opening session, Kane spoke to ICUL’s successful advocacy efforts in 2023, highlighting the unanimous passage of the Illinois Credit Union Act in July, the thriving training and events opportunities and partnerships available for credit union professionals in Illinois, and the League’s upcoming redesigned website. Jim Nussle asked for support of and provided an update on the CUNA/NAFCU merger, noting the new organization, America’s Credit Unions, is poised to create a strong future for credit unions.
Unique to ICUL’s Annual Convention is the lively exhibit hall where, in its first night on Thursday, vendors and attendees enjoyed an evening cocktail reception, the CUPAC Auction and Wine Pull, and CU Kind Day service project benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Friday morning, a Fiserv sponsored breakfast and credit union Mascot parade stole the show – raising over $8,700 for various local charities.
Mixed with twelve breakout sessions led by innovative speakers, Friday’s Celebration Lunch featured winners of both ICUL and CUNA awards, Illinois Credit Union Foundation Awards, and the renowned motivational speaker Antonio Neves. Neves nudged the audience to take charge of their professional and personal happiness noting: “You owe yourself absolutely everything.”
Beyond the sessions and celebrations, the convention offered opportunities to meet and connect with plenty of networking focused on supporting communities and the future of the credit union industry. “Innovate. Integrate. Motivate, is the theme that encompasses the League’s vision of helping credit unions and in building our own team,” said Tom Kane, “it was an honor, and a lot of fun, to connect with so many credit union professionals and our partners in the movement.”
