NEFMA 2026 Fall Conference

Join us as NEFMA President Kerri Madnick officially opens the conference and welcomes attendees. Kerri will share opening remarks and set the stage for the days ahead.

For decades, the credit union industry has earned the trust of its members and built its reputation by delivering on a clear and consistent promise of transparency, integrity, personalized service and an unwavering commitment to the communities it serves. These values have long distinguished credit unions from other financial institutions, strengthening their brands, attracting new members, and establishing lasting loyalty among existing ones. They remain the foundation of the credit union movement because they continue to resonate with consumers and because credit unions consistently deliver on that promise.

Today, we must also fully understand and adapt to members’ expectations and needs by embracing innovation, technology, creativity, and a willingness to take calculated risks, all while preserving the people-first philosophy that defines the credit union experience. The challenge for today's credit union leaders is determining how to advance digital transformation to meet members’ expectations without sacrificing the personal relationships and trust that members deserve. These are not competing priorities; they must exist together.

Credit unions across the country are investing in thoughtful, member-centered digital transformation initiatives designed to improve both service delivery and the overall member experience. For me and my organization, this work has become a strategic priority, not simply to remain competitive but to better serve our members while staying true to our mission and values.

At its core, the Clutch initiative was designed to create a faster, more seamless experience for BrightBridge members. Members can now complete an online deposit account or loan application in three minutes or less, reducing friction and helping lower application abandonment. The improved digital experience has already increased completed deposit and loan applications and significantly increased engagement across checking accounts, certificates of deposit, high yield savings accounts and consumer lending products.

The platform has also been a major driver of our organic growth strategy, which I can share to illustrate the benefits of building a digital platform. Results include:

• Online application conversion rates increased from 18% to 45%, which is a 150% improvement that has directly contributed to new member growth.

• Digital deposit applications reached 39% of total applications, exceeding the organization's 30% target.

• Average deposit funding amounts increased from $352 to $2,022, demonstrating stronger member engagement and higher-value relationships.

• Applications requiring manual fraud review declined from 100% to 23%, significantly improving efficiency for the BrightBridge team while maintaining strong risk controls.

• Auto loan decision workflows were reduced from 272 steps to 83, a 69% reduction in process complexity.

Teams can now devote greater attention to complex lending decisions and more personal member service.

Rate pressure isn't going away. Neither is the competition for deposits. So what's actually working right now?
This session reviews seven deposit campaigns that community banks are running today, with real results to show for it. We break down what made each one work: the data behind the targeting, the offer structure, the channel mix, and the outcomes achieved. These are not case studies from 2019 or generic best practices assembled from surveys. These are current campaigns with current results, and the specific decisions that drove them. If deposit growth and higher campaign ROI are board priorities, and you want to see what peers are doing beyond matching the rate down the street, this is where to start.

Chime spends over half a billion in marketing a year learning what works in digital financial marketing. Credit Unions and Community Banks do not need to copy them, but they should absolutely learn from them.
We've analyzed over 300 ads from Chime’s paid social campaigns his year, uncovering the patterns behind how they simplify messaging, build trust, and move consumers toward action. We're back again to re-look at this data now that we're at the end of the year!
In this live diagnostic-style presentation, Dean will break down Chime’s current advertising strategy and explore what credit unions and community banks should learn from it before budget season.
This is a practical breakdown of what fin-tech brands are doing differently and where financial marketing strategies are falling behind.
We’ll walk through:

• How Chime structures its messaging system
• Why simpler positioning is outperforming cluttered campaigns
• How modern financial brands shape demand before consumers search
• The role of paid social in building consideration
• What credit unions and community banks should pressure-test in their own marketing

You’ll leave with practical insights your team can apply immediately to improve:

• Marketing clarity
• Funnel alignment
• Positioning
• Demand generation strategy

Join us the morning after the NEFFIE Awards to hear from a selection of this year’s winners.
Following their recognition at the awards ceremony, our panelists will share the stories behind their winning work, the ideas and strategies that brought it to life, and lessons they’ve learned along the way.
It’s a chance to go beyond the award and hear directly from the people behind some of this year’s standout work in financial marketing.

Marketing in banking has never been more complex—or more personal. You're navigating shifting customer expectations, relentless digital change, and the daily pressure to do more with less. In this reflective keynote, Joe Sullivan invites bank marketers to look inward as much as outward, exploring how the Zen principles of Balance, Simplicity, and Adaptability can transform not just your marketing strategy—but the way you work and lead every day.
This isn't just about better campaigns. It's about becoming a clearer, more grounded, more resilient marketer in an industry that rarely slows down.