The Luminaries finalists are tackling mortgage lock-in, digital servicing, public-benefit access and member-data ownership.

The proposed combination would create a credit union serving more than 155,000 members across 22 locations in Alabama, Florida and Virginia, with completion expected in 2027.

At four credit unions from Texas to Florida, high school students gain hands-on experience while credit unions build relationships with younger members.

Only seven state-chartered credit unions report reserves under a rule originally intended to protect the Share Insurance Fund from potentially risky investments.