WASHINGTON — Thirty-five credit union and academic leaders are scheduled to work together here this week to stimulate innovative thinking and collaborate on the future of the credit union industry.
"Shaping the Playing Field for Credit Union Success," a 2-1/2 day executive management forum developed by Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and Callahan and Associates, will take place Sept. 21-24 on Georgetown's campus. The forum will focus on the most urgent challenges facing credit unions, including the current "growth stall", cornering the "values marketplace," harnessing the power of networks, and applying cooperative principles in developing strategy and identifying changing consumer needs.
"We hope to create a forum where the future of individual institutions and the system can be addressed by industry leaders and academics," said Chip Filson, president of Callahan.
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A primary goal is to identify how successful credit unions will grow in the 21st century. Project teams will apply the classroom discussions to immediate industry challenges. These challenges include gaining the benefits of collaboration without formal mergers, identifying underutilized advantages of the cooperative charter, and the potential of new technologies such as cell phones and wi-fi clouds to enhance member service. One project explores the importance of social values in market positioning and the use of those values.
In addition to its unique focus on the future of the credit union system, the course will have a continuous learning feature, including an innovative virtual network. After completing the course, participants will apply the concepts they learned to their organizations and share their experiences with each other and their faculty via a web-based community.
Georgetown Professor Paul Almeida, who will lead the course, said that the intent of the program is to "help credit unions shape the playing field to their advantage." Dr. Almeida, who received his master's and doctorate from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, is a specialist on the role of strategy, innovation, and knowledge management in attaining and preserving business competitiveness. He is the faculty sponsor for Georgetown's custom programs.
"Another critical factor making this re-visioning effort feasible is PSCU Financial Services' enthusiastic support," said Filson. "This has made the program accessible for credit union CEOs and CUSOs from all over the country."
Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business' Executive MBA program has been ranked in the top 10 globally by BusinessWeek magazine. The school has created customized executive programs for organizations as diverse as the World Bank, Nextel, Rolls-Royce, and National Public Radio. –[email protected]
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