WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The National Association of Credit Union Chairmen's 31st Annual Chairmen's Roundtable Forum opened at the Williamsburg Lodge with a new twist.

For the first time, a guest speaker, Associates President Dan Clark, was tapped for the general opening session. During an interactive session, Clark challenged the 150 attendees to stir things up. From adopting their own informal rules of order, to changing up the board meeting agenda by tackling the important and creative items first instead of saving it until the end of the meeting, attendees were advised to question and dig deeper.

"There are three ways to better board meetings–better governance, better chairing and better information," says Clark. "Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo. Strategic planning should not be an annual event but regular and ongoing. Are you looking beyond five years out and thinking in terms of 20-30 years from now what the communities you serve will look like, how your credit union can survive? If not, there is work to be done."