Agenda
All conference events will be held in person at the Ritz-Carlton on August 4-6.
All sessions are listed in the Central Time Zone.
- 7:45 AM – 8:45 AM
Who should attend? One representative from each credit union
Stablecoin Breakfast
Join us for breakfast in the Lakeside Room to hear from Alex Treece, CEO of Stablecore, about the future of digital assets in the credit union space.
- 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Breakfast
Who should attend? All Attendees
Join us for breakfast as we kick off Day 2 of the Owner Meeting!
- 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Keynote: Yes, And: Leading Through Discomfort with Improv Mindset
Who should attend? Visionary Executives and Transformative Leaders
What if your biggest leadership growth didn’t come from certainty, but from discomfort? Kelly Leonard (Executive Director of Insights and Applied Improvisation at The Second City and author of Yes, And) brings a fresh lens to strategy and leadership through the principles of improvisation.
In this engaging session, you’ll explore how strategic discomfort fuels creativity, resilience, and stronger teams. Learn how to embrace the unknown, spark innovation, and lead with agility in a world that doesn’t follow a script.
Kelly Leonard
Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development
The Second City
- 9:50 AM – 10:00 AM
Express Break
Who should attend? All Attendees
Grab something to drink or eat and head to breakouts!
Sponsored by
- 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Breakout Session - Round 1 Innovative Strategies: How MDC Credit Union Owners Harness Deposit Solutions for Member Growth
Who should attend? Growth Executives, Finance Leaders
What does success look like when innovation meets execution? In this session, you’ll hear how fellow MDC Owners are using ModernFi to solve real challenges and drive measurable results.
Are you leaving impact on the table? Join us for candid stories, practical insights, and a look at what’s possible when smart solutions meet bold leadership.
Tony Karalekas
Head of Business Development
ModernFi
Ben Wickum
CFO
Collins Community CU
Mickey Noone
VP - Business Lending Manager
Royal CU
- 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Breakout Session - Round 1
From Vision to Value: How MDC Credit Union Owners are Driving Growth and Efficiencies Through Tech-Forward Solutions
Who should attend? Operations Leaders, Efficiency Champions
Learn what’s possible when technology is built with credit unions in mind. In this session, you’ll see how MDC Owners are using CU NextGen to streamline operations, elevate member experience, and drive real growth.
Walk away with practical examples, fresh ideas, and a clear sense of how to turn vision into measurable impact.
Clark Duncan
Director of Products & Growth
CU NextGen
Angie Garman
Chief Strategy Officer
First Florida CU
Dawn Fread
SVP, Corporate Strategy & Innovation
Altra CU
- 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Breakout Session - Round 1 Real Strategies, Real Outcomes: How MDC Credit Union Owners are Using StrategyCorps to Maximize Checking Account Value
Who should attend? Strategic Stakeholders, Transformative Leaders
MDC Owners are turning big ideas into measurable results. In this session, you'll hear directly from credit union leaders who will share how they’ve used StrategyCorps to modernize their checking lineups by improving product fit, boosting revenue, and strengthening loyalty.
Walk away with practical insights, proven examples, and fresh inspiration to help your credit union make smarter, faster, and more member-centric decisions.
Dave DeFazio
EVP of Strategy & Solutions
StrategyCorps
Mike Gatrell
Chief Growth & Revenue Officer
Vantage CU
Emily Stewart
VP, Growth Strategies
Meritrust CU
- 10:30 AM – 10:40 AM
Express Break
Who should attend? All Attendees
Time to head to your next breakout! Maybe a quick snack on the way?
Sponsored by
- 10:40 AM – 11:10 AM
Breakout Session - Round 2 Innovative Strategies: How MDC Credit Union Owners Harness Deposit Solutions for Member Growth
Who should attend? Growth Executives, Finance Leaders
What does success look like when innovation meets execution? In this session, you’ll hear how fellow MDC Owners are using ModernFi to solve real challenges and drive measurable results. Are you leaving impact on the table? Join us for candid stories, practical insights, and a look at what’s possible when smart solutions meet bold leadership
Tony Karalekas
Head of Business Development
ModernFi
Ben Wickum
CFO
Collins Community CU
Mickey Noone
VP - Business Lending Manager
Royal CU
- 10:40 AM – 11:10 AM
Breakout Session - Round 2 From Vision to Value: How MDC Credit Union Owners are Driving Growth and Efficiencies Through Tech-Forward Solutions
Who should attend? Operations Leaders, Efficiency Champions
Learn what’s possible when technology is built with credit unions in mind. In this session, you’ll see how MDC Owners are using CU NextGen to streamline operations, elevate member experience, and drive real growth.
Walk away with practical examples, fresh ideas, and a clear sense of how to turn vision into measurable impact.
Clark Duncan
Director of Products & Growth
CU NextGen
Angie Garman
Chief Strategy Officer
First Florida CU
Dawn Fread
SVP, Corporate Strategy & Innovation
Altra CU
- 10:40 AM – 11:10 AM
Breakout Session - Round 2 Real Strategies, Real Outcomes: How MDC Credit Union Owners are Using StrategyCorps to Maximize Checking Account Value
Who should attend? Strategic Stakeholders, Transformative Leaders
MDC Owners are turning big ideas into measurable results. In this session, you'll hear directly from credit union leaders who will share how they’ve used StrategyCorps to modernize their checking lineups by improving product fit, boosting revenue, and strengthening loyalty.
Walk away with practical insights, proven examples, and fresh inspiration to help your credit union make smarter, faster, and more member-centric decisions.
Dave DeFazio
EVP of Strategy & Solutions
StrategyCorps
Mike Gatrell
Chief Growth & Revenue Officer
Vantage CU
Emily Stewart
VP, Growth Strategies
Meritrust CU
- 11:10 AM – 11:20 AM
Express Break
Who should attend? All Attendees
Hope you enjoyed your breakouts! Now it's time to head back to the Ritz Carlton Ballroom for key takeaways and group exercise!
Sponsored by
- 11:20 AM – 11:50 AM
Look Back. Move Forward.
Who should attend? All Attendees
Before we wrap, we’ll pause to highlight the big ideas, unexpected moments, and practical takeaways that defined our time together.
What will you do differently starting tomorrow? This final session is your chance to connect the dots, share reflections, and leave with clarity, momentum, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Colleen Murray Peyton
Senior Facilitator, Futurethink
Owner Meeting Emcee
Futurethink
- 11:50 AM – 12:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Who should attend? All Attendees
Final thoughts from MDC's COO, Ashley Kohlrus.
Ashley Kohlrus
COO
MDC
- 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Grab & Go Lunch
Who should attend? All Attendees
Need to catch a flight but need a little something on the way to the airport? Or maybe you're heading out to explore the city? A Grab & Go lunch is avilable on your way out of the meeting room… you choose what you want, pack it up, and enjoy!
- 1:20 PM – 4:00 PM
