The Global Credit Union Podcast

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) released its 2024 Statistical Report in October and the man who conducted the survey and compiled the data joins Episode 54 of the Global Credit Union Podcast to break down it all down. Thom Belekevich, WOCCU Director of Member Services, discusses the most comprehensive version of the annual Statistical Report to date, which features the traditional data WOCCU has always shared, as well as the global trends, demographics, strategic priorities, risks and regulatory environments credit unions are facing.   Episode 54 also features the end of an era, as founder and host Greg Neumann announces his departure.

Credit unions have never seen a greater amount of fraud and other cybersecurity threats than they have in 2025.For this month’s episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Efrain Orsini, Jr., Director of Security Operations for SilverSky, a cybersecurity firm that has safeguarded a number of American credit unions for more than 20 years. “EJ”, as he likes to be called, talks about several of those emerging threats and how artificial intelligence is putting a new spin on many of them. He also discusses the ways credit unions, both large and small, can protect themselves moving forward.  

Every business in the world is keeping a close on President Trump's tariffs, and credit unions are no different. But what are the impacts of those tariffs on the global credit union movement? On this episode we dive deep into that question by taking a look at consumer sentiment, inflation and what we can't see coming in the months ahead with Curt Long, Chief Economist and Vice President of Data for America's Credit Unions, and David Malone, CEO of the Irish Credit Union League.Both of those organizations are keeping a close eye on the tariff issue, and Curt and David will discuss what the data is showing so far and what they foresee coming down the road.

This month on Episode 51 of the Global Credit Union Podcast, we feature our first Member Spotlight on Poland's National Association of Co-operative Savings and Credit Unions (NACSCU), by interviewing NACSCU President Rafał Matusiak. Rafal, who is also a member of World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) Board of Directors, describes how WOCCU was very influential in restarting the Polish credit union movement after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s. He also discusses how NACSCU has built and maintained the largest credit union system in mainland Europe, and why his organization is so involved in both regional and international advocacy efforts with WOCCU.

We preview the 2025 World Credit Union Conference this month on Episode 50 of The Global Credit Union Podcast.Christi Swoboda, WOCCU Director of International Meetings and Events, shares all the you need to know before you arrive in Stockholm, Sweden, and also previews the keynote speakers and major themes being covered at WCUC 2025 from July 14-16. There will be more sessions focused on advocacy, policy and regulations in Stockholm than at any previous World Credit Union Conference. Paul Andrews, WOCCU Vice President of International Advocacy, and Erin O'Hern, WOCCU International Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel, discuss the importance of those sessions and what you can learn and take back to your credit union.There is a lot for attendees to get excited about outside the conference as well. Karin Mäntymäki, Director of International Market Development for Visit Stockholm, talks about all that Sweden's world-class capital has to offer.You'll also hear about events the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions is hosting in conjunction with WCUC 2025, and how you can register for those. It's an episode you don't want to miss! 

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Interim President and CEO Paul Treinen is the featured guest this month. He talks about his vision for moving our organization forward during a time of transition. The WOCCU Board of Directors in April appointed Paul to the temporary leadership position upon the departure of Elissa McCarter LaBorde. Paul is no stranger to WOCCU, having served as its Chief Operating Officer and then Executive Vice President from 2017 until 2023.But now he is back and joins us to discuss World Council's commitment to a greater focus on the members of our trade association and their credit unions, especially in the form of our international advocacy efforts on their behalf and the upcoming 2025 World Credit Union Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, this July.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) launched the promotion of International Credit Union Day 2025 in April under the theme “Cooperation for a Prosperous World”. It ties into the United Nations declaring 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives under the theme "Cooperatives Build a Better World." WOCCU Director of Member Services Thom Belekevich joins the podcast to discuss the importance of that theme, which will be celebrated on Thursday, October 16. Marcey Ciaccio, Philanthropy Manager for Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), also joins us to explain the thought process behind this year's ICU Day 2025 posters, and to highlight how WFCU is offering an ICU Day commemorative pin for the second straight year, as well as paid media kit, which is new for 2025.International Credit Union Day 2025 is sponsored by Velera, one of the largest card issuers for credit unions in the United States. Brian Caldarelli, Velera's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer - who also sits on the WFCU Board of Directors, also joins me to discuss the organization's passion for cooperation and collaboration as it relates to ICU Day.

World Council of Credit Unions’ (WOCCU) President and CEO Elissa McCarter LaBorde returns to the podcast along with Mike Reuter, President of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), to discuss WFCU’s Rally the Movement campaign. Since we recorded our last episode, USAID terminated all three of its awards that funded World Council international development projects in seven countries. Rally the Movement is an effort to maintain some of that work in at least three countries – Ukraine, Kenya and Guatemala – through the generous support of the global credit union movement. We talk about why that effort is so necessary, and how World Council will put those funds to use. To donate to the Rally the Movement campaign, visit: https://doglobalgood.org/rally

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) faces a crucial moment in its history. Due to the U.S. freeze on all foreign aid, we have had to stop work on all three of the international development projects we had been implementing on behalf of the U.S. government. That has resulted in reductions for WOCCU’s Global Programs’ staff both overseas and here in the U.S. It has also left our future in international development in question.But we are not sitting still. This month, new WOCCU Vice President of International Advocacy Paul Andrews and WOCCU International Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel Erin O’Hern join the podcast in the episode to discuss our efforts to show the value of the work we do on behalf of American taxpayers, and how we are trying to ensure it continues moving forward, by engaging with key U.S. credit union leaders and their members of Congress.

We are excited to launch a new format for The Global Credit Union Podcast in 2025. While you'll still hear interviews with World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) executives and other global credit union leaders on a wide range of topics that are vitally important to our industry, you'll now also get up to date information about what WOCCU and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) have been up to over the past month, and hear about events and plans for the next 30 days. To accomplish that, WOCCU Director of Communications Greg Neumann welcomes WFCU Marketing, Communications and Grant Management Consultant Alisa Stetsyshyn as a monthly contributor. Previous to her work with WFCU, Alisa served as the Communications Lead Consultant for the WOCCU Credit for Agriculture Producers' (CAP) Project in Ukraine. To start 2025, Greg and Alisa discuss some new developments at both WOCCU and WFCU in January, and give a full preview of what's ahead for both organizations for the rest of the year.