Credit union leaders from throughout the state gathered at the all-new River’s Casino & Resort in Schenectady this week for the New York Credit Union Association’s Northeast Economic Forum. The two-day event included economic insights and predictions from leading economists and industry analysts. Attendees enjoyed the new venue, as well as the informative presenters.

“The conference was very informative in relation to the NCUA, economy, and materials to share with my credit union.” said Ulster FCU’s Chief Operating Officer, Bill Querbes.

“I liked the variety of presenters and the different viewpoints that I was exposed to.” said John Garrett, Chief Investment Officer at Niagara’s Choice FCU.

The event began with a Tuesday, Aug. 15, with a presentation by Jason Bram, research director in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Regional Analysis Function. Bram’s presentation focused on his research of the U.S. economy, with a primary emphasis on the Federal Reserve’s Second District, which includes New York state, northern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut.

Following Bram’s presentation, former NCUA Board Chairman Dennis Dollar took the stage to talk about the future of the credit union movement. Dollar’s presentation, titled “An Insider’s Insight into the Credit Union Industry and Movement in the Year 2025,” analyzed current credit union issues, and used his expertise to offer a vision of where credit unions could be in the 2025 marketplace. However, he also challenged attendees to make difficult choices and decisions in order to achieve that vision.

Later in the day, participants had the opportunity to attend three concurrent breakout sessions led by Max Gulker of the American Institute of Economic Research, Kris Muller of Balance Sheet Solutions and Alan Bahr of SimplyCredit.

The evening concluded with a welcome reception, offering attendees a chance to network, share ideas and discuss the day’s presentations.

Wednesday’s sessions kicked off with insights from Edmund J. McMahon, the founder and research director of the Empire Center for Public Policy. McMahon, a longtime and well-respected observer of New York state government, focused his remarks on improving New York’s economic competitiveness and promoting greater transparency within the state.

The event wrapped up Wednesday afternoon with a presentation by Matt Davis, an entrepreneur who has founded several popular websites, including CUWatercooler.com. Davis’ session demonstrated how credit unions can create a reliable process for bringing ideas to life, and how doing so can transform the way credit union employees look at their careers.