This week in the New York Minute, learn more about Fintech Connect 2026, Association Board of Directors elections, a new credit union affordability communications toolkit from AACUL, workplace and community recognition awards, plus more!
Register to Attend Fintech Connect 2026!
Innovation is moving fast in the credit union space, and Fintech Connect 2026 is designed to help credit union professionals stay ahead of the curve. That’s why the Association is partnering with the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA) and the Association of Vermont Credit Unions to give New York credit unions access to this premier fintech conference on Wednesday, June 17, in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Now in its third year, Fintech Connect has built a reputation for delivering a highly interactive experience focused on real-world technology solutions for credit unions.
Attendees can expect
- “Quick connect” networking sessions
- Live product demonstrations
- The highly anticipated Cyber Showcase, where fintech companies compete to present innovative credit union solutions
The event also offers a unique opportunity to connect directly with fintech CEOs, founders, and peers from across the region while discovering tools that can strengthen operations and enhance member experiences. This is a can’t miss event, click below to register!
Reminder: Association Board of Directors Elections Are Open!
Association member credit unions: Now’s your chance to participate in the 2026 Board of Directors election process. This year’s election includes three expiring director seats and one open seat: two (2) in Asset Tier 1 (up to $250 million) and two (2) in Asset Tier 2 ($250 million and over).
Credit union CEOs should have received voting instructions through eBallot VoteNet via an email sent from an eballot.com domain. In accordance with the Association Board Governance Policy, all ballots must be submitted electronically by June 4, 2026. Election results will be announced at the Association’s annual meeting on June 14, 2026.
Participation in the election process plays an important role in shaping the future leadership and strategic direction of the Association. Review candidate information and ensure your organization’s vote is submitted before the deadline! Learn more on the Board Election Page.
Communications Toolkit Highlighting Credit Union Affordability Now Available
The League System has released a new Credit Union Affordability Toolkit designed to help credit unions clearly communicate the real financial value they provide members every day.
The complimentary toolkit, developed through collaboration across the League System and the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL), includes fully customizable resources that credit unions can quickly integrate into existing outreach efforts.
Materials include
- Newsletter and blog copy
- Social media graphics and captions
- Email content
- Website graphics
- Customizable press release template
- Budgeting worksheet to support financial wellness conversations
The toolkit highlights how credit unions help members save through lower loan rates, reduced fees, and member-first service, which can add up to hundreds of dollars in annual savings for households.
Explore the toolkit and utilize the resources to reflect your local branding, messaging, and community impact. The Association also recognizes the League System and AACUL for continuing to invest in practical, collaborative resources that support credit unions of all sizes.
Reliant Credit Union Named One of Rochester’s Top Workplaces for Ninth Year in a Row
Congratulations to Reliant Credit Union on being named one of Rochester’s Top Workplaces by the Democrat and Chronicle for the ninth consecutive year.
The recognition is based entirely on employee feedback collected through a confidential third-party survey administered by Energage LLC. The survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including whether employees feel respected, supported, empowered, and encouraged to grow professionally.
Reliant continues to make a meaningful impact throughout its community while maintaining a strong commitment to employee engagement and member service. This latest recognition reflects the credit union philosophy in action and highlights the positive workplace cultures being cultivated across New York’s credit union community.
Credit Unions Recognized as Best of the Capital Region
Several New York credit unions were recently recognized in the “Best Credit Union” category of the Best of the Capital Region awards, an annual reader-driven program celebrating standout businesses, organizations, and institutions throughout the region.
Congratulations to the following recognized credit unions:
- Broadview Federal Credit Union
- Sunmark Credit Union
- First New York Federal Credit Union
- Community Resource FCU
- Hudson Valley Credit Union
The annual awards are determined through community voting, with more than a quarter-million votes cast across categories celebrating the people and organizations that make the Capital Region unique.
The recognition reflects the strong relationships these institutions continue to build within their communities through member-focused service, financial support, and local engagement. Congratulations to all of the credit unions recognized for this achievement and for continuing to demonstrate the value of the credit union difference across New York State.
From TruStage: Portfolio Resilience Starts By Fixing the Recall Gap
By Corrin Maier, Vice President, Lending Business, TruStage
The financial fragility of the modern borrower
The 2026 lending environment is not defined by a single shock. It’s defined by compounding pressure.
Auto loan defaults have nearly doubled since 2020, and credit unions are seeing something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: members walking into branches to voluntarily turn over their keys because they can no longer carry the payment burden. Peak vehicle pricing, elevated interest rates and tighter household cash flow have combined into a perfect stress test for loan portfolios.1
This isn’t limited to auto lending. Across consumer credit, financial fragility has become the norm rather than the exception. Nearly three-quarters of consumers report experiencing at least one financial hardship, and more than 90% worry that a single life event such as job loss, illness or disability could derail their ability to repay a loan.2
For credit union executives, this creates a clear mandate: Preventing default is no longer just about underwriting discipline.
The institutions that will outperform in the next economic cycle are shifting their posture: From lender of record to financial safe harbor.
The recall gap: A silent delivery failure
Most credit union leaders assume the risk conversation is covered when protection is “offered.” The data says otherwise. More than 80% of consumers say they are interested in payment protection products, yet more than half of borrowers do not recall being offered coverage at all.2 This is the recall gap, and it is not a conversation problem. It is a delivery problem.
Face-to-face interactions remain a critical foundation of the member relationship. But the loan closing process is overwhelming. When members are focused on rate, approval, and speed, even a well-intentioned branch conversation can become background noise. A single touchpoint, however genuine, is rarely enough.
Closing the recall gap means expanding where and how the offer is made. Consumers prefer multiple exposures to complex financial information. In fact, 74% say multiple touchpoints help them make more confident decisions. Ninety-six percent of borrowers say they want to review protection options online, on their own time, before loan documents are finalized.2 When that option isn’t available, the decision doesn’t get deferred. It often disappears.
The result is predictable. Members leave unprotected, not because they declined coverage, but because the experience never allowed the value to register.
Why digitally embedded protection changes the equation
Digital embedded protection closes the recall gap by meeting members where decisions actually happen.
Instead of relying on memory after the fact, protection is introduced directly within the digital lending flow when relevance is highest and attention is focused. This mirrors how consumers evaluate other complex protections today. Buying travel insurance for a $400 plane ticket is intuitive because it appears at the exact moment risk becomes real.3
When protection is embedded, three things happen immediately:
- Awareness increases: Members see personalized options clearly and can evaluate individual coverage in context.
- Understanding improves: Digital experiences allow education to happen without time constraints.
- Outcomes improve: More members make informed choices, and more loans are protected before hardship strikes.
This is not theoretical. Credit unions implementing embedded protection report seamless integration rates above 95%, eliminating manual rekeying and reducing staff burden.2 The operational lift is minimal, while the portfolio impact is material.
The win-win: Member security and portfolio performance
Embedded protection is often framed as a member benefit. That’s true, but it’s only half the story.
When members are protected, loan performance improves. Delinquencies are mitigated earlier. Charge-offs are reduced, and servicing teams spend less time reacting to financial crises that could have been absorbed.
From a financial perspective, the upside is clear. Credit unions offering embedded protection see a 26% increase in net income per member, driven by higher attachment rates, improved loan performance and reduced operational friction.3
This is the definition of a win-win model. Members gain a financial backstop during life’s most disruptive moments. Credit unions strengthen portfolios without sacrificing trust or speed.
In an environment where margins are under pressure and risk tolerance is tightening, few strategies deliver this level of aligned value.
Making speed the standard—without losing the brakes
One of the most common concerns executives raise is speed. Digital lending has trained members to expect decisions in minutes, not days. Any added friction risks abandonment.
The answer is to design integration correctly, not remove the protection from the experience.
Think about the transparency consumers expect elsewhere. Booking a $30,000 loan should feel as clear as purchasing a $400 plane ticket. Embedded protection applies the brakes just long enough to establish value, without adding friction to the digital application.
This balance is critical. When protection is thoughtfully integrated—not bolted on—it enhances trust rather than slowing momentum. Members feel informed, not sold. Staff stay focused on exceptions, not explanations. And the lending experience remains competitive in a crowded digital marketplace.
The real risk heading into 2026
The greatest risk facing credit union loan portfolios today is not interest rates or asset prices alone. It is exposure created by missed moments.
If half of your members are “forgetting” protection options, then half of your portfolio is unnecessarily vulnerable to the next job loss, illness, or life disruption. In the economic environment ahead, that is not a small gap.
Embedded protection is not another trend in the industry. It’s become a vital integration for organizations to find a scalable way to close the “recall gap” while preserving speed, trust, and member choice.
For credit unions committed to long-term portfolio resilience, the path forward is clear: Meet members digitally, protect them proactively, and design lending experiences that absorb risk before it becomes default.
That is how institutions move from simply lending money to truly safeguarding financial futures.
Learn more about embedding payment protection insurance into your digital loan application. Visit our Integrated Payment Protection page.
1GOBankingRates. Auto Loan Defaults Are Rising: How To Protect Your Car and Credit. 2025, Oct. 14
2TruStage. 2025 Consumer Lending Preferences Report. March, 2025
3CUbroadcast. GAC25: TruStage’s Corrin Maier Talks the Benefit of Loan Insurance Products for Credit Unions. 2025, March 8.
The views expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of TruStage
TruStage® is the marketing name for TruStage Financial Group, Inc. its subsidiaries and affiliates. Corporate headquarters are located in Madison, Wis.
© TruStage. All Rights Reserved. LPS-8753048.1-0226-0328.
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