As is usual with NACUSO, the caliber of people that this conference attracts is amazing. These are hands down, the most innovative and entrepreneurial people in the entire credit union industry. The things that people at the conference have been able to accomplish is amazing. Ongoing Operations of Hagerstown, Maryland, for example, won the 2010 CUSO of the Year award for their outstanding disaster recovery services. They have over 125 credit union clients and 20(ish) credit union owners in the actual CUSO demonstrating what real collaboration can accomplish.

The theme NACUSO has been driving home is collaboration and innovation throughout the whole week. The speakers have really brought home many of the concepts and done a great job talking about the good, and the bad, of collaboration and innovation.

Check out CU Times for for some more coverage from Michelle Samaad and don’t forget to check out the Twitter feed. Make sure to try and make it a point to attend next year. Who knows, maybe we’ll get a crash together for it…

I’d like to extend a huge thanks to Palmetto Cooperative Services and Mark Curran for putting up the crashers in our two star lodging for the week and picking up the tab for dinner and drinks on a few occasions. Another big thanks goes out to CU Swag (and PTP New Media) and James Robert Lay for the killer Crash the GAC t-shirts. I’d also like to thank all of the crashers and their sponsoring credit unions for come up to DC and livin’ it up at the GAC.

And finally, I’d like to thank the master behind the curtain, Brent Dixon and his design shop, The Haberdashery, for his amazing work at putting this together. Also, Filene, who supported Brent in his quest to bring under 30 professionals to the GAC. Without Brent, none of this would have been possible!

I’d also like to thank my personal trainer, my dog… (cue music)

The CUES Experience rocked.  It was the youngest credit union conference I have been to yet.  It was very refreshing to see so many new credit union people and young professionals excited about credit unions.

Kuhlmann from ING gave it to the credit unions.  He rocked.  If a bank can be so focused on their story that they fire customers, why can’t CU’s.  It makes me sad that so many CU’s are going after growth for the sake of growth with community charters and are trying to be everything to everyone.  Stick with your story, but find new ways to make it work!  Your story rocks!  Use it.

I went to a few seasons, the first being from Elaine Whitton at Advanced Reporting, one of our CUSO’s that does employment and tenant screening.  I also sat through Brent and Trey from Trabian and The Waz’s session on social media on Thursday afternoon.  It’s always refreshing watching credit union execs react when they learn how Second Life really works.  Sheri from Verity was also there and makes an awesome example of a CU blogging.

Overall, it was a great time and I can’t wait to get back to it next year!

I’ll be posting any relevant updates for the goings-ons at the trade show as well as heckling Trey and Brent from the back of the room during their session.  Beautiful day in Spokane and can’t wait for the rest of the week!

By the way, WCUL is the Washington Credit Union League.