ACE26: MCUL Leaders Focus on Advocacy and Adapting to the Moment
ACE26 kicked off Wednesday morning with a full room and a strong sense of purpose, as more than 1,300 attendees gathered for Center Stage. The audience included 76 CEOs, 106 board members and nearly 200 young professionals who took part in the 2026 YP Leadership Summit on Tuesday.
Drema Isaac Sets the Tone
CEO of Freestar Financial Credit Union and incoming MCUL Board Chair Drema Isaac opened by reflecting on the strength and consistency of Michigan’s credit union movement.
“Every time we get together like this, it reminds me of how special this movement is,” said Isaac.
She highlighted how Michigan credit union leaders have remained focused despite increasing pressure and change across the financial landscape, “Costs continued to rise. The policy environment kept shifting. And new pressures seemed to come at us from every direction. But through all of it, credit unions stayed focused on what matters most: people.”
Isaac pointed to the industry’s advocacy efforts, noting that 45 participants attended Hike the Hill to meet with Michigan and federal lawmakers, while 210 Michigan credit union professionals traveled to America’s GAC to advocate on key issues. At the state level, 175 attendees gathered for MCUL State GAC to address affordability, fraud, AI and local concerns.
She also recognized the impact of advocacy fundraising efforts and closed by expressing gratitude for the shared commitment to service as she steps into her new role as MCUL Board Chair.
Patty Corkery on Growth, Pressure and Evolution
MCUL President and CEO Patty Corkery followed by addressing the realities facing credit unions today.
She emphasized that members are making financial decisions in
an increasingly crowded and complex market, while expectations continue to rise for speed, simplicity and personalized service, “The reality is… things are changing. Your members are making financial decisions in more places, under more pressure, and with more voices trying to get their business than ever before.”
Corkery highlighted the scale of the movement, with 145 million credit union members nationwide, along with the power of advocacy.
“What makes us strong…is not a credit union's asset size, not the number of branches a credit union has, it's the collective voice we bring when we show up as a movement.”
She added that more than 6,000 Michigan credit union advocates sent 26,000 messages to Congress in support of protecting the credit union tax status in 2025.
“That’s impact,” she added.
Shifting to consumer behavior, Corkery noted that 76% of Gen Z turns to platforms like YouTube and TikTok for financial advice, and 89% are not banking with traditional institutions.
“And those decisions on where to bank? They’re being made in everyday moments,” said Corkery. “Scrolling. Talking to friends. Watching someone they trust explain something in creative way. We have to change how we show up.”
To meet that shift, she pointed to the Try a Credit Union campaign, which focuses on showing up in new ways through creators, events and real-world engagement.
A campaign video reinforced that effort, sharing how the campaign is connecting with people in spaces where they already are, as well as building trust through influencers, generating 10 million social media views.
Younger audiences are building financial habits, seeking advice and discovering brands in completely different ways than they did even ten years ago, Corkery continued. So credit unions need to ask themselves if they’re showing up earlier, in the places where trust and financial ideas are starting to form.
“Are we relevant in the everyday moments where people are learning about money, talking about financial stress, buying their first car or thinking about homeownership?”
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