CHICAGO–The Illinois Credit Union League is getting ready to move into 2026 with a new storytelling initiative, “Credit Unions in Action,” that will measure and share the many ways Illinois credit unions give back.
According to the league, the project will help legislators, media, and the public see the “full scope of what credit unions do for their communities, fuel awareness and advocacy, and shine a light on projects that make a difference.”
The initiative was announced earlier at the ICUL’s annual meeting, which was the first to be fully helmed by its new president and CEO Libby Calderone.
Looking back on the meeting, Calderone said, “This convention was an overwhelming success, confirming its role as the premier annual platform for Illinois credit union professionals. The strong attendance, coupled with the commitment shown by our leaders, proves that the movement is unified, adaptable, and strongly positioned for future growth and positive change.”
Meeting Highlights
Among the meeting’s highlights was a focus on advocacy, including a fireside chat that brought together key industry leaders that addressed numerous issues. The panel included Calderone, along with America’s Credit Unions CEO Scott Simpson, Bank Social COO Becky Reed, America’s Credit Unions’ Advocacy Director Gordon Holzberg, and Richard Gose, principal of Hunter Station Strategies, LLC).
The discussion focused on critical topics such as the regulatory outlook, new challenges facing the movement, and the vision for national unity.
The panel was followed by a keynote by Steven Rick, chief economist at TruStage, who presented a deep dive into the “U.S. Economic Outlook & its Impact on CUs” and who provided attendees with actionable intelligence on interest rate trends and market conditions.
The first day ended with a lively exhibit hall grand opening, the league said.
Educational Sessions
The second day was dedicated to educational opportunities and peer recognition, including breakout sessions that focused on compliance, technology, and operational best practices, as well as a special focus on digital transformation.
The Celebration Lunch honored outstanding service by recognizing both the 2025 state-level America’s Credit Unions Awards winners and the esteemed ICUL Award winners for their exemplary work in the movement.
The Illinois Credit Union Foundation presented its 2025 Commemorative Awards, honoring individuals whose lives embodied the “people helping people” spirit of the credit union movement. This year included one returning award—1st MidAmerica Credit Union’s memorial to George G. Burnett—and several new recognitions. Two new Perpetual Memorial Awards were established in honor of industry leaders Billy Cerwin and Kellie Jurick, whose lifelong dedication, service, and community impact will now be remembered annually, the league said.
The CU Daily had coverage of the winners of the league’s highest honors here.
Two New Awards
The Foundation also introduced two new memorial awards recognizing longtime contributors Louis “Lou” McMurray and Cornielius “Con” O’Mahoney for their decades of leadership and service, while a Tribute Award was created in honor of Keith Sias, following his receipt of the national Eugene H. Farley League Leadership Award for his outstanding advocacy on behalf of Illinois credit unions.
Event for Crashers
Another focus of the meeting was the future of the movement, which was highlighted by the success of the CU Reach CRASH program. This initiative brought dozens of young professionals to the convention for specialized networking and learning opportunities, fostering the next generation of credit union leadership, according to the league.
Crashers at ICUL meeting below.
