BOULDER CITY, Nev.–Mitchell Stankovic & Associates is expanding the credit union presence at Money20/20, formalizing the “Credit Union Journey” it developed in 2025 as an official part of the conference experience and forming a new alliance with the World Council of Credit Unions and the Filene Research Institute.
MSA said the collaboration with the World Council of Credit Unions, or WOCCU, will connect Money20/20 attendees with a global cooperative system of 75,000 credit unions serving more than 400 million people.
The expansion builds on MSA’s efforts at the 2025 Money20/20 conference, when CEOs of some of the nation’s largest credit unions joined MSA CEO Susan Mitchell on the event’s main stage. According to MSA, it marked the first time credit union leaders had been featured on the main stage at the fintech conference.
“We want partners, not vendors,” Navy Federal Credit Union CEO Dietrich Kuhlmann said during the 2025 event, a message MSA said helped define the cooperative presence at the conference and is carrying forward into this year’s expanded Credit Union Journey.
In the Works for a Decade
MSA said it has spent nearly a decade developing a cooperative footprint at Money20/20, including introducing Underground: Collision of Contrasts and working to elevate mission-driven leadership at an event traditionally dominated by banks, fintech companies and venture-backed companies.
As part of the continued Credit Union Journey strategic roadmap, MSA said this year’s conference will include:
- Curated cooperative content.
- Global ecosystem insights.
- Leadership conversations.
- Innovation pathways.
- A dedicated convening space for credit unions.
- A new Credit Union Pass providing direct access for credit union participants.
Increased Interest in Programming
MSA said data from the 2025 conference showed increased interest in credit union-related programming. Credit union sessions ranked among the top four standout topics, with attendees commenting that “having more of a focus on credit unions was a pleasant change” and that “NCUA board member and CU CEO sessions were very helpful.”
Interest in credit union content increased 14% year over year, particularly among sponsors and exhibitors, according to MSA. The credit union main-stage session also ranked among the 20 most-bookmarked sessions at the conference.
MSA said those results demonstrate that cooperative leadership is attracting increasing interest from the broader financial innovation community and helped lead to the creation of the Credit Union Pass for this year’s conference.
World Council Alliance Adds Global Focus
The alliance with the World Council will expand the initiative beyond U.S. credit unions, bringing international cooperative innovation, humanitarian work and financial inclusion into the Money20/20 programming, according to MSA.
“Trust is the foundation of the entire credit union movement,” SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union CEO Bill Cheney said in MSA’s 2025 Underground white paper. “The whole people-helping-people philosophy rests on it. Sharing and learning across borders strengthens everyone.”
MSA said the World Council relationship is intended to position credit unions as a global force in financial innovation, community impact and member well-being. Additional announcements involving the World Council are expected in the coming weeks, including details about international activations and global cooperative programming.
Filene Joins Expanded Ecosystem
MSA said the Filene Research Institute is also joining the expanded Money20/20 credit union ecosystem.
Filene’s participation will add research, consumer insights and innovation resources for credit unions attending the conference, according to MSA. The organization joins what MSA described as a global cooperative pathway grounded in mission, trust and shared purpose.
“Collaboration has always been our superpower. … We punch above our weight when we work together,” Kinecta Federal Credit Union CEO Keith Sultemeier said in the 2025 Underground white paper.
MSA said the expanded cooperative presence at Money20/20 is intended to build on that collaborative approach.
Part of Broader Credit Union Strategy
The Money20/20 initiative is part of a broader series of credit union programs MSA has developed in recent years.
Those initiatives include the AI Imperative Series, Underground: Collision of Contrasts, the Money20/20 Credit Union Journey and the REACH Shared Services Summit, along with the new global cooperative alignment with the World Council.
MSA said the Money20/20 experience will begin with Underground Reckoning on Sunday, Oct. 18.
The programming will also focus on artificial intelligence and its potential to help credit unions expand financial wellness and personalized services.
“We cannot scale financial wellness with branches alone,” BECU CEO Beverly Anderson said during the 2025 Money20/20 main-stage session. “AI helps us bring personalized financial guidance to members at a level we could never reach manually.”
MSA said that approach represents the future it intends to highlight through the Credit Union Journey at Money20/20.
The Growing Role of AI
Mitchell said the growing use of AI also creates new leadership and governance responsibilities for credit unions.
“Credit unions are embracing the AI era that demands stronger leadership, sharper governance, and a willingness to rethink how they operate,” Mitchell said. “We created an AI Imperative series with CU Daily that leads up to the Underground on October 18th to help executives and boards move intentionally into strategic deployment. The future belongs to those who act with discipline and purpose.”
MSA said it remains focused on elevating cooperative leadership, strengthening global relationships and ensuring credit unions have a role in discussions shaping the future of financial services.
The organization described the formalized Credit Union Journey at Money20/20 as the next stage of that effort, creating a global and collaborative pathway built on its previous advocacy, innovation and credit union leadership initiatives.
