CUES Symposium

Symposium Registration & Welcome Reception

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Breakfast Buffet

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Welcome to Symposium

8:00 – 8:15 a.m.

Vaishali Jadhav, Founder of Mandalight Learning

State of CUES & Awards Ceremony

8:15 – 9:10 a.m.

Heather McKissick, CUES CEO

Networking Break

9:10 – 9:30 a.m.

General Session

9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Digital Transformation and the Future of Direct-to-Consumer Business
David R. Bell, Author, Professor, Investor, and Thought Leader

Understand how digital transformation and digital leverage is reshaping and enabling new business models, including in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) landscape, empowering brands to build stronger relationships with customers, leverage data for personalized experiences, and streamline operations. This session will examine key strategies, emerging technologies, and numerous examples from David's investment portfolio that highlight how businesses can thrive in the evolving DTC economy. 

By the end of this session, credit union leaders will be able to identify and apply digital strategies that enhance member engagement, personalize services through data insights, and optimize operations to drive sustainable growth in a competitive financial landscape.

Day 1 Closing Remarks

11:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Vaishali Jadhav, Founder of Mandalight Learning

Lunch                
On your own

Optional Events – separate registrations required

Breakfast Buffet

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Breakout Sessions

8:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Disrupting the Innovation Process: How to use AI to triple the speed and increase the quality of your innovation process
David Robertson, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management

AI has already transformed what we do. The next stage is how it will transform the way we create: new products, new services, new processes, new ideas, new ways of thinking. In this provocative and practical keynote, MIT innovation expert David Robertson reveals how AI will transform how we innovate and what the future of our businesses looks like. Success in this new era won’t just be about changing what we build, it’ll be about changing how we build it. From Polaroid’s “scheduling invention” approach to the rise of stage-gate processes to the Design Thinking revolution, every major leap forward has redefined what innovation looks like. And today, we’re standing at the edge of the next big shift. At MIT, Robertson and his team have built a groundbreaking multi-agent AI platform that supercharges the entire way companies generate, refine, and select ideas.

In this fast-paced session, Robertson takes you on a whirlwind tour through the history of innovation methods, then shows you what’s coming next. And in the hands-on workshop that follows, your team will dive straight into MIT’s new AI platform, learning exactly how to use it to tackle your biggest innovation challenges.

DeRisking Environmental Threats: Strategies for Todays Leaders
Heather LaMarre, Author, Professor, and Founder of HBM Strategies and Heartbeat Media

In today’s rapidly evolving and politically polarized environment, trust has become more than a value, it’s a strategic imperative. For CEOs and Board Chairs, navigating transformation requires modernizing public affairs strategies and leading with foresight to mitigate emerging risks and external threats. This interactive session provides leaders with the tools to embed trust at the core of their organizational strategy while addressing ideological divides, competing member priorities, and the need for alignment between member benefits and mission-driven goals. Learn how to safeguard brand integrity, foster unity, and ensure organizational resilience in the face of uncertainty and socio-political complexity.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify emerging reputational risks from political, social, and generational forces.
• Build proactive strategies to derisk environmental threats and strengthen trust.
• Modernize engaged leadership by transforming public affairs strategy around trust and transparency.
   

The Future-Ready Board: Strategies to Strengthen Credit Union Board Leadership
Anthony Goodman, Senior Client Partner & Leader of the North American Board Effectiveness Practice at Korn Ferry
Andrea Gosz, Senior Client Partner in the Financial Services Markets at Korn Ferry

The speed of change and disruption creates a common dilemma for all companies, how to simultaneously perform (run the business) and transform (change the business). The board must be a critical partner of management, helping to anticipate and shape the future, whilst continuing to monitor, manage, and maintain performance. Yet the demands on boards have never been greater: from economic uncertainty to geopolitical risk, from sustainability to leaps in AI, technology, and cyber risk. Best-in-class boards are not overly focused on compliance and reporting. Instead, they are clear about their purpose, their composition, their process and structure, and their partnership with key stakeholders. Boards work most effectively when there is alignment between their purpose, their composition (people), their approach to partnership, and their process and structure: the 4xPs. Supported, of course, by strong board leadership. 

Participants will gain a practical understanding of how high-performing boards effectively balance oversight and strategic foresight in the face of rapid change and disruption. They will leave equipped with the 4xPs framework, Purpose, People, Partnership, and Process/Structure, to evaluate and strengthen their own board’s effectiveness. 
 

Networking Break

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Breakout Sessions Continue

9:45 – 11:00 a.m.

Travel Time 

11:00 – 11:05 a.m.  

Bonus Sessions (3)

11:05 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch

On your own

Optional Events – separate registrations required

Breakfast Buffet

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Breakout Sessions

8:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Disrupting the Innovation Process: How to use AI to triple the speed and increase the quality of your innovation process
David Robertson, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management

DeRisking Environmental Threats: Strategies for Todays Leaders
Heather LaMarre, Author, Professor, and Founder of HBM Strategies and Heartbeat Media

The Future-Ready Board: Strategies to Strengthen Credit Union Board Leadership
Anthony Goodman, Senior Client Partner & Leader of the North American Board Effectiveness Practice at Korn Ferry
Andrea Gosz, Senior Client Partner in the Financial Services Markets at Korn Ferry

Networking Break

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Breakout Sessions Continue

9:45 – 11:00 a.m.

Travel Time 

11:00 – 11:05 a.m.  

Bonus Sessions (3)

11:05 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch

On your own

Optional Events – separate registration required

Aloha Closing Reception

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Breakfast Buffet

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Breakout Sessions

8:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Disrupting the Innovation Process: How to use AI to triple the speed and increase the quality of your innovation process
David Robertson, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management

DeRisking Environmental Threats: Strategies for Todays Leaders
Heather LaMarre, Author, Professor, and Founder of HBM Strategies and Heartbeat Media

The Future-Ready Board: Strategies to Strengthen Credit Union Board Leadership
Anthony Goodman, Senior Client Partner & Leader of the North American Board Effectiveness Practice at Korn Ferry
Andrea Gosz, Senior Client Partner in the Financial Services Markets at Korn Ferry

Networking Break

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Breakout Sessions Continue

9:45 – 11:00 a.m.

General Session: Parting Perspectives

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Vaishali Jadhav, Founder of Mandalight Learning

CUES Symposium Concludes

12:00 p.m.

CUES has negotiated a discount when you book with Enterprise and National for this meeting. You can take advantage of our discounted rates by booking online using the below links. Be sure to reference account number SMB3601 when making all reservations.
 
Enterprise Reservations | National Reservations

We also invite you to enroll in the Emerald Club loyalty program. As an Emerald Club member, you can bypass the counter and choose your own vehicle, earn free rental days, receive arrival & return alerts, receive e-receipts, and maximize benefits while still enjoying our CUES corporate discount. Click here to enroll in Emerald Club (Emerald Club benefits applicable to both Enterprise & National reservations).  

Your companion is welcome to join you at the Welcome Reception and Aloha Closing Reception, as well as register for any of the optional activities. We also offer a companion meal program, which includes breakfast Monday through Thursday for $495 USD /$670 CAD.

Support the Maui community by adding a little extra to make a big impact! When you register for Symposium, you can round up your registration fee to help provide food and essentials to those in need through the Maui Food Bank. Join us in giving back—every dollar makes a difference!

Monday, February 2; Tuesday, February 3; Wednesday, February 4
Price: $295

See the Valley Island from a fish's point of view as you travel along Maui's gorgeous coastline. Scan the waves for the Humpback's signature spouting or playful breaching behavior. Get a rare up-close glimpse into their fascinating behavior through an informative talk by the on-board naturalist. Snacks and beverages will be available during the cruise. 

Agenda:

Depart Grand Wailea
1:00 p.m.

Check-in and boarding
1:30 p.m.

Whale Watch Cruise
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Return to Hotel
4:45 p.m.

We want everyone to enjoy the magic of the ocean with us! The Ocean Guardian features ADA-accessible restrooms, and the main deck and cabin area offer enough space for wheelchair maneuvering.

Please note: the boarding ramp is narrow and includes a small step, followed by a couple of steps down to the main deck. Guests must be able to walk on board or be assisted or carried onto the vessel. Most electric wheelchairs may not fit on the ramp due to its width.
Wheelchairs are welcome on the main deck, and for safety, we kindly ask that guests sit in a fixed seat during the cruise if possible.

Monday, February 2; Wednesday, February 4
Price: $415

Discover the secrets of Maui’s golden fruit while on a thrilling adventure. Join us for a guided tour through the working Maui Gold Pineapple fields in the heart of Hali‘imaile. See how pineapples are grown, harvested, packed, and shipped to destinations worldwide. Learn about the history and culture of pineapples in Hawaii and taste pineapples of different ripeness levels right from the source. You will even get a free pineapple to take home with you!

Before the farm tour, enjoy a delicious lunch made with fresh ingredients from the farm at the award-winning Hāli‘imaile General Store. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the pineapple industry in Maui from farm to table. 

Agenda:

Depart Grand Wailea
12:30 p.m.

Lunch at Hāli‘imaile General Store
1:15 p.m.

Pineapple Tour
2:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Return to Hotel
5:15 p.m.

Tuesday, February 3; Wednesday, February 4
Price: $395 

There’s a popular saying in Hawai‘i — “Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi” — Maui is the Best. On this unforgettable half-day tour, you’ll experience exactly why. Your journey begins in beautiful Wailea and winds through some of the island’s most iconic and enriching destinations:

• ‘Iao Valley – A lush, sacred site steeped in history and natural beauty
• Maui Tropical Plantation – A working farm where you’ll enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch and explore local agriculture
• Maui Ocean Center – One of the world’s top aquariums, showcasing Hawaii’s vibrant marine life

Along the way, you’ll take in breathtaking scenery, hear captivating legends and stories, and enjoy opportunities to shop for unique local souvenirs.

Agenda:

Depart Grand Wailea
12:30 p.m.

Lunch at Café O Lei
1:00 p.m.

Tour
2:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Return to Hotel
5:15 p.m.

Tuesday, February 3
Shotgun start 1:00 p.m.

Join us for our annual golf tournament in one of Maui’s most breathtaking settings! Play the renowned Wailea Emerald Course, a Robert Trent Jones II design celebrated for its softer edges, colorful blossoms, and pleasing ocean views. Praised for being visually stunning and fascinatingly fun, this course offers a delightful balance of beauty and challenge. Registration is $435/person and includes golf, transportation, cart rental, lunch, and prizes. Club rentals are also available for $110/set. 

Your registration includes:

• All educational sessions and all their materials
• A welcome reception on Sunday for attendees and their guest
• Breakfast and refreshment breaks on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

You can find your information sheet here soon! It will contain everything you need to know about attending this event, including:

• Where to stay
• What airport to fly into, and other transportation information
• When to arrive
• What to pack
• Spouse/guest information, if applicable

Yes! This conference meets the following standards:

• CPE credits earned: up to 16
• Program Level: Overview
• Delivery Method: Group-Live
• Advanced Preparation: No advance preparation is required
• Prerequisites: Not required for this program

CUES is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, through its website linked above.

CUES Symposium is for CEO and board chair pairs; your team must attend this event together, so be sure to register them at the same time.

Your vice chair may attend CUES Symposium with the CEO and board chair for succession planning purposes, or if the board chair is unable to attend.

The comfort and well-being of our attendees is of utmost importance to us; we will make every effort to make sure you are comfortable at our events!

Please email events@cues.org as soon as you know you’re attending a CUES event. Be sure to include your name, credit union, the CUES event you are registered for, and everything we need to know to accommodate your request.

We’ll be in touch with any questions we have, and let you know how we can help.

Plan on resort casual attire. We suggest you bring a sweater or jacket along in case you find the meeting room temperature chilly.

Your companion is welcome to join you at the Welcome Reception and Aloha Closing Reception, as well as register for any of the optional activities. We also offer a companion meal program, which includes breakfast Monday through Thursday for $495 USD /$670 CAD.

ALL CANCELLATIONS MUST BE IN WRITING. (cues@cues.org)

• Prior to 60 days – full refund
• 31-60 days before start of event – 50% refund
• 0-30 days before start of event – no refunds or credits for future events given
  • Due to financial obligations incurred by CUES, no refunds or credits will be issued on cancellation requests less than 30 days prior to the start of the event.
  • Substitute attendees are welcome, subject to eligibility.

CUES reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the event due to unforeseen circumstances, and will refund fees if the event is rescheduled or location is changed and you are unable to attend.