Katie BaileyLast month, The League joined 19 Learning Journey participants from seven credit unions on an extraordinary eight-day trip to the United Kingdom. The journey began in London and was the first leg of a learning experience designed to deepen collaboration, share innovative strategies, and connect with credit union leaders across the pond.
The Association of British Credit Unions Limited (ABCUL) Learning Journey is a unique initiative that brings credit union professionals to partner credit unions in the United Kingdom for an immersive experience. During the journey, participants had the opportunity to share insights with British credit unions and learn from them as well, strengthening the international credit union network. Specially curated educational tours—like a guided tour of Parliament and attendance at the ABCUL Annual Conference—offered an in-depth look at the global credit union landscape, which sparked ideas and fostered collaboration.
Before the group’s journey officially began, Michael Santoro, Chief Financial Officer of Peach State Federal Credit Union, spent several days in Liverpool with their partner credit union, Enterprise Credit Union. From there, the Learning Journey took off, with the group first heading to London, where they were joined by Paul Norgrove, Chief Executive Officer of Serve and Protect Credit Union, and Patrick Thorpe, Communications Manager of ABCUL. During their visit, the group toured the historic Palace of Westminster—one of the world’s oldest parliamentary buildings—and gained valuable insights from The Right Honorable Lord Kennedy of Southwark, a prominent leader in the United Kingdom House of Lords. The day concluded with a dinner and networking opportunity at London Mutual Credit Union, where several CEOs from the local area came together to share experiences and ideas.
The next stop was Oxford, where the group explored the world-renowned University of Oxford, The Divinity School, and the Bodleian Library—one of Europe’s oldest and most extensive libraries. As part of the exchange, Hello Credit Union also visited their partner, HEY Credit Union, located on the east coast of England.
In Manchester, the group had the unique opportunity to tour the iconic Etihad Stadium, home to Premier League champions Manchester City, before gathering with additional credit union leaders and ABCUL representatives to discuss the future of credit unions. The journey concluded with the group’s attendance at the ABCUL Annual Conference in Leeds, where over 350 delegates gathered for discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing credit unions today. The ABCUL Learning Journey participants played an active role at the conference, contributing to group panels and delivering insights on credit union service organizations (CUSOs).
“The ABCUL Learning Journey provided an invaluable chance to connect with credit union leaders abroad, exchanging fresh ideas and global strategies to better serve our members,” said Debbie Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Georgia United Credit Union. “Each credit union partner on either side of the pond has gifts to give each other. The relationships built along the way are invaluable.”
“It’s a privilege to engage with credit unions worldwide, learning new approaches that can enhance our services and drive positive change in the credit union space,” expressed Suzanne Weinstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of Orlando Credit Union. “This experience was truly magical. The time our group spent together, the places we were privileged to tour, and life-long friendships made me realize how special it is for The League to offer these learning journey experiences to us as credit unions.”
The ABCUL Annual Conference featured a session on the power of collaboration and how credit unions in both the United States and the United Kingdom are advancing the credit union system through CUSOs. Kevin Usiatynski, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of Credit Union Loan Source, and Mike Akers, Chief Executive Officer of Hello Credit Union, led the session, discussing the shared potential for collaboration in the credit union space.
“This experience opens doors to innovative solutions and powerful global partnerships, helping us evolve and better support our community,” said Chris Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Henrico Federal Credit Union. “Networking with both the British credit unions and ABCUL leaders was an amazing experience. I highly recommend credit union leaders consider taking part in these learning journeys and international credit union partnership opportunities.”
The journey concluded with a graduation ceremony for the CU Futures program, a young professionals’ initiative sponsored by Peach State Federal Credit Union. Michael Santoro announced an ongoing matching sponsorship contribution from The League , further supporting the development of young leaders in the credit union industry.
As we reflect on this incredible journey, don’t forget to save the date for the next adventure! The Pacific Northwest Learning Journey will take place from August 24 – 29, where The League will be visiting innovative credit unions in Oregon and Washington State, as well as an innovative company outside of our system. Stay tuned for more details.
To stay up to date on all The League events, bookmark this calendar.
