Musings from the CU Suite

Written by Anthony Demangone

You probably saw the photos by now. My daughter Kate broke her tibia.

It was a spiral fracture, meaning a cast up to her hip. No swimming. And no weight on that leg. 

Until August.

Kate and I have learned a lot due to that broken bone.

1. People are still wonderful. I received countless notes of encouragement for Kate. Friends visited. People called Kate to say hello. Every day, we've been blessed by some unexpected act of kindness. It is a two-fold lesson. People are wonderful. And when the time comes, you must do the same for other people.
2. Patience. When you can't walk, and you aren't great with crutches, you have to be patient. Patient with life. Patient with yourself. Patient with your surroundings. Patient with a slower pace. Kate (and I) have learned that some things are beyond our control. 
3. Grit. In the beginning, the pain was bad. Crutches were tough. Taking a shower was difficult. But Kate pushed through. She's now nearly nimble and pain-free. But it took a while to get here. 
4. Being grateful. When you can't walk, you suddenly remember how important walking is. And Kate and I have talked about this a lot - in August, she'll get her cast off. There are many boys and girls (and servicemembers) who won't get their leg back. Or who won't ever walk again. Be grateful for what you have, and remember that others may have it worse.

I would never wish a broken bone on anyone. Especially family.  But the past few weeks have taught us a thing or two. And that's never a bad thing.

***

Here's a run-down of the rest of NAFCU's 2017 conferences. 

• Risk Management Seminar. (Denver - July 24-26.) The credit union world is more and more being risk-driven. You need staff that both understands risk and understands how NCUA wants us to manage it. 
• BSA Seminar. (Denver - July 23-27.) BSA remains a major focus for regulators. And the world of financial crimes continues to morph. This conference is devoted to all things BSA. 
• Congressional Caucus. (Washington, D.C. September 10-13). A new Administration. Tax reform in the air. Reg reform in the air. A new NCUA board on the way? There's a lot going on in Washington, D.C. Caucus is an exciting event where our members come to DC to tell our story to the Hill and regulators.
• Management and Leadership Insititute. (October 2-6, San Diego) How do groom the next generation of leaders? This conference is a great start. 
• Compliance School. (October 9-13, San Diego) Our first West Coast School. Our award-winning school has been training new compliance officers for two decades. Come find out why.
• Compliance Seminar.  (October 10-13, San Diego). This conference is for the seasoned compliance officer and compliance executive. Network with the best compliance minds in the country. 
• Lending Conference. (November 6-9, San Antonio). Our newest conference tackles one of the oldest issues. How do we make more loans faster? Gather with credit unions across the land to network and learn how to get more loans on the books.