Now is the time … to learn first hand what your Directors are going to learn at next month's Elected Leader’s Conference … Simply, the most expensive mistake a Board can make is not doing everything the IRS and NCUA makes available to “…Keeping Key Executives”.  That includes Retention of effective executives, Solving for executive Retirement income shortfalls, and Succession Planning.  What’s a Board to do?  We look forward to your questions.  Now is the time!

John Sproule, CUNA Mutual's Southeast Regional Executive Benefits Specialist, resides in Nashville, TN and has 30 years of financial services experience in the corporate and tax-exempt Credit Union Movement.  He specializes in providing Executive Retention, Retirement, and Recruiting  design, consultation, and financing solutions.  John's expertise is 100% supported by CUNA Mutual Group's dedicated Executive Deferred Compensation division currently providing solutions and on-going administration to 1,400 credit unions nationally including over 3,800 executives.

This session will highlight several problem areas that employers frequently overlook when they are running their business. 

This session will also include popular misconceptions like: 

- "The National Labor Relations Act doesn't apply to me because my employees are not in a union." 
- "I don't need to worry about employment discrimination claims - I don't have enough employees to worry about Title VII, the ADEA or the ADA." 
- "I don't have to worry about medical leave for my employees because we are not subject to the FMLA." 
- "Tennessee's a right-to-work state.  I can fire an employee for any reason, with or without cause." 
- "We don't do performance evaluations - they just get you in trouble."

David Kesler concentrates his practice in employment law and defending employers in employment litigation and arbitrations. He has represented a number of national and international corporate clients in employment litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has been lead counsel at all stages of the litigation, including discovery, summary judgment, bench and jury trials, and appellate argument. Mr. Kesler regularly represents employers in the investigation and defense of charges of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and comparable state agencies, including preparation of position statements in response to charges, participation in on-site interviews, and negotiation of conciliation agreements. He also represents clients in responding to audits by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Mr. Kesler regularly counsels employers in employment decisions, including hiring, promotions and terminations and drafts employment contracts and separation agreements. He also assists clients in drafting employment policies and generally in complying with the various federal, state and local statutes and regulations affecting the employment relationship. In addition to Mr. Kesler's vast experience in employment law, he has also represented numerous credit unions on a variety of matters for over thirty years.

Mr. Kesler received his J.D., with honors, Tulane University School of Law.

Compliance is generally not a favorite topic for CEOs.  But like to or not, the events of the past few years have not only resulted in new regulations but also a new focus on consumer protection, especially in the area of residential mortgage loans.  This focus is not just aimed at the big Wall Street banks but at all types of consumer lenders, including credit unions. 

Significant compliance problems can result in more than just a bad examination report.  Violations or deficient programs in certain areas can lead to fines and enforcement orders from regulators.  In addition, more and more compliance requirements now allow for civil lawsuits which, if successful, result in the payment not only of damages but also of attorneys' fees.  This presentation will focus on some of the key areas where deficient compliance programs can result in financial, opportunity, and reputational loss to credit unions.

T. Wayne Hood concentrates his practice in the representation of financial institutions, particularly in the area of regulatory consumer compliance.  A graduate of Harding University and the University of Mississippi School of Law, Mr. Hood has over 20 years of experience working with a wide variety of financial institutions.  Prior to joining Miller & Martin in 2010, Mr. Hood was a Senior Consultant for Professional Bank Services, Inc., where he conducted compliance seminars and schools for financial institutions and regulatory agencies across the country.

BRENT DIXON is an advisor specializing in young adult issues. The Filene Research Institute has partnered with Brent to present, advise, and complete project work with credit unions based on our young adult research. Brent is a leading thinker, speaker and do’er in the areas of young adult outreach, creative development, and user experience. From concept to implementation, his work in people focused product development gives him a unique perspective to the credit union system.

Prior to this engagement, Brent founded The Haberdashery, a creative studio based in Brooklyn, New York with a love for people, design, and the Web. He also spent five years as creative director of Trabian, an Indianapolis-based interactive agency that specializes in credit union Web site development. He was a co-founder of the blog Open Source CU, which many attribute as the birthplace of the credit union social media movement.

Brent has been cited in and written for numerous industry publications, and is a contributing author to The Age of Conversation 2. He has worked with the National Credit Union Foundation, CUES, and dozens of credit unions of all shapes and sizes. Brent received his degree in journalism and public relations from Texas A&M University.

MATT DAVIS is an advisor specializing in implementation. The Filene Research Institute has partnered with Matt to present, advise, and complete project work with credit unions based on our i3 ideas and innovative processes.

Prior to this engagement, Matt was a member of the Filene Research Institute’s inaugural 30 Under 30 group and author of “The Credit Union Warrior” blog. Matt has been at the center of credit union innovation since 2004. Projects such as What are you saving for? and Football Pick’em have earned Matt international recognition, including features in Fast Company, Yahoo! Finance, Bankrate.com, and credit union trade press. He is an accomplished public speaker, frequently presenting to credit union professionals across the country. In February 2009, Matt was named one of the Triad Business Journal’s 40 Business Leaders Under 40 (N.C.).

Matt earned a degree in marketing from the College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA), and completed Basic Cadet Training at the United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, CO). Matt earned his CUDE designation from the National Credit Union Foundation in 2009.

Room rates are $109.