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Data is an amazing thing. It tells us who we are and what we do. And while predicting the choices, preferences and behaviors of one person is nearly impossible, predicting this for many people is a lot easier through the power of data analysis. Once-hidden patterns are revealed, structure emerges, and our data becomes our vision into the future. If you were told that 4 out of every 10 members will have an interest in product X after they use product Y, would this be valuable information to have? While generally interesting, it’s more than a headline that gets article clicks. We’re able to use data analytics to make decisions in our strategies that will give us more of what we want and less of what we don’t want. Think about the time and money saved alone in better targeted marketing campaigns. It’s undeniable that successful data analytics can create immense value for your organization. This power though, like any other, can be used for the good of many or exploited for the good of few. This is why there is both challenge and opportunity especially for credit unions to use their vast amounts of data to grow and lift their mission, to fulfill their purpose of serving the needs of those otherwise left out of the financial services equation, and to take a step in front of the crowd and lead as an example of what ethical use of data looks like. In today’s episode you will hear what credit union leaders told us interests them about building cultures of and ecosystems for better data analytics in their organizations – and ultimately why this led Filene to dedicate a research center of excellence to this topic. You’ll get the inside view on what this research will entail directly from the academic heart of the whole operation – aka our research fellow for the Center, Dr. Cheri Speier-Pero, Professor of Information Systems at Michigan State University. It is her mission to help leaders move ideas forward through the ethical implementation of new value-creating technologies and systems. Take a listen now as Dr. Speier-Pero and Filene’s Paul Dionne enlighten us to why no matter where your organization is on its data analytics journey, this research will appeal to and is essential for everyone on the path. For resources mentioned herein, visit filene.org/data for all reports produced in this Research Center; visit filene.org/blog to find Cheri's webinar content; and visit filene.org/analyticsecosystem to register for Filene's first-ever Data Analytics research event on January 26-27.

So much has turned uncertain about our world this year – one thing that helps in times of uncertainty is to stay focused in the realm of what we can control. And while we can’t control the future, there is a trick that does give us a bit of control over the shape the future will be in. When we act in good faith to the question of “How can I become a good ancestor?” we start to behave in a way that helps us set the stage for the best future for those who will exist in that future. And in that way, we realize we do have control over what the future will be. We have a lot of opportunities before us, personally and professionally, to be part of that stage setting. One opportunity that we’ll be focusing on in today’s podcast is through Filene’s i3 program. In case you’re not familiar with it, Filene i3 is a two-year innovation leadership program and community equipping top credit union professionals with the mindset, tools and network to lead and shape the future. Through this cohort-based program, participants work in cross-functional teams to explore and address many of credit unions' most pressing challenges. This is a tremendous leadership development opportunity for senior leaders to connect with others, make their ideas bigger and advance their innovation mindsets. Every year Filene opens up the application process to find the next i3 team. Applications are now open, and we are here to talk about what it takes, and what you get when you become part of Filene i3. We are lucky today to be joined by not only the program’s leader, Brent Dixon, but also two experienced program participants -- Kathy Chicas, who is the Chief Operating Officer for Farmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Union, and Mark Volz, Relationship Development Officer, at Corporate Central Credit Union. In many ways, just like it did for many other things, the COVID pandemic forever changed the way we view credit union innovation, and the role of creativity and urgency in the concepts and locally specific focus of the i3er’s projects. As you’ll soon learn from Kathy and Mark, if you have an insatiable need to make good change in the world, i3 will give you all the tools you could need. I invite you to drift away with us over the next hour to this island of misfit toys and peer into the minds of these brilliant weirdos. Chances are you’ll realize you’ve been there with them all along.

We’ve witnessed how much of our societal and economic infrastructure has failed--or is brought to the precipice of failure--with any amount of stress put on it over the last handful of months. Smart organizations right now are looking for ways to infuse innovation into their very DNA: their organizational culture – and create solutions to the most pressing needs of their customers, while energizing their leaders and teams. I wanted to learn more about how an organization gets there – how they shift their organizational culture to be one where innovation is fundamentally centered – and I know no better resource on the topic than my friend and colleague at Filene, Erin Coleman. Erin is Filene’s Senior Director of Advisory Services and has a long history of working with credit unions. What follows is a wide-ranging discussion on why innovation matters in tried-and-true business like financial services, how an organization becomes innovative--the real kind, not just the buzzwordy use of it on websites and in press releases-- and most importantly, in a year as crazy as 2020, have the rules changed about innovation? Done well, real innovation helps your organization jump the line – to be first with a real solution your members really seek, applying your organization’s real-time greatest strengths to deliver what is needed. Through both structured and informal testing and iteration, real innovation is within anyone’s reach – your greatest opportunities are there for the taking, you just have to take them first. To all our listeners here, I hope you do reach out and grab hold of those failures you see happening all around us, and apply a mindset of innovation to turn those into the opportunities we, as both consumers and business professionals need. I know Filene and Erin can help you get started on your path to get there. Reach out to Erin at erinc@filene.org -- but first, take a listen…

In this episode, we introduce you to our newest Filene Fellow for the Center of Excellence for Consumer Financial Lives in Transition. Dr. Lisa Servon is the Kevin and Erica Penn Presidential Professor and Chair of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design. The Center for Consumer Financial Lives in Transition studies the changing financial lives and livelihoods of consumers, new forms of economic struggle and financial fragility, and how these changes impact the North American credit union system. As Lisa shares in this interview -- "The work from this center will help credit unions serve people facing different kinds of transitions – income volatility, retirement, physical health and inequalities. If we can understand the frequency of these kinds of transitions and when people are going through them, we may be able to help alleviate the financial burdens that have been historically created.” One thing of note about this interview – we recorded this in March, before we knew as much about what would soon unfold with the COVID-19 pandemic, so in a way, it is a bit of a time capsule look at the way things used to be…we recorded together in our small podcast studio, something unlikely to happen as such again for a long time. But still, the ideas and challenges Lisa talks about are only ever more relevant today for having lived through this pandemic and being where we are at with it all now. Stick around until the end to hear Lisa’s answer to her provocative question that led her to start one of her main research pursuits -- if alternative financial services are so bad for people, then why are so many people using them? – There’s got to be a better reason than that people are stupid.

This episode brings you insights from Filene Fellow Huggy Rao, professor of organizational behavior and human resources at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Huggy will make you see the link between what you do and the way you do it, and your performance outcomes. Huggy isn’t your typical professor, you will be well entertained by his colorful language and metaphors throughout. Get inspired by his recommendation to strengthen your help muscle more than your sell muscle. As he said, when you lead with the help muscle by setting up the incentives, culture, and organizational design right, you’ll make your employees feel physically and psychologically safe and your members feel like you acknowledge and care about their best interests. Do as Huggy suggests, and use this as an opportunity and not a threat. Filene is having a virtual event on June 16-17 to explore and unpack Huggy's research on organizational effectiveness and excellence. If you’re listening to this before then, please be sure you’re registered to attend this free event at filene.org/artandscience and if you're listening after, you can recap what we discussed at the event on Filene’s website so check out filene.org to see what we have for you to learn under our Operations tab. Oh and one last thing -- Huggy wanted to share his recipe recommendations with our listeners: "Here is a fun recipe for a chickpea dish that folks can riff off. (https://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2019/12/ottolenghi-instagram-inspired-butter.html). As for cocktails, my current favorite (given the meyer lemon trees in our backyard) is a rosemary grapefruit martini."

In a public health crisis, timely, reliable and trustworthy information is critical to safeguarding people’s health and well-being. Unfortunately, the widespread adoption of digital media and information technologies today has made it easier and faster to produce, disseminate, and be exposed to false or manipulated content, from simple misinformation to conspiracy theories to hate speech. Our research fellow for the center of excellence for emerging technology, Bill Maurer of UC-Irvine has professed through his work with us that credit unions have a great role to play in lessening consumer anxieties by reassuring their members, fighting to protect their communities, and making wise decisions about our future. Bill returns to another episode of our podcast with Taylor and I, in which we are most fortunate to be joined by Dr. Joan Donovan -- Director of the Technology and Social Change Research Project at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. In this episode, we discuss what credit unions can do to combat the spread of disinformation and misinformation, and sustain the level of trust they’ve built with their communities and their members. Plus, we discuss some common scams that we’re seeing and how to protect against them. We talk about some tangible ways credit unions can deal with the spread of misinformation if it is happening on their digital and social platforms. Find out why Joan says local and redundant information is so valuable right now. And stick around for recommended trusted sources of information from our experts -- BONUS: stay till the very very end for a special coronavirus song from Bill. It’s no lie. Resources: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200202-sitrep-13-ncov-v3.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/08/technology/coronavirus-misinformation-social-media.html https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30461-X/fulltext https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615184/the-coronavirus-is-the-first-true-social-media-infodemic/ https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615368/facebook-twitter-social-media-infodemic-misinformation/ https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-misinformation-spreads-on-facebook-watchdog-says-11587436159 https://www.cip.uw.edu/ https://filene.org/assets/images-layout/COVID-19-Financial-Scams-UCIrvine.pdf

On January 13, 2020, Filene officially launched our new Center of Excellence for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, led by Dr. Quinetta Roberson of Villanova University. Hear directly from Quinetta in this episode about the work she will be doing, why she feels this research – specifically looking at the interactions between the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion separately and together -- is so groundbreaking not only for credit unions but for all businesses, and how she came to find her passion for being a researcher and teacher. The DEI research center is a five-year project aimed to explore DEI opportunities and challenges for credit unions to better serve their members and attract, retain, and develop top talent. The outputs will build on the credit union system's DEI foundation to conduct applied research to help the industry understand how to leverage diversity, equity, and inclusion to create business value and drive performance. We couldn’t be more excited to get to know a bit more about our newest research fellow! Check out filene.org/dei for more details

How can credit unions in the 21st century deliver the best member experience? At the start of each year, Filene takes a moment’s pause to reflect and speak to our local credit union community to share the latest insights from our research and incubation, and examine the changes we see on the horizon. This year, we share our newest and emerging research on member experience, service excellence and digital transformation, because for the first time ever, banks are scoring higher on customer satisfaction than credit unions. For the credit union of the 21st century to not only survive, but thrive, it is vital to understand what the research shows are the best ways to win on experience. You’re about to hear from Filene’s Chief Research and Development Officer, George Hofheimer with an overview on the importance of aligning on the right data to establish a member satisfaction baseline; how to target members and build a value proposition designed specifically for them; and why you might want to leverage operational transparency as a strategy to keep members updated on each step of complex transactions. Presentation slides: filene.org/speakingofchange20 MX Research, Part 1: filene.org/476 MX Research, Part 2: filene.org/488

For this first episode in 2020 of our podcast, I asked Filene’s entire research team to reflect back and pick what they saw as the most essential research insight from our 2019 library. Then I asked each to give a preview of one report they are excited about sharing with you all in the year ahead. The team shared insights about the importance of your employee’s financial well-being; smart strategies for serving independent workers with the specific financial products they need; how to provide affordable and responsible funding, services, and support to small businesses and entrepreneurs; design principles that result in user friendly fintech apps and happier, financially fitter members; primary research findings from our member experience report series and the unexpected value proposition of employee turnover. Links below. Throughout 2020, look out for more research and innovation opportunities for your organization to better understand and serve the financial needs of underserved and vulnerable households, better serving commercial businesses, providing financial services for community members that have experienced trauma, even more from our member experience series, and a very interesting piece exploring empathy and intimacy in artificial intelligence. There is a lot of new, unique and valuable research planned for the year ahead so take what you’ve learned in 2019 and get out there to make this year your smartest, savviest, most life-changing one yet. Taylor’s pick: The Case for Workplace Financial Well-being: The View from Credit Unions: filene.org/480 Laura’s Pick: Meeting the Needs of Independent Workers at Vancity Credit Union: filene.org/475 Laura’s Pick: Small Business Lending & Independent Worker Resource Guide: filene.org/492 Paul’s Pick: The Lessons of Fintech Apps: Design Matters for Personal Finance: filene.org/487 Elry’s Pick: Member Experience and Service Excellence, Part 1: Member Compatibility and Operational Transparency: filene.org/476 Elry’s Pick: Member Experience and Service Excellence, Part 2: Do Strategies Focused on Member Experience Impact Credit Union Performance?: filene.org/488 George’s Pick: Leveraging Employee Loss for Employee Gain: filene.org/479 Holly’s Pick: Who Do Credit Unions Belong To?: filene.org/470

Join us for a special episode in the podcast studio to get to know Filene Fellow for the Center of Excellence for the War for Talent, Sekou Bermiss! We start with a discussion on the work he’s doing as the lead researcher for the Center. Sekou explains the complexities behind how we know that people are a business’ most critical resource, but yet, finding, hiring and retaining top talent remains a critical obstacle for most organizations. In order to truly start at the start to address this issue, Sekou decided to spend the first couple of years focused on the attraction side of the equation. He sought to discover how credit unions can better attract top talent and has put a lot of thought and research into this issue for credit unions. Throughout the conversation, Sekou educates us on why attraction of top talent is such a big challenge, what might be the benefits of employee turnover, and how organizations should, and should not, be targeting the different generations. Then, we have a chance to learn how Sekou himself got into his field of study and into the labor market through his various jobs and roles. Lastly, we get to the rapid fire questions… If you find yourself nodding your head along the way, you’ll absolutely want to mark your calendar now to join Filene and Sekou in person at our Operations and Talent research event on June 16 and 17 in Denver. See filene.org/events for details. Now, hang tight for a wide-ranging conversation that Sekou designates as “perfect for the nerd in all of us…”

The US economy has been humming along for more than a decade with unemployment at historical lows, but unfortunately those numbers only tell a part of the story. One in five American households has zero or negative wealth making it difficult to affordably borrow, make consistent loan payments and build strong credit. In an effort to help credit unions deliver scalable, cost-effective and impactful lending options to members, Filene partnered with CMFG Ventures this summer to launch the FinTech Catalyst Incubator to identify, test and scale promising concepts that could make a difference by helping credit unions innovate, grow, and lift their members’ financial well-being. Learn more here: https://filene.org/do-something/programs/fintechcatalyst Concepts selected to be tested in the Incubator are tested by a group of up to 12 credit unions of varying asset sizes, locations, and consumer demographics for approximately six months. During this time, participating credit unions will offer their members the new Fintech product or service while receiving tools and support from Filene to test a unique hypothesis and assess each concept's desirability, viability, and scalability. The Incubator’s kick-off project was Align’s Income Share Agreement or ISA -- the only general use income share agreement in the United States. ISAs offer flexible repayment and build positive credit history. More than just a loan, this is a consumer contract with payments based on a set percentage of a borrower’s total income, and therefore payments are not fixed. It is also beneficial in boosting credit scores, in that if a recipient was unemployed and their ISA payment went to zero, this would not be noted as a missed payment or delinquency. Learn more: filene.org/485 You’re about to hear insights from the architects of this test, plus the credit unions practitioners who tested this concept, to better understand how a product like this might fit at your credit union, or how you could get in on the ground floor of the next Fintech concept tested. We hear from CMFG Venture’s Laura Sievert as well as Filene’s Megan Jackson about how the Fintech Cataylst Incubator works. We also have Fort Community CU’s Chief Lending Officer Danielle Frawley to share about how this test enlighted her credit union to a lot of valuable information about their membership. As you’ll hear her explain, there was a lot of member interest with this concept. Curious to know what they did next? Let’s get to it.

Earlier this summer, Filene held a research event focused on creating exceptional member experiences by redesigning organizations from a perspective of both the inside out and the outside in – meaning looking at how your credit union operates and how various internal teams and systems interact, AND looking at how member experiences in turn, inform your operating structure. We were excited to share Filene Fellow for the Center for Organizational Entrepreneurship Dennis Campbell’s latest research report on Member Experience and Service Excellence. Today, we are even more excited to share Part 2 of the report! So, if member experience is core to your credit union’s strategy, or re-assessing your strategy is a key initiative for your organization this year, then you'll want to look at both those reports: Part 1: filene.org/476 Part 2: filene.org/488 Accompanying each of those reports, you will get a facilitation guide and agenda for a team workshop on enhancing your member experience – with Part 1 -- and Identifying Your Target Member and Aligning Member-Organizational Compatibility – with Part 2. To help you make the most of these resources, we thought we would share the live keynote directly from the report’s author, Dr. Campbell, from our event out in Boston this August. And as an added bonus, we’re also sharing a run-through of the workshop guide and exercise he did with the audience onsite. So, if you couldn’t make it, or you did and now you want your whole team to gain the knowledge you did, you’re in luck because Dennis is about to take you through a very valuable exercise. Check it out now...

We pick up here where we left off last time learning about the Cooperative Trust community and the Crash experience – if those last few words meant nothing to you, please go back to part 1 and take a listen now. We explain all about this young professional community and these unique event opportunities for them in that episode! If you’re ready for Part 2, here we go! In this episode, we highlight the ways we are stronger when we gather together. When we work in cooperation. When we develop our talent and our ideas collectively, and when we grow networks of innovative big thinkers to build a community of support and well-being for all. We start with Michael, a former crasher, now new CEO of his credit union – about how the Crash experience set the stage for where he is today – to be in the right place at the right time with the right people for it all to fall together, circuitous as his route may have been. Then we turn it over to some of our 2019 Crashers themselves. Literally from Alaska to Hawaii and every state between. Jordan tells us how this experience made for a huge jump in his career. Kaydie confirms for us that today’s young professionals do want to collaborate to solve challenges and gives a personal story about how her credit union inspired her career by first making her feel valued as a member. Ashley talks about how Crashing has completely transformed everything she thought she knew about the credit union movement and Manny says that by being connected with others in his generation he knows his peers will be there for him with understanding and empathy no matter what he’s facing. These are just a few examples of the power of this network and the connections that continue outward and onward from Crash events that bring people together. Come help us celebrate 30 years of Filene Research Institute at our big.bright.minds annual event on Nov 19 -20 in Durham. Visit filene.org/bbm19 to register today. APPLY for CRASH the GAC 2020 at cooperativetrust.com

We are wired for connection; it is part of our DNA. Human beings have a basic need to belong to groups and form relationships – and we spend much of our lives doing just that. What we don’t often measure is the power that those connections give us to make an impact on the world around us. Insight, inspiration, innovation…none of this happens in isolation. Credit unions especially are uniquely positioned to tap into this power through their cooperative nature. In this two-part episode, we take a look into The Cooperative Trust – the credit union industry’s largest young professional group -- with a number of interviews conducted at this year’s CUNA GAC – from crashers past and present, to crash mentors who were just in their shoes, to crashers that have since become CEOs and leaders, to credit union executives who see the value in tapping into the collective brainpower of this group. Learn more about the Cooperative Trust and apply for Crash events at cooperativetrust.com. And be sure you join Filene at our biggest brightest event of the year, big.bright.minds in Durham, NC on Nov. 19-20. Register at filene.org/bbm19.

Edward Albert Filene was born on September 3, 1860. While the world was very different nearly 160 years ago when our namesake was born, it has been fascinating to pause this week, taking a moment to learn more about Ed’s beliefs, values, actions and accomplishments from his lifetime and realize how much those same ideas – of fairness, of equality, hard work, democratic control, of giving back and pushing for constant progress – are still very much so relevant today. To that end, I am thrilled to present our “Happy Birthday, Ed Filene” tribute podcast. I asked Filene staff to share their favorite fact about our friend Ed, so that others can get to know more about the amazing life he led -- and I also asked everyone to bring us back to the modern era by sharing a compelling insight with major implications for the credit union industry from one of our research reports published over the last year. Here is the list of research reports mentioned by Fileners in this episode for you to check out: George: Do Credit Union Mergers Create Value for Credit Union Members? -- filene.org/472 Joel: Keeping Pace with Expectations: The Quest to Attract Younger Credit Union Members -- filene.org/469 Sue: Using Analytics to Meet Member Needs: A Case Study of Kern Schools FCU -- filene.org/471 Ryan: Preparing for a More Turbulent Future: How Credit Unions Can Remain Vigilant and Adaptive -- filene.org/464 Taylor: The Future of Trust Research Event Recap -- filene.org/482 AND Lessons of Fintech Apps -- filene.org/487 Cortney: The Case for Workplace Financial Well-being: The View from Credit Unions -- filene.org/480 Paul: Who Do Credit Unions Belong To? -- filene.org/470 Adam: Reaching Minority Households Incubator -- filene.org/452 Christie: The Credit Union of the 21st Century -- filene.org/459 From then, to now, and every day in between, we at the institute celebrate his philosophies as we continue to walk down the path he laid down for credit unions all those years ago. As you take a listen here today, join me in wishing Happy Birthday to Ed Filene!

This one is for all of you that love stories about money…where it came from, where it’s going, how it’s going to get there and how our lives will always be impacted by the ways we use physical and digital currencies. Join us on this trip with Bill Maurer -- Filene Fellow for our Center of Excellence on Emerging Technology and Dean and Professor at the University of California Irvine. Literally, it’s a trip -- we recorded this on the road from Chicago to our office in Madison. What you’re about to hear is a rare telling of stories and wide-ranging experiences from someone at the top of their field academically and in real-world application. Bill and I talk about how he once helped an overly enthusiastic computer chip manufacturer better understand the future of money. We talk about the strategies at play with digital payment providers and I got his initial thoughts on Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency. Bill shares a fascinating story about the time when he had a winding and metaphysical conversation with Dee Hock, the founder of Visa, and also that one time when he “quote” “sat around in a room with bagels” redesigning the united states’ currency with the US treasury secretary. Watch for related research coming from our Emerging Technology Center from Bill in the near future. And be sure you’re booked to come to Filene’s big.bright.minds annual event on Nov 19 -20 in Durham to continue gathering insights on this plus many more issues impacting the industry every day. Visit filene.org/events to register.

We had the chance to talk with Renee Sattiewhite, Executive Director of the African American Credit Union Coalition at CUNA’s Governmental Affairs Conference this year. I wanted to learn more about the AACUC, learn what initiatives they are working on this year and beyond, and better understand some things Renee mentioned to me around a data challenge this industry has as well as things we can all do to help her and the AACUC be successful in their mission. As you’ll hear, Renee urges us instead of looking at these things like a diversity and inclusion problem, let’s look at it as a diversity and inclusion solution. In the interview, we also talk about the roots of the AACUC going back 20 years, what’s on their to-do lists for 2019, and what projects they are most excited to get moving on. Renee is especially excited about the work she’s got going on to help advance young professionals and empower women. Head to aacuc.org to learn more. As I learned from Renee, when we are more intentional about the outcomes we want to have happen, great things turn out. Let’s take her advice and commit to doing the things we say we will do in the industry. To that end, on September 26-27 Filene is holding a research event called “Diverse Employees, Diverse Members: Connecting Inclusive Marketing and Equitable HR in Credit Unions” where attendees will learn how HR and marketing can join forces to put the equity and inclusion in diversity and how these efforts can foster mutually beneficial and mutually reinforcing experiences for both credit union staff and members. Renee will be joining us there so come meet her in person…register now at filene.org/connectthedots We hope that you take this opportunity to start here by learning more about the AACUC and what credit unions can do to support and become more involved in the work they are doing and the efforts they are making to increase diversity in this industry. As the AACUC’s 21st annual conference kicks off in Charlotte right now, we celebrate you, Renee, and everything that AACUC stands for.

This episode picks up where episode 52 left off with our most recent i3 team projects. You’re about to hear from 3 more teams about their experiences working together, examining a problem and approaching a viable solution with care. They talked about how weighty, significant and challenging some of their issues to solve were but by trusting the process, counting on each other for support and staying connected to root causes rather than shiny technological fixes, they all felt good about the paths they went down. Now that the Filene i3 application window is closed for this year, we’re in the selection process and new i3ers will be brought into the fold soon. I recommend to all those that have applied, to listen in closely and learn from the efforts and advice of these teams, and anyone that is looking forward to being part of this community in the future, start mapping out your path to applying next spring. You’ll be able to catch the next set of i3 project presentations live and in-person if you join Filene at our signature member event, big.bright.minds in Durham, North Carolina on Nov. 19 and 20. Registration is open at filene.org/events.

On May 31, 1989, Filene was officially incorporated as an organization, which means we are now celebrating 30 years of existence. In this interview with Filene’s chief research and development officer, George Hofheimer, we talk about the past and future of Filene, George’s take on the evolution of our work and some of his favorite reports from our nearly 500! We also explore what outcomes and impacts have happened since the 1990s and 2000s in the financial services industry, like state law changes, that started from ideas emerging from our research. George gives some origin stories on Filene i3, The Cooperative Trust and Crash programs. He gives a preview of Filene’s next research Center of Excellence topics and events we have planned for this year yet. And we attempt to settle the debate over whether it’s pronounced FI-leen or Fill-een…well, at least we try to… Any way you say it, we are proud to celebrate our 30th year and excited for what’s to come in all the years ahead. Visit filene.org for our latest research and register for our upcoming event in Boston at filene.org/insideout.

If you’re interested in what a day in the life of an i3er is like, this is your chance to get that inside look. I sat down with all 6 of the i3 teams that recently presented their projects at Filene’s “Future of Trust” research event in Seattle. They talked about what problem their solutions aimed to fix, how they came to their solutions, how they worked together as a cohesive team, and how the i3 program helped them not only with these projects but will continue to help them be better problem solvers back at their credit unions. What I learned is that if you are thinking of applying for i3, there will never be a perfectly open time on your calendar, so it is likely that now is your best shot. If you’re wondering about the cost benefit of sending one of your organization’s rising stars through this program and what value it might bring back to your credit union and your members, listen to the passion in their voices when they say yes…this is worth every ounce of the effort, time, and investment. What they gained was worth even more. But if you want to be one of our next i3ers, your window to apply closes on June 30. Get your application going right now…head to filene.org/applyi3 This will be a two-part episode, so watch for the next one to feature more of our i3 teams and their projects.