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From all indications, the Maine Credit Union League's 77th Annual Meeting & Convention that took place on May 15-16, at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, not only met expectations for the 730 attendees but surpassed them. Feedback from attendees applauded the great speakers, variety of exhibits, the entertainment and the overall presentation that, as one attendee put it, "highlighted all the positive things happening with Maine's credit unions today."
The line-up of speakers for the Opening Session, Annual Meeting Keynote and Closing Session drew nearly unanimous praise from attendees. The address by Opening Session speaker, Scott Burrows, a former star athlete and champion before a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, certainly set the stage for an inspiring two-day event. Giving a speech focused on "vision, mindset and grit," Burrows surprised many in the audience when he left his wheelchair and walked with the help of a cane around the stage for the remainder of the presentation. "Life is not easy, and we all have challenges that come our way. When I was told I would never walk again, I refused to accept that. Despite the odds and the opinions of experts, I became a walking quadriplegic more than 2,000 days after my accident. Things worth fighting for take time, and when you face challenges at your credit union and in your life, make the choice to fight for your goals. If you do, you will be successful and achieve great things." In his remarks at the Annual Meeting, Keynote speaker, Jackson Hataway, Ph.D., challenged credit unions to "think big. You have a great opportunity to grow your credit union and position it for years to come. A key part of your credit union's future is finding and keeping the next generation of leaders. Failure to engage your younger employees is a critical error in judgment, and will impact your ability to keep the best and brightest talent." If the Convention was hoping for a big finish, it got all that and more, literally and figuratively with 7'4" former NBA All-Star, Mark Eaton. Now, a successful entrepreneur and speaker, Eaton told the audience that the same concepts applied to a winning sports team can be applied to the workplace. "The commitment it takes to be successful in sports are similar to the real-world. Everyone has to understand their role in the group, and embrace teamwork. It's not about individuals; it's about the team. A player (employee) who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player (employee)."
Reflecting on the Convention and Annual Meeting, John Murphy, President of your League, called it "an event that not only brought credit unions together but provided an opportunity to learn, share and think. It was nice to see such a strong turnout of credit union staff, management and volunteers, all bringing a different perspective but with a common goal of cooperation to make the Maine Credit Union System stronger."
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