ALPHARETTA, GA – Nearly 450 credit union leaders, young professionals and retirees gathered in Alpharetta, GA, from July 21-24, 2025, for the African-American Credit Union Coalition’s (AACUC) Annual Conference. Set against the backdrop of one of Georgia’s fastest-growing business communities, the weeklong event spotlighted the power of purposeful leadership under the theme “Not Like Us: We Are Bold, Mindful, and Brave.”

The 2025 AACUC Annual Conference, with industry leader TruStage serving as Conference Title Sponsor and Awards Title Sponsor, delivered a compelling blend of inspiration, strategic insight, and recognition. This year’s gathering showcased innovative approaches to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the credit union movement, with a strong emphasis on what it means to boldly, mindfully, and bravely live out the “people helping people” philosophy for communities of color and other marginalized groups in today’s complex political and socioeconomic climate.

“This conference felt like a collective charge forward,” said Renée Sattiewhite, AACUC President/CEO. “Our theme was more than aspirational — it became the standard. AACUC continues to lead with vision, heart, and conviction.”

From dynamic keynotes to immersive workshops, attendees explored the intersections of culture, strategy, and leadership. The week included:

• Nearly 16 professional development sessions from making AI a strategic advantage to building communities through investing in small businesses and the United Way’s ALICE program
• A dedicated track for young professionals with an emphasis on developing inclusive, next-generation leaders
• Global perspectives from the Africa Confederation of Co-operative Savings & Credit Associations (ACCOSCA), the African Cooperative Development Foundation, the World Council of Credit Unions and the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, 
• A series of panel discussions led by the industry’s largest asset size credit unions, women of color in the C-Suite and advocacy experts

“AACUC’s unwavering commitment to career development, inclusive leadership, and industry transformation is what sets us apart,” said Whitney Anderson, AACUC Board Chair. “We are intentional about creating spaces where every voice is heard, every leader is valued, and every community is empowered.”

A major highlight of the conference was the 2025 Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Awards dinner and celebration. This year’s six honorees exemplify the bold, mindful, and brave leadership that defines AACUC’s mission. The distinguished recipients were:

• Carlos Calderon, President and CEO, OAS Federal Credit Union     
• Ronaldo Hardy, President/CEO, Balance 
• Susan Mitchell, CEO, Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates         
• Jim Morrell, CEO, Peninsula Credit Union   
• George Ombado, Executive Director/CEO, ACCOSCA 
• Joe Thomas, Executive President, Apple Federal Credit Union

“Every element of this conference was designed to challenge and uplift,” said Sattiewhite. “We leaned into what makes us unique — our voices, our values, and our vision. And we left with a renewed sense of purpose to keep pushing the movement forward.”

From leadership development to celebration, the 2025 AACUC Annual Conference was more than an event — it was a call to action.

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About the African-American Credit Union Coalition

The AACUC is a 501c3 non-profit organization created in 1999 to increase diversity within the credit union community through advocacy and professional development. A recipient of the 2022 Anchor Award from the National Credit Union Foundation for its leadership and global efforts unifying financial industries in eradicating racism amid the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest in 2020, AACUC has become an all-encompassing organization for executives, professionals, volunteers, consultants and regulators within the financial services industry. AACUC is considered a leader in the credit union movement, adopting the 8th Cooperative Principle (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and enabling credit unions to become more diverse and inclusive. Learn more at www.aacuc.org or on social media at Facebook.com/AACUC1, Linkedin.com/company/AACUC, X.com/AACUC1 or Instagram.com/aacucctc.

About the Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Award 

The Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Award – originally the DEI Trailblazers Award – recognizes leaders and organizations that inspire accountability for collective Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the credit union movement and blaze the trail for others to follow. Honorees are selected based on the following criteria: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion thought leadership, demonstrated commitment and passion for engaging others in DEI and social impact of their work in the credit union community and our society. Learn more here.