CU Direct Announces Dynamic Speaker Line-Up for DRIVE ‘19 Lending Conference

Experts from financial lending, automotive, mortgage and marketing industries to deliver essential strategies for success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Ontario, CA | April 4, 2019

Leading experts and innovators from the worlds of lending and technology are taking center stage during CU Direct’s upcoming DRIVE ’19 Lending Conference.

In its third decade, DRIVE ’19 is expected to welcome more than 500 credit union lending and marketing attendees to the Cosmopolitan at Las Vegas, May 14-16.

The industry’s foremost lending conference offers attendees comprehensive insight into the latest strategies to build stronger, more profitable lending portfolios and to reach more members. The conference’s dynamic keynote speakers bring expertise spanning the areas of innovation, finance, economics, and marketing:

Jim Nussle,CUNA CEO and president, is a prominent speaker and acclaimed advocate of the credit union movement. Nussle has been published by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN Money, Roll Call and The Hill, and has appeared on Bloomberg TV, CNBC and Marketplace Radio. Nussle served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991-2007, and during his tenure served as chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Ron Kaufmanis the world’s leading educator and motivator for uplifting customer service and building service cultures. A renowned speaker and bestselling author of more than a dozen books, Kaufman is the founder of UP! Your Service and author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller, “Uplifting Service! The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet.”

Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D.,is a nationally acclaimed economist, renowned public speaker, and syndicated columnist. His research and opinions have been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Bureau of National Affairs, Forbes, Fortune, and many other publications. Eisenberg is the Chief Economist for economic consultancy GraphsandLaughs.

Dan Thurmonis a teacher of peak performance, an accomplished author and a lifelong student of success, happiness, and achievement. Thurmon has worked with organizations around the world, in every spectrum of business, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, across hundreds of industries. His expertise has helped these organizations to accelerate improvement, facilitate true breakthroughs and both enable and encourage greatness.

Mario Armstrong, conference emcee,is an Emmy Award–winning talk show host, media personality, Digital Lifestyle Strategist, and social entrepreneur. As a leading digital lifestyle expert, Armstrong is a regular contributor on NBC’s TODAY show, CNN, and NPR. An accomplished author and public speaker, he travels the world speaking on the integration of digital media, the future of technology, and innovative marketing strategies.

DRIVE’19’s impressive line-up of industry experts and headline speakers also includes:

Paul Metrey — Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Chief Regulatory Counsel, NADA
Karl Kruppa — Automotive Solutions Consultant, Experian Automotive
John Toohig — Managing Director, Raymond James Mortgage Company
Michael Buckingham — Senior Director – PIN Auto Finance, JD Power
Hannah Lutz — F&I Editor, Automotive News
Eric Johnson — Partner Hudson Cook, LLP
Charlie Chesbrough — Senior Economist and Senior Director, Economic Industry Insights, Cox Automotive
Frank Mckenna — Chief Fraud Strategist, PointPredictive
Sean Flynn — Director of CU Market Development, TransUnion
Zaydoon H. Munir — Founder and Chief Executive Officer, RevolutionCredit
Michael Acosta — Western Hemisphere Data Sales Lead, Microsoft
Sean McNaboe — Senior Director, Treliant, LLC
Ian Lampl — Co-Founder & CEO, Loan Street
Hailey Middleton — Director of Product of Data Services & Analytics, CU Direct
Tony Boutelle — President & CEO, CU Direct

The conference will address key industry topics including: trends in innovative financial services and emerging technologies, lending strategies and best practices, member engagement, and state of the automotive and mortgage markets.

“The conference delivers the expertise and dialogue necessary for credit unions to successfully maximize lending performance and increase their value to members,” noted Tony Boutelle, CU Direct’s president and CEO. “Our goal is to deliver the industry’s most comprehensive thought leadership forum, providing strategies to empower credit unions in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

Credit unions interested in attending CU Direct’s DRIVE ’19 Conference can visit the event’s website, www.cudirect.com/drive or contact the company’s events department at [email protected].

About CU Direct

For twenty-five years, CU Direct has been a lending technology leader, helping credit unions fund $214 billion in loans. CU Direct provides lending and technology solutions to meet the demands of today’s financial landscape by bringing innovation and experience to indirect lending, consumer and mortgage loan origination, point-of-sale, online marketplace, analytics, marketing and CRM, auto shopping, and full-service loan processing. 14,800 auto dealers nationwide use CU Direct’s automotive solutions to connect with credit unions and their members to drive sales and increase their bottom lines. For more information, visit cudirect.com. Connect with CU Direct on Twitter and LinkedIn.