McCarter LaBorde Stresses How WOCCU is Smoothing the Regulatory Road Ahead for America’s Credit Unions
WOCCU President and CEO delivers message on main stage at GAC 2024
From digital central bank currencies to open banking and sustainable finance—World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is keeping track of all the cutting-edge regulatory issues advancing at different speeds across the globe.
That was the message WOCCU President and CEO Elissa McCarter LaBorde delivered in her address to nearly 6,000 U.S. credit union professionals at ACU’s 2024 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC).
“These are all things WOCCU is watching for you because they are the types of emerging regulatory issues being rolled out to banks and credit unions at greater speeds in other markets. But they will all show up on U.S. shores sooner than later," said McCarter LaBorde. "It is critically important that we learn from our credit union peers elsewhere, and are visible in those policy discussions at the international level, before they (regulations) filter down to the national level.”
McCarter LaBorde also highlighted the way WOCCU is expanding financial inclusion worldwide.
“With the generous support of our member credit union associations like ACU, as well as individual donors, many of whom are in this room, we are ensuring that credit unions reach the places of greatest need—like Peru and Ecuador, where there are two million Venezuelan migrants and refugees, and farmers and women entrepreneurs in Ukraine, where four million are internally displaced,” said McCarter LaBorde.
With the 2024 World Credit Union Conference coming up in just over four months, McCarter LaBorde also stressed that thousands in the room have the chance to engage with their international credit union colleagues for the first time, without traveling overseas.
“We will have the unique opportunity to bring thousands of professionals from over 60 countries together to learn from one another and drive change cooperatively. This is a unique year, 2024, because we will hold the World Credit Union Conference over four days in late July (21-24), right here in the U.S., in Boston, co-hosted with none other than America’s Credit Unions,” said McCarter LaBorde, who encouraged everyone in the room to register.
Credit union professionals can take advantage of discounted, early-bird registration prices until April 12, by clicking here.
America’s Credit Unions is WOCCU’s direct member association in the United States. It came into existence in late 2023 with the merger of Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU).