economic-outlook
America’s Credit Unions Chief Economist and Vice President of Research and Policy Analysis Mike Schenk has announced his retirement, effective April 1, after a career spanning more than 35 years in the financial services industry.
Schenk, a key figure in the credit union movement since 1992, has been widely recognized for his expertise in credit union policy and advocacy. His economic analysis has helped shape industry policy, provided critical data for credit unions and influenced financial decision-making nationwide.
"After over three decades dedicated to strength in the credit union movement – our friend and colleague Mike Schenk is retiring, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of leadership, insight and advocacy,” America’s Credit Unions President/CEO Jim Nussle said.
Schenk’s research has been pivotal in demonstrating the financial benefits of credit unions, particularly for lower-credit-score borrowers. His efforts have deepened the industry's understanding of its impact, supporting advocacy and policy initiatives.
“Mike built a solid foundation for our research team … while providing credit unions essential data to make key decisions for their members,” Chief Advocacy Officer Carrie Hunt said.
Reflecting on his career, Schenk said, “I've worked with countless caring, passionate and truly inspirational individuals … I'm forever grateful to everyone who helped me play a small role in advancing this critically important work.”
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
