The Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) and Earnest Consulting Group (ECG) have announced a new strategic partnership aimed at enhancing support for credit unions serving military members, veterans and their families. This collaboration represents a major step in DCUC’s ongoing mission to provide advocacy and resources to defense credit unions.
Defense credit unions play a critical role in supporting military personnel, veterans and their families by providing tailored financial products and services, according to DCUC. These institutions specialize in offering affordable loans, financial education and secure banking options that accommodate the unique challenges of military life, such as frequent relocations. The partnership will extend the reach and effort to support defense credit unions and deployment. By prioritizing the financial well-being of service members, defense credit unions help ensure military families can achieve long-term financial stability, DCUC said.
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“Mike Pappalardo, president/CEO, flew to Washington, D.C., last week and we immediately formed a connection. I also met with the entire leadership team at ECG and saw their commitment to supporting military and veteran communities,” Anthony Hernandez, DCUC's president/CEO, said. “I know we can build a larger trade association that will focus on serving our member credit unions and the communities they serve.”
Through this partnership, DCUC and ECG will expand the resources available to defense credit unions, offering innovative financial solutions and strengthening industry representation. The collaboration will also boost advocacy efforts, ensuring military and veteran communities receive the financial services they need.
Mike Pappalardo, president/CEO of ECG, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership’s potential impact. “Earnest Consulting Group is honored to partner with DCUC, an organization that has identified a significant opportunity within the industry,” Pappalardo said. “By joining forces, we can extend our reach and amplify our efforts to support defense credit unions and the communities they serve.”
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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.
