Skip to content
Decision 3 of 6 · Scale and strategy

Do we need more scale?

Scale is not about size. It is about capacity: what a larger balance sheet lets a credit union fund for its members, staff and community.

Read the guide

00%

[One sourced claim about operating expense and size, for example from The Hidden Drivers of CU Consolidation.]

Source: [to be confirmed], date.

The guide

[Guide title on scale]

Glenn Christensen · CEO Advisory Group

[What the scale guide helps a board decide]

[Two sentences on what the guide covers and how a board should use it.]

[Page count] · Free to read

Read the guide Download PDF
Four paths, compared fairly

What each path protects, and what it asks.

No path is right for every credit union. A board that has looked at all four can defend whichever it chooses.

  • Remain independent

    Protects
    The charter, the name, local governance and the current leadership structure.
    Asks
    Enough earnings and growth to fund technology, talent and succession without help.

  • Merger of equals

    Protects
    A shared say in leadership, board seats and the combined name.
    Asks
    Two cultures and two boards willing to give up some control to gain scale.

  • Join a larger credit union

    Protects
    Members' services, staff careers and the local presence, with more resources behind them.
    Asks
    Choosing the partner carefully, and negotiating what continues locally.

  • Grow by acquisition

    Protects
    Independence, by adding scale through another credit union or a community bank.
    Asks
    Capital, integration capacity and a partner or seller willing to engage.
Confidential

Weigh it privately before the board discusses it formally.

A first conversation commits your credit union to nothing, including to any path.

Start a confidential conversation