Credit Union Executives Society transforms leadership development with personalized learning powered by AWS

For over 60 years, the Credit Union Executives Society (CUES) has advanced the credit union industry by developing exceptional leaders through networking, professional development, and digital learning experiences. When the CUES team identified the need to modernize their approach to leadership development, they built a personalized learning recommendation platform powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), transforming how they deliver content and support member development.

The challenge of modern leadership development

CUES faced significant obstacles in delivering personalized learning experiences to credit union leaders. The organization operated with disconnected data sources and manual processes, with one employee spending most of their time on tasks that could be automated. Credit unions require structured talent development programs and compliance tracking for board requirements, but CUES lacked the technology infrastructure to deliver personalized, role-specific recommendations at scale.

The urgency for change became apparent as CUES recognized that modernizing its technology infrastructure would be a game-changer for the organization. CUES needed a solution that would not only streamline operations but also enhance its ability to support credit union leaders in meeting evolving financial services demands. Without an efficient, data-driven approach to learning recommendations, CUES couldn’t effectively support the career progression of credit union professionals or help organizations track compliance requirements.

Building a comprehensive AWS solution

In 2024, CUES won the AWS Imagine Grant, providing both cash and AWS credit funding. The grant provided the crucial support necessary to hire their VP of technology earlier than planned and covered cloud infrastructure costs during development. The organization implemented a sophisticated solution using Amazon Redshift for data warehousing, Amazon Personalize for machine learning (ML)-powered recommendations, Amazon Quick Sight for business intelligence (BI), and Amazon Athena for interactive queries.

The implementation proceeded in two strategic phases. Phase 1 focused on creating the Member Activity Summary report and personalized learning recommendations. This system integrates with various data sources to analyze member behavior, learning patterns, and career progression needs. Phase 2 involves migrating from IBM Cognos to Amazon Quick Sight, consolidating business analytics capabilities and incorporating new data streams from the personalization platform.

Transforming operations and member experience

The impact of the new platform has been substantial. The automation of manual processes has reduced one full-time employee’s manual workload by 75 percent, resulting in annual savings of approximately $55,000. More importantly, the platform has revolutionized how CUES serves its members. Credit union leaders now receive personalized learning recommendations that directly support their career development goals and organizational needs.

The new system enables credit unions to better support staff development through structured, data-driven learning journeys. Members benefit from targeted content that accelerates their career growth and enhances leadership capabilities. Looking ahead, CUES plans to implement career progression analysis and recommendations based on individual roles, skills, and competencies, creating tailored development plans that align with desired career paths.

The consolidated reporting platform streamlines operations and provides comprehensive visibility into learning outcomes and compliance requirements. This integration offers insights into member engagement patterns and helps CUES continuously refine its content and delivery methods to better serve the credit union community.

Lessons for nonprofit technology implementation

CUES’s journey offers valuable insights for other nonprofits considering similar technology initiatives. Initially hesitant to apply for grant funding due to traditional budgeting mindsets, the organization discovered that the AWS Imagine Grant funding accelerated their implementation timeline and sparked increased team creativity and engagement.

Their experience demonstrates the importance of viewing data and AI strategy as organizational priorities rather than merely IT initiatives. By taking this approach, CUES has created a model for how technology can enhance leadership development and organizational efficiency in the nonprofit sector.

The success of this transformation shows that with the right technology partner and a clear vision, nonprofits can achieve significant operational improvements while better serving their communities. The platform enables CUES to fulfill its mission more effectively by providing targeted, relevant content to credit union leaders when they need it most.

Looking forward

As the CUES team continues to evolve its platform, they’re setting new standards for how technology can advance professional development in the credit union industry. The organization’s commitment to innovation and member service has positioned it to better support the next generation of credit union leaders while maintaining its six-decade legacy of excellence in leadership development.

Through this digital transformation, CUES has not only improved its operational efficiency, but also enhanced its ability to serve the credit union community with more personalized, targeted learning experiences. The organization’s success story serves as an inspiration for other nonprofits looking to take advantage of technology to advance their missions and create lasting impact in their respective fields.