2026 Credit Union Conference
Join Us September 2nd-3rd!
Our always-popular credit union client conference is back and better than ever. As always, the conference will feature exceptional educational sessions and unparalleled opportunities to network with your peers.
Cost to register: $275/attendee (early bird)/$325/attendee (normal registration)
Register by 6/30/2026 for early bird pricing!
Agenda
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6:00 pm: Welcome Reception at Smitty’s Study Pub
Join us at Smitty’s Study Pub (located on the 8th floor of the Fluno Center) as we welcome everyone arriving in Madison the night before the conference kicks off. Enjoy views of downtown Madison while networking with your peers.
The first round is on Stark! -
8:45-9:30: Pre-Conference Strategy Session: Details coming soon!
9:30-10:00: Registration
10:00-10:30: Introductions and Housekeeping
10:30-11:30: Finding Calm in the Chaos. How to Get More Done Without Burning Out
Presented By: Nate Kalnins
The collections industry has never demanded more from its leaders. Compliance requirements are expanding. Teams are leaner. And technology, despite the productivity it promises, has a habit of adding new work faster than it eliminates the old.
Most leaders aren’t held back by a lack of intelligence, drive or experience. They’re held back because the sheer volume of what competes for their attention has outgrown the systems they use to manage it.
This session examines David Allen’s Getting Things Done framework through the lens of collections leadership. We’ll cover why GTD fits the pace and complexity of our industry, where most leaders’ systems currently break down, and how a disciplined system restores the focused, calm balance that drives results and personal peace.
Whether you oversee a large team or are a member of a small group, the principles are the same: your brain is a terrible filing cabinet, clarity is a competitive (and professional) advantage and being organized isn’t a personality trait. It’s a learnable system that directly influences your productivity and professional success.
11:30-12:30: Lunch
12:30-1:30: Complaint Handling as an Early Warning System for Compliance Risk: How AI is Turning Every Member Into an Attorney
Presented by: Stefanie Kempfer Collier
AI has fundamentally changed the nature of member complaints. Consumers now have instant access to legal terminology, regulatory citations, and complaint templates, resulting in more sophisticated allegations involving credit reporting, collections, repossessions, bankruptcies, fees, and other compliance-sensitive areas.
For credit unions, complaints should no longer be viewed solely as customer service issues. They can serve as an early warning system for operational, compliance, and regulatory risks. A single complaint may be isolated, but repeated complaints about the same practice can signal a systemic problem that may later attract examiner scrutiny, regulatory action, or class action litigation.
The presentation explores:
How AI is changing member complaints and dispute resolution.
Why complaints are becoming more legally sophisticated.
The connection between complaint trends, compliance failures, and regulatory risk.
How to distinguish customer service issues from genuine compliance concerns.
Common mistakes institutions make when handling complaints.
Practical strategies for tracking, categorizing, and escalating complaints.
The challenge is recognizing that complaints often identify risks before auditors, examiners, regulators, or plaintiff's attorneys do. Credit unions that treat complaints as valuable risk indicators can identify and address issues early, reducing both regulatory and litigation exposure.
1:30-1:45: Innovation Showcase
2:00-2:45: Bankruptcy Challenges: Asked and Answered
Presented by: Wes Overturf
Bankruptcy compliance is where good collections operations get tripped up — not on the basics, but on the edge cases, the ambiguous circumstances, and the issues that quietly create exposure before anyone notices them.
This session skips the entry-level material and goes straight to the hard questions. Led by an experienced bankruptcy attorney, it's built around the issues you bring to the room: the challenging scenarios, the commonly missed pitfalls, and the specific situations your team runs into but rarely gets a clear answer on. Bring your toughest questions and leave with practical, authoritative guidance you can apply immediately.
Whether you're managing collectors on the front line or setting policy across the operation, this is your chance to pressure-test your assumptions with someone who knows where the real risk lives.
2:45-3:00: Innovation Showcase
3:15-4:15: Bright Ideas and Burning Issues RoundtableThe most valuable expertise at this conference isn't on the stage. It's sitting in the room. Every year, this session proves it.
The agenda is built from topics you submit, so the conversation goes exactly where the room needs it to: the problems keeping you up at night, the workarounds that are quietly saving your operation, and the questions you can only ask people who do what you do.
Topics likely to surface, drawn from past years:
Digital communications — channels, strategy, and compliance best practices
Commercial account recovery — collection and compliance strategies on business accounts
Workflow design — team structure, responsibilities, KPIs, and more
Economic landscape and trends — delinquency trends, tax-season performance, and what's ahead
Legal collection strategies — compliance, cost control, and KPIs
Repossession and collateral recovery — compliance, best practices, workflow, and vendor management
It's consistently our most popular session for a reason. Come ready to share what's working, surface what isn't, and leave with solutions you won't find anywhere else.
6:00-9:00: Reception at Nitro Cocktail Lounge
Reception tickets must be purchased with registration. Tickets include food and drinks.
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7:30-8:30 am: Breakfast
8:30-9:00: Stark Update
Presented by: Nate Kalnins
Keep up with the latest operational and customer service updates at Stark and help drive our strategic direction moving forward.
9:00-9:15: Innovation Showcase
9:30-10:30: Operational Strategy Session (details TBD)
Presented by: Andrew Domino
This session will focus on practical strategies that recovery departments can take to improve their results, led by a leader with decades of experience driving operational and technology driven initiatives with credit unions.
10:45-11:30: Session TBD - We’re finalizing details for one more outside presenter. Updates to come soon!
11:30-12:15: Lunch
12:15-2:00: Bright Ideas and Burning Issues Roundtable
The most valuable expertise at this conference isn't on the stage. It's sitting in the room. Every year, this session proves it.
The agenda is built from topics you submit, so the conversation goes exactly where the room needs it to: the problems keeping you up at night, the workarounds that are quietly saving your operation, and the questions you can only ask people who do what you do.
Topics likely to surface, drawn from past years:
Digital communications — channels, strategy, and compliance best practices
Commercial account recovery — collection and compliance strategies on business accounts
Workflow design — team structure, responsibilities, KPIs, and more
Economic landscape and trends — delinquency trends, tax-season performance, and what's ahead
Legal collection strategies — compliance, cost control, and KPIs
Repossession and collateral recovery — compliance, best practices, workflow, and vendor management
It's consistently our most popular session for a reason. Come ready to share what's working, surface what isn't, and leave with solutions you won't find anywhere else.
2:00-2:15: Wrap up and adjourn
8:30 am - 2:00 pm:
Featured Speakers
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Stefanie’s reputation for quality work and a positive attitude is an ideal match for any client.
Stefanie shows up to work every day with two goals in mind: to be accessible to her clients and to provide creative solutions when complex issues arise. Stefanie primarily represents credit unions, banks, and auto financiers in Indiana and across the U.S., on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues. She advises on trust and estate matters, employment issues, and litigation. She also handles replevins and collection-related matters as well as transactional work, including repossession letter reviews, contract reviews, and negotiation. Stefanie’s external compliance work covers the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA); Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA); Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); and the Truth in Lending Act (TILA).
Stefanie hails from Centerville, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio, and currently resides in Indianapolis. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
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Nate joined the Stark Collection Agency in 2010, working part-time as a collector while he was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He now serves as Stark’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of Compliance and oversees all aspects of Stark’s operations, including strategic direction, workflow design, client education, and compliance.
Nate holds the Credit and Collections Compliance Officer (CCCO) designation through ACA International and the Leadership Development Certificate through the University of Wisconsin Small Business Development Center. Nate serves on the Great Lakes Credit and Collection Association (GLCCA) board of directors, where he is the immediate past President. In 2019, Nate was nominated for the Madison Magnet Award and the Receivables Advisor Professional of the Year award. He is passionate about improving financial literacy, particularly among youth.
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As a seasoned executive with over two decades of leadership in the financial services industry, I specialize in driving operational excellence and transformative strategies across global markets. Currently, as the Chief Operations Officer for Bridgeforce, LLC, I lead our firm in providing executable solutions and spearheading large-scale change initiatives in operations, technology, and analytics
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Wes Overturf is a partner with KGR and practices in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. He represents creditors, debtors, and other interest holders in Chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 bankruptcy cases primarily in the Southern District and the Northern District of Indiana. Wes also represents clients in all phases of foreclosures, collections, restructurings, and insolvency as well as providing services to clients before various taxing authorities.
Hotel Information
The Fluno Center
601 University Ave
Madison, WI 53715
608-441-7117
Use the link above to reserve your room at our discounted block rate. You may also reserve your room by calling 608-441-7117.
Room rate: $180/night
Reserve your room by 8/4/2025 to guarantee receiving the block rate discount. Parking at the Fluno Center ($15/night) can be added to your reservation. You may also self-park in nearby parking ramps.
Rooms are available as part of the Stark block on the nights of 9/1 and 9/2. Rooms may not be available at the block rate on 9/3-9/4.
Cocktails and Collections Reception
Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd for a private reception celebration at Nitro Beverage Lounge. Enjoy unique drinks, good food, and great companionship - in the heart of downtown Madison.
Nitro is a boutique cocktail lounge that offers creative cocktails, beer, coffee and a variety of soft drinks. It’s the perfect venue to unwind, relax and network with your peers.
Reception tickets must be purchased with registration. Tickets include heavy appetizers and drinks.
Cost: $75/person.
Hear from Previous Attendees
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"Whether you are new to collections or a seasoned veteran, I highly recommend attending these conferences. Even after being in the industry for over 20 years, I can still learn something new every day in the ever-changing environment. These conferences are well run, on topic, and well worth the minimal expense."
Dan Vande Zande, Landmark Credit Union
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![Veridian Credit Union]()
"The annual Stark conference is one of the best! The roundtable discussions are tremendously valuable, the atmosphere promotes participation, and collaboration amongst industry peers is sure to leave you walking away with new ideas. I've been able to walk away from each conference feeling invigorated with fresh ideas to bring back to my teams."
Christina Christensen, Veridian Credit Union
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![Co-Op Credit Union]()
"We look forward to the conference every year, not only for the fun that we have, but also the wealth of collection-specific knowledge that is provided!"
Beth Berg, Co-Op Credit Union
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![Blackhawk Community Credit Union]()
"The Stark Collection Agency's collection conference is a highly valuable experience, offering a unique opportunity to gain expert insights, network with industry professionals, and enhance your knowledge of the latest trends and best practices in collections. It's definitely worth attending for anyone looking to advance their expertise in the field."
Jacquie Fox, Blackhawk Community Credit Union
Conference Sponsors
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Bridgeforce
Bridgeforce is a financial services consulting firm with real-world experience in consumer banking. With 1000+ successful engagements over more than 25 years, we tackle the hardest challenges: compliance pressures, collections cycles, operational inefficiencies, complex IT integrations and M&A transitions. Top 10 global banks, regional banks, credit unions, fintechs and private equity firms trust us to bring them meaningful insights and practical solutions. We are not a big-box firm. Our industry-seasoned experts move fast, collaborate deeply, and deliver tangible results that keep clients coming back—proven by our 95% re-engagement rate.
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ProFound Recovery Solutions
PRO Found Recovery Solutions was founded in 2009. Initially, our focus was primarily on skip tracing extremely difficult and aged accounts for our credit union partners. We quickly made a name for ourselves with our performance, relationships and top-notch customer service.
Our focus continues to be on providing the best service and results for our clients while ensuring our employees and vendors are compliant with all state and federal requirements.
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Provana
Provana offers innovative technology platforms and a large global workforce with depth and breadth of experience across the credit and compliance life cycle. The combination makes Provana the perfect partner to help your firm increase profitability, improve performance and exceed client expectations.