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
10:30-4:15: Educational Sessions. Details coming soon!
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 am - 2:00 pm: Educational Sessions. Details coming soon!
2:00-2:15: Wrap up, door prizes and adjourn
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 pastPresident. 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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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.
Pints and Pars!
Join us on Thursday, September 4th for a private reception celebration at Blind Shot Social Club. Enjoy fun games, good food, and great companionship - in the heart of downtown Madison.
7 Iron is an upscale sports lounge with simulators for golf and many other games. It’s the perfect venue to unwind, relax and network with your peers.
Reception tickets must be purchased with registration. Tickets include games, food 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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![IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union]()
"The Stark conference stands apart from other events due to its highly informative nature. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with peers who are facing similar challenges, creating an environment for meaningful discussions. These intimate conversations are invaluable for navigating through any issues or questions you may have. Having attended the Stark conference for years, I can confidently say it continues to improve with each iteration, making it a must-attend for those seeing real solutions and insights. "
Josey Bowman, IH Mississippi Valley 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
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![Westconsin Credit Union]()
"The WESTconsin Credit Union Member Solutions team has been a regular participant in the Stark Conferences since they began. The sessions are always insightful and led by experts who truly understand the challenges that we are facing. Networking with peers and learning about the latest compliance trends and technology helps us to improve our recovery rates. I would highly recommend this conference to anyone in the collections field looking for ways to enhance their processes and keep up with compliance. Stark has proven to be an excellent partner for WESTconsin Credit Union."
Diane Amundson, WESTconsin Credit Union
Conference Sponsors
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Unitas Financial Services
Our knowledgeable and experienced team is dedicated to delivering customized collateral protection and innovative lending solutions. By understanding each client’s unique challenges, we develop tailored strategies that strengthen risk management, ensure compliance, and enhance operational efficiency.
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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.