Frequently asked questions

This CUES Emerge program is open to any credit union staff who believe they are an emerging leader and would like to build their skills in leadership and strategic thinking. There is no requirement to be a CUES member. Any participant accepted into the program who is not currently a CUES member will receive a CUES membership for the duration of the program. All materials and software that you need to use in the program will be made available to you through this membership.

No, there is no cost to apply or to participate in the program if you are accepted.

There are no age restrictions to apply to the CUES Emerge Program. You must be a credit union employee at less than C-Suite level.

We define an Emerging Leader as a talented individual with high potential who:

• Excels at their current position

• Has a bright future in the credit union industry

• Has a desire to grow within their current role and their organization

We will accept up to 36 individuals into the cohort.

All applications will be reviewed and considered based on full completion, quality of the leader endorsement and your narrative responses.

Yes. Attending all seven sessions is a mandatory requirement for participation in the program, as well as earning your Certified Credit Union Manager (CCM) designation.

All applicants will be contacted by the end of March and those selected to the program will receive additional information on their participation.

The leader endorsement is best to come from a leader who can to speak directly to the work and demonstrated behaviors of the applicant. The role of the individual completing the leader endorsement does not weigh into the participant selection process.

No! While your application asks you about a problem you’d like to solve, as you walk through the CUES Emerge program, you will have opportunities to think through different ideas for your business case (and even change your mind, if you’d like). To give yourself enough time to work through the different pieces of your business case, it’s recommended to have your topic decided by the week of the second Mastermind session.

Applications will be accepted until 11:00 pm ET on February 9, 2026. We will not accept applications submitted after the closing date and time. Make sure you leave yourself time to complete the form and send it prior to the deadline.

You will need a computer with internet access and the ability to access Zoom and NovoEd. These platforms will be made available to you for the program. A webcam is strongly recommended.

90-minute sessions are held weekly for seven consecutive Wednesdays, starting at Noon Central. The first session begins on Wednesday, April 1.

All sessions are 90 minutes long. There is one online orientation call, three interactive CUES Virtual Classroom sessions and three Mastermind team sessions.

Any work that is recommended to complete before a CUES Virtual Classroom session will be posted in NovoEd at the beginning of the program. This usually includes reflection questions or brief videos or articles to review.

Outside of the weekly meetings, many participants recommend regularly working on their business case an average of a few hours a week. As the time to the submission date gets closer, some participants saw that number increase.

You are welcome to alter the design and formatting of the business case template, but you do need to complete all of the included sections.

Each CUES Emerge participant is asked to commit to every session date as part of their acceptance into the program. If something urgent comes up and you are no longer able to make a Virtual Classroom or Mastermind session, please email info@cuesemerge.com to explain the situation. Unexcused absences could result in removal from the program.

Typical business cases are about three to six pages in length, and include a project description, benefits and rationale, resources, stakeholders, timeline, a basic financial performa and the potential risks. A template is provided to guide you through the process.

Of course! You are welcome to reach out to your Mastermind for insight on your business case. You can also email the CUES Emerge team at info@cuesemerge.com for a list of past participants who have volunteered to be a resource.

Your business case must be completed by you, but you are welcome to have the colleagues at your credit union provide feedback and support to help you succeed in the program. Your program peers and Mastermind are also great resources.

The business case template is there to provide you a guide to create your business case. You are welcome to change the look of your business case as long as you provide the required information.

Any materials that you create for this case should be able to be added to the business case via an addendum. Think screenshots, photos, PDF attachments.

In order to receive your Certified Credit Union Manager (CCM) designation, you must complete and submit a business case.

The CUES Emerge program is a personal professional development program, designed to help participants think critically through a problem and create a path to solving that problem. Each business case will be judged by respected senior credit union executives throughout North America, and will provide constructive feedback. These steps will help each participant grow in their position and career.

The Certified Credit Union Manager (CCM) designation is earned upon completion of the Education Phase of the CUES Emerge program.

No, once you earn your designation, you do not need to renew it in the future.