About
Hi, I’m Nolan Thatcher, and this page is your quick map to what fuels me and this site.
I have spent two decades turning credit-union idealism into everyday practice, and this blog invites you to do the same. Here you can learn, trade ideas, and stay inspired. Below, you will find my story, the mission behind each post, and simple ways to connect.
Nolan’s Credit Union Roots
My first taste of cooperative magic came at age ten when I pooled lawn-mowing cash with neighbors to buy a used trumpet, then watched our tiny “instrument fund” grow because we voted on every deposit and loan like miniature directors.
That curiosity carried me from teller windows in Madison to branch leadership, where I learned that smiling eyes and accurate ledgers are equal parts of member trust.
As Director of Member Experience in Portland I launched a game-styled first-home rewards program, then in Denver I built a management academy that let eight credit unions share classrooms, mentors, and bold experiments without blowing anyone’s budget.
Since 2014 I have coached more than three hundred managers, sketching micro-branches in Halifax and Aboriginal co-ops in Australia along the way, and every lesson now fuels this blog’s practical heartbeat.
Why This Blog Exists
My simple goal is to help every credit-union professional turn member service into a super power that delights members and deepens loyalty. Imagine a teller who remembers a child’s first paycheck or a lending officer who guides someone to a dream bike without jargon or judgment.
To reach that goal I write about themes that shape a thriving cooperative.
- Leadership that lifts both people and balance sheets
- Teamwork habits that survive busy Fridays
- Youth financial literacy that feels like play
- Rallying support for bold, future-ready projects
Each article slices a large idea into steps you can test on Monday morning, complete with examples from real branches I visit each month. No ivory-tower jargon, only stories of front-line staff fixing hiccups, CEOs unblocking silos, and volunteers cheering on a new savings challenge. If a tactic works in Denver or Halifax, I translate it here for you.
What You’ll Learn Here
Below are three typical takeaways you can expect after a few minutes with any article on this site.
- Quick wins you can test today, like a two-question feedback card or a pop-up youth workshop.
- Culture playbooks that break fuzzy values into repeatable habits, complete with sample huddle scripts and coaching prompts.
- Blueprints for innovation sprints, from framing a challenge to storyboarding solutions and pitching them to the board in five minutes.
I keep sentences short and jargon light, and every post ends with an action checklist you can print or post in the break room.
Whether you chair the board or just wrapped your first shift, pick one idea this week and tell us how it goes in the comments.
Life Outside the Branch
Sunrise trail runs along the Front Range are my moving meditation. The ridgeline light resets my perspective and plants headline ideas faster than caffeine.
Back home, Dylan lures me to the garage with squealing servos; we trade circuitry jokes until his robot finally dodges the couch. Moments later, Avery appears with molten-center brownies that require, in her words, “serious data collection.”
My wife, Riley, leads UX research for a co-operative fintech, bringing member empathy into every sketch.
Their experiments and Riley’s sketches keep my mind on human stories; they remind me that a loan is not merely a product, it is a path to someone’s Saturday adventure.
Join the Movement
If these ideas spark something in you, here are easy ways to stay connected right now.
- Bookmark nexttopcreditunionexec.com for weekly posts
- Subscribe to the newsletter for fresh checklists
- Share an article with a colleague and test it together
- Post your own tip or question in the comments
I hold a steady belief that small, caring moments at a teller window or on a chat thread can redirect a member’s life, their family’s fortunes, and the cooperative movement itself.
Use the Contact page any time to swap stories, ask hard questions, or nudge me toward a topic you need. I reply to every note, often with a voice memo so you hear the energy behind the keyboard.
Together we will keep the posts practical and fun, focused on real people and mission-driven growth. Thanks for reading, and I cannot wait to see what you build next.