CUMAM 2026 Conference

Wednesday–Friday, October 28–30

Victoria Inn Hotel & Conference Centre
3550 Victoria Avenue • Brandon

TITLE SPONSORS

CUMAM has reserved a block of rooms for the nights of October 27-29 with departure on October 30

Call the Victoria Inn Brandon at 204-725-1532 and mention group CUMAM 2026 to receive a discounted group rate.
The cutoff date to block rooms is September 27, 2026

Meet our Speakers

Fotini Iconomopoulos

Having worked in over 170 industries, Top 30 Global Guru Fotini Iconomopoulos is the one that companies like Ford, Microsoft, Nestle, Rolls Royce and Walmart call to help them through their high-stakes negotiations or upgrade their negotiation, communication and persuasion skills. HarperCollins noticed her frequent media interviews, MBA classes, and non-profit initiatives, and asked her to write her best-selling book Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want.

Sandra McDowell
CEO, eLeadership Academy

With over two decades of credit union executive experience and advanced certifications in Leadership, Coaching, Neuroleadership, and HR, Sandra is a trusted authority on the application of neuroscience for leadership. As the CEO of eLeadership Academy, she helps credit unions build talent from within through online certificate and designation programs exclusively for credit union leaders. Sandra is a long-time partner of CCUA and WOCCU, associate faculty for two universities, and the author of Your Mother Was Right: 15 Unexpected Lessons About Leadership and the Brain. Earlier in her career, she received the CCUA National Young Leader Award and the World Council WYCUP Young Leader Award.

Ramy Nassar

Futurist, author, and former Head of Innovation at Mattel, Ramy Nassar helps leaders navigate AI and emerging technology with confidence. His presentations cut through the hype with bold foresight and practical tools—leaving audiences energized, inspired, and ready to Navigate What’s Next—accelerating innovation, reimagining strategy, and shaping the future before it disrupts them.

With 25+ years of experience and trusted by over 250 leading organizations including Apple, TD Bank, TELUS, Verizon, New Balance, and the Government of Canada, he combines hands-on technical depth, strategic foresight, and powerful storytelling to turn complexity into clarity and disruption into opportunity.

Rita Rushton
Manager, Group Benefit Sales
Co-operators

Rita joined Co-operators in 2007 and has over 30 years’ experience in the Group Insurance industry. During her career, she has worked at five different insurers in a wide variety of roles.

In her time at Co-operators, she has passionately supported the Group Benefit needs of credit unions and other co-operatives across Canada, and has loved every minute of it. Raised on a farm in small-town Saskatchewan, Rita has been a member of various co-operatives and credit unions since childhood.

Rita is located in Regina.

Farah Nasser

Between deepfakes, AI hallucinations, and synthetic everything, your people are asking: Who can I trust? For 25 years, Farah Nasser had one job: to earn trust — nightly, live, and under pressure. As a national news anchor who conducted over 10,000 interviews with world leaders, CEOs, and changemakers, she guided millions through the world's most volatile moments. Today, she helps Fortune 500 leaders and teams thrive by harnessing the empathy and trust that AI will never replace.

An Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and anchor of one of Canada's top three national newscasts, Nasser spent decades sitting across from prime ministers, global CEOs, and decision-makers decoding what makes people listen, trust, and act. That experience gave her a rare insight into what builds credibility under pressure, one she now brings to stages worldwide as a globally recognized keynote speaker on the human side of change.

Charles Roy
Partner, Taylor McCaffrey LLP

Charles practices in the area of general litigation, including bankruptcy and insolvency, debt recovery and enforcement, commercial litigation, labour and employment, personal injury and medical malpractice. He a member of Taylor McCaffrey LLP’s Financial Services group, where he assists clients with debtor-creditor matters, including insolvency, restructurings, receiverships and security enforcement. Charles has appeared before the Court of King’s Bench, the Manitoba Court of Appeal, the Bankruptcy Court, the Manitoba Labour Board and in labour and commercial arbitrations.

Charles serves as an Executive on the Insolvency Section of the Manitoba Bar Association as well as on the board of the Winnipeg Exchange District Biz.

Daniel Lewis

Author, entrepreneur, and international keynote speaker Daniel Lewis is the proud founder of the award-winning tea company T By Daniel. Daniel helps people and organizations adopt a more human-centric approach to business, leadership, and life. Dubbed "Human Caffeine" for his stage presence, his people-first outlook and bold, experiential business tactics have earned him national recognition and numerous accolades, including the 2014 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, 2016 Business Excellence Award, 2017 Top 40 Under 40 Entrepreneurs, and most recently, the 2025 Smart Speaker Award for “Best of the Stage!”. From startup and tech stages in Estonia, to customer service and sales summits in the UK, to inspiring audiences for global powerhouses like Forbes in Dubai, Daniel’s voice has resonated across the world. Along the way, he’s even shared the stage with award-winning artists like Pitbull, blending business with culture in unforgettable ways.

CLICK HERE for Daniel’s INTRO VIDEO

Paul Holden
CEO, Credit Union Central of Manitoba

Paul Holden is CEO of Credit Union Central of Manitoba, where he leads the organization as a trusted partner to Manitoba’s credit unions, strengthening the conditions that support a successful and sustainable credit union system. With more than 30 years of executive and governance leadership experience, Paul brings a system‑wide perspective grounded in collaboration, accountability and service to members and local communities.

Previously, Paul served in board leadership roles with both CUCM and Cambrian Credit Union. He is known for guiding organizations through change by fostering innovation, building strong partnerships and maintaining a steady focus on long‑term system strength.

Agenda

Wednesday, October 28 (Grand A)

8:15 AM — Registration & Deluxe Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM — Welcome
9:15 AM — Sandra McDowell — Leading yourself with the Brain in Mind (workshop)
10:15 AM — Health Break
10:30 AM — Workshop continues

12:00 PM — CCUA Education & e-Leadership Academy Awards Luncheon (Grand B)

1:30 PM — Breakout Sessions
Taylor McCafferey — Foreclosures & Collections (Salon 1)
CUMIS — Driven by Purpose: Your financial wellness toolkit (Grand A)
2:45 PM — Health Break
3:00 PM — Fotini Iconomopoulous — Command the Conversation: Turning Friction into Performance
4:15 PM — Closing Remarks

8:00–10:00 PM — CUMIS Hospitality Suite (Grand B)

Thursday, October 29 (Grand A)

8:15 AM — Registration & Deluxe Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM — Welcome
9:15 AM — Ramy Nassar — AI Now, Next, Never: The Human Remainder of Credit Union Work and Trust
10:00 AM — Health Break
10:30 AM — Farrah Nasser — Trust in an AI World
Authentic Intelligence

12:00 PM — Luncheon/CUMAM AGM (Grand B)

1:00–4:00 PM — Trade Show — Wine and Cheese sponsored by Travelex

5:30 PM — Cocktail hour (Foyer)
6:30 PM — Banquet Dinner (Grand A and B) wine sponsored by Securian Canada
7:45 PM — 25 Year Awards Ceremony
8:45 PM — Entertainment

Friday, October 30 (Grand A)

8:15 AM — Classic Breakfast Buffet sponsored by NewGround

9:00 AM — Paul Holden (CEO, CUCM) — State of the Credit Union address
10:15 AM — Health Break
10:30 AM — Daniel Lewis — The POP (The Power of Personality): Unlock Your Edge
11:45 AM — President’s Closing Remarks

Venue

To book a room, call ahead and ask to reserve a room in the CUMAM 2026 group block to access the discounted rate

Guests are responsible to pay for their own reservation. A credit card will be required when guests book their reservation. Individual reservations can be cancelled until 48 hours prior to arrival. Guests departing early must also adhere to the 48-hour cancellation policy and will need to cancel any additional nights prior to 48 hours.

Reservations must be made by September 27, 2026