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Articles by Jay Johnson
At K&A, a free grocery store in Kensington gives shoppers 20 points twice a month
Before 9 a.m. on any given weekday, a line begins to snake around the corner of Kensington and Allegheny avenues. From the sidewalk, the small storefront at the head of the line looks like a grocery store. That’s the point. When the doors open, customers at Greater Goods walk the aisles past shelves of milk, eggs, produce and pantry staples, counting points instead of dollars. Every customer gets 20 points to spend, twice a month, and chooses what they want. Milk costs three points.
6 Credit Union Executive Priorities For 2026
Jay Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer, Callahan & Associates Every year, the Callahan team travels the country convening credit union leaders. Inevitably, one question comes up again and again: What are you hearing? Where are other executives focused right now? It is a fair question. Change is constant, and leaders want to understand how peers are navigating it.
Circuit Training in Roswell: A Balanced Approach to Community Fitness
Circuit training has become an increasingly popular method of exercise in communities across the United States, and Roswell is no exception. Combining resistance work, cardiovascular intervals, and functional movements into a time-efficient format, circuit training offers residents of Roswell—students, professionals, retirees, and families—a versatile option for improving health, supporting weight management, and enhancing physical performance.
Guest Column: Medicaid expansion is improving health in Oklahoma. Let’s keep the momentum going.
For many years, Oklahoma has ranked near the bottom in national health measures. Those rankings reflect real challenges: higher rates of chronic disease, limited access to care in rural communities, and too many hardworking families without health coverage. But Oklahoma has begun to make progress—and one reason is Medicaid expansion. kAmx?
Credit Union Industry Commentary
This installment of “CEO Onboarding” touches base with an industry veteran to discuss starting out young in the credit union movement and being present for members’ milestone moments. Read More » Two cooperatives share how they elevate employee engagement in a high-pressure, high-stakes contact center setting. Read More » Crack the code to outsmart, not outspend, competitors with a marketing segmentation playbook that turns guesswork into growth.
5 Strategic Planning Priorities For 2026 And Beyond
Strategic planning in 2025 is about building resilience, not just roadmaps. At Callahan, we are fortunate to have a front-row seat to the strategic conversations happening across the industry. And while every credit union’s path is unique, there are some common threads.
Industry Insights
No Comments From employee engagement to community impact and beyond, these are the initiatives credit unions must focus on to stay aligned and prepared for the challenges ahead. Read More » No Comments Members are changing the way they deposit their money, saving more and opting for lower-yielding, more liquid account types. Read More » A partnership with the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University has helped the credit union reduce reports of elder fraud by as much as 50%.
Find Your Purpose, Find Your Path
For many credit unions, a rocky start to 2023 turned into a better-than-expected year, but that’s not to say it was an easy one. In response to tighter liquidity and with few signs of relief in the near term, many credit unions intentionally slowed balance sheet growth. Competition for deposits remained intense, and — at 84.7% — the industry’s loan-to-share ratio at the end of the third quarter was near a five-year high.
Q4 Investment Trends: Liquidity Pressures Lead to Decline in Investments
Source: Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer Analytics As a result of macroeconomic conditions, credit union lending and deposit dynamics changed considerably throughout 2022. In the first half of the year, cooperatives were on a record pace for loan originations in dollar terms, led by consumer lending. However, consumer lending demand slowed in the second half of the year, and high interest rates led to a substantial decline in the pace of the real estate financing market.
Q3 Investment Trends: Industrywide Contraction Continues
Source: Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer Analytics Over the past two pandemic-affected years, credit unions faced a sudden surge of liquidity in the form of widespread Federal relief programs. Throughout 2022, however, that dynamic flipped more quickly than many anticipated. As price increases inflate the cost of living for many Americans, budgets have tightened, savings have declined and borrowing has surged. Now, some credit unions are focused on managing liquidity as they look ahead to 2023.
Q2 Investment Trends: Assets Flood Into Loans
Source: Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer Analytics Credit union balance sheets realized record share growth throughout the pandemic, mainly driven by government relief programs and increased saving rates during quarantines. Despite record mortgage loan originations, loan balance growth slowed through a combination of early repayments and credit unions selling low-interest loans to secondary market buyers. In the first half of 2022 however, these trends have turned.
GET SHREDDED: The Right Way To Get Lean
To get really lean, you’ll need High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Here’s how to do it right. BY JAY JOHNSON When you think about your body and how it operates, do you give it enough credit? Probably not. Our bodies are well-equipped machines that in most cases simply need a tune-up or an oil change to achieve peak performance. In our case, that means revving up our metabolism, burning fat, and looking and feeling our best.
Sony Discontinuing PS5's Accolades System Due To Limited Use.
The PlayStation 5 includes several features that its predecessor lacked, such as cards providing in-game help and a built-in PlayStation Store. Unfortunately, one of the PS5 innovations received little use, meaning that the feature will soon be removed. Per Siliconera, PlayStation 5 users will soon be losing access to the Accolades system. For those unfamiliar with the feature, it was a function designed to award gamers who positively contributed to multiplayer experiences.
An architectural view of school safety and security
With threats ranging from severe weather to active shooters, school leaders, designers, and security consultants face many challenges in creating safe environments that allow children to thrive. Paul Timm, PSP, school security expert and vice president at Facility Engineering Associates, explains the one thing that underpins everything when it comes to setting a course for a school’s security.
Q1 Investment Trends: Patterns Flip in 2022
Source: Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer Analytics After three years of deposit growth outpacing loan growth, patterns flipped in the first quarter of 2022. As of March 31, credit union loan balances are up 11.7% annually, compared to 9.3% for shares. Major government relief packages seem to be in the rear-view mirror and loan demand patterns are pivoting towards the consumer lending space.
Even the Rocks and the Cacti Cry Out
Joshua Tree gives me the creeps. The landscape unnerves me—dirt, dust, cactus, and, of course, the trees themselves, scaly and spiky and twisted. They’re lined out like a crop, too intentional to make sense. How did they get here? At the top of Ryan Mountain, my husband and I study the brown land. No cell connection. No water! We keep our own jugs in the back of the car. Boulders shaped like skulls and arches and cathedral spires interrupt the desert.
Evangelicals Have Four Proposals for Harmonizing Genesis and Evolution
The past few years haven’t been kind to evangelicalism. Every other month a new scandal or controversy seems to appear. Sexual and spiritual abuse. Patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Critical race theory and racism. The list goes on. Following in the wake of these self-inflicted wounds, deconstruction and exvangelical have become buzzwords in Christian discourse. No one should be surprised.
Letter to the editor: We must fix our inadequate public safety systems
I turn on to Moonstone Road in Breckenridge, and halfway up the road, five cars have piled into one another. I call 911. Operator: “What’s your emergency?” Me: “Moonstone is an icy mess. I need a sand truck and police lights on both ends to prevent further accidents.” Colorado State Patrol arrives about 45 minutes after the 911 call. The trooper drives past the line of cars and, once stopped, begins to slide sideways downhill and slams into my car. The 911 operator told me not to call 911.
Q4 Investment Trends: Cash Balances Decline as Loans Rebound
Source: Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer Analytics Share balances at credit unions increased 12.7% over the 2021 calendar year, topping $1.8 trillion for the first time ever in the fourth quarter and more than double industry totals from a decade ago. Still, deposit growth has slowed from pandemic peaks. Share balances increased 2.4% quarter-over-quarter, which was above the historical norm but well below the quarterly rates realized throughout the pandemic.
Letter to the editor Moonstone and baldy roads a public safety failure in Breckenridge
I’ve pulled 450 cars out of the ditch since 2016. A majority of the cars are on Moonstone and Baldy roads. A majority of those cars are out-of-town visitors. The common denominator is no sand on the roads and no road signage. This past weekend, there were major accidents on both roads. The 911 response was, “We will let Colorado State Patrol know, and I’ll let county know to send a sand truck.” Patrol response time is generally 30-40 minutes.
SCOTUS and WOTUS: Is Sackett Case the Final Chapter? | JD Supra
On January 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari on a fundamental environmental law question that has lingered for several decades – what is the appropriate definition of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) in the Clean Water Act (CWA)? The Court could resolve this issue once and for all – most recently addressed by a starkly divided ruling over 15 years ago in Rapanos v. United States.
Embracing Location Strategy to Drive Systemness Across Healthcare Organizations
Photo credit: Depositphotos By Jay Johnson, Managing Director and National Practice Leader, JLL Healthcare When choosing the site for a new healthcare facility—whether it’s a hospital, surgery center, urgent care clinic or other facility—location is key. Among other factors, location influences market brand perception, patient accessibility and acquisition, and undoubtedly affects the overall care experience.
Man charged with the murder of 24-year-old Lakeia Gaines following a road rage shooting in 2020 is found not guilty
#1 TULSA, Okla. — Nathaniel Chilcoat was found not guilty by a jury for the murder of Lakeia Gaines Friday afternoon. Chilcoat was arrested and charged with first and second degree murder following a road rage incident in Feb. 2020 that lead to him shooting Gaines. According to Tulsa police at the time, two cars became engaged in road rage incident near 51st and Memorial. Gaines and her four-year-old daughter were passengers and another woman drove them to a Walgreens parking lot.
Letter to the editor: Ideas for a better evacuation plan
Support Local Journalism As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible. Now more than ever, your financial support is critical to help us keep our communities informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having on our residents and businesses. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference. Your donation will be used exclusively to support quality, local journalism. Donate
Letter to the editor: Summit needs a much better wildfire evacuation plan
The Summit Daily News article regarding wildfire evacuations is shocking. A fire, like the Peak 2 Fire a few years back, with winds from the northwest at 30 knots will crown and can travel 6 to 8 mph. Peak 2 is about 4 miles from the north end of Main Street Breckenridge, meaning within 1 hour, 35,000 people will be trapped from evacuation to the north. The fire will be blowing across Colorado Highway 9 to the north. Main Street Breckenridge will be engulfed in dense smoke.
How Will Lessons From The Pandemic Shape The Future Of Credit Unions | Credit Unions
Vaccination rates are rising across the United States, the country is reopening, and a sense of normalcy is starting to return. California and New York, states that implemented some of the earliest and strictest lockdown measures, have even dropped pandemic-related restrictions. As the country reopens, the economy is gaining steam. First quarter U.S. Gross Domestic Product rose to a 6.4% annual rate, materially higher than the 4.3% annual increase reported in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Ed Derosa of Churchill Downs joins Jason Ross and Doug Christie to give some last minute Kentucky Derby Pointers and who you should be paying attention during Satuday's event.
Analyst and Handicapper Ed Derosa of Churchill Downs and Twinspires appeared on the show Friday to give a few last nuggets, tips and watching points for the big race. Listen to Ed give you the big name horses to watch, who may be the sleeper of the day and what happened with King Fury being a late scratch due to a fever.
High School Runners: Want to Shine in Championships? Here's How. – PodiumRunner
The last four weeks of the outdoor track season are when most athletes will run their season PRs. In this special time of year there are six keys you’ll need to do to ensure you’re ready to run your best races of the season at the most important time of the year. 1) Sleep Sleep is crucial for great performance this time of year. Sleep ranked number one in importance in my article on ways to improve as a high school runner, and it only increases in importance during the championship season.
Community and member investments support resiliency for the recovery ahead
Health and economic indicators are promising, but local, national, and regulatory challenges persist.More than one year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, optimistic signs are appearing on the health and economic fronts. On the health front, active case counts and hospitalizations are lower, and vaccine manufacturing is ramping up. The United States is administering nearly 2.5 million vaccine doses every day and has administered more than 100 million in total.
Copying the Pros: Do This, Not That
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. I love following a select group of professional runners on Instagram. Getting insights into their training and racing, and the occasional photo of their pet, is so much fun. That said, what we see on social media must be filtered before it’s applied to our own training.
Copying the Pros: Do This, Not That – PodiumRunner
I love following a select group of professional runners on Instagram. Getting insights into their training and racing, and the occasional photo of their pet, is so much fun. That said, what we see on social media must be filtered before it’s applied to our own training. As someone whose coached multiple USATF champions, I know that what you see on Instagram is, as you might have guessed, just a snapshot into what training and racing at that level is really like. Where’s The Sleep?
Community And Member Investments Support Resiliency For The Recovery Ahead | Credit Unions
More than one year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, optimistic signs are appearing on the health and economic fronts. On the health front, active case counts and hospitalizations are lower, and vaccine manufacturing is ramping up. The United States is administering nearly 2.5 million vaccine doses every day and has administered more than 100 million in total.
Column: Hospital administrator talks about town hall meeting
I was privileged to attend a recent town hall here in Duncan on the topic of surrendering control of Oklahoma’s Medicaid program to private insurance companies. I say privileged because it was encouraging to hear so many insightful questions and comments about this patently bad idea. Audience members who stood to speak weren’t just hospital leaders like me.
Do These Strides to Prepare for Your Next Marathon PR – PodiumRunner
Having coached marathoners both in person and online for well over a decade, I can safely say the change every runner has needed to make in their training is to focus on specificity. Specificity simply means that you’re training for the specific pace you are hoping to run on race day. While most runners also need to lengthen their long run, do more general strength and mobility after their run, and do strides on most days that they run, it’s specificity that is the first element we need to adjust.
Three Ways to Improve Now as a High School Runner – PodiumRunner
There are so many ways to improve as a high school runner. While the first thing runners and coaches focus on is running — volume, intensity and key workouts in the training plan — I want to help you embrace the importance of other, less “shinny” elements of training. Specifically, I’ll give you two things that you can control to become a better runner, and a mindset that you’ll need to adopt if you want to continue to get better, season after season.
Try This Quick And Simple Dynamic Warmup Before Your Next Run
The modern, informed runner knows that before they start their run, they need to do some sort of warm-up. We’re not talking about static stretching, but rather something dynamic. I’ve been coaching for over twenty years and I’ve had athletes do a variety of dynamic warm-ups. When I was a collegiate coach, I had four different warm-ups for milers, each to prepare the athlete specifically for different types of workouts.
The One Essential Dynamic Warm-up: Leg Swings
The modern, informed runner knows that before they start their run, they need to do some sort of warm-up. We’re not talking about static stretching, but rather something dynamic. I’ve been coaching for over twenty years and I’ve had athletes do a variety of dynamic warm-ups. When I was a collegiate coach, I had four different warm-ups for milers, each to prepare the athlete specifically for different types of workouts.
One Key to Consistency in Your Running
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. In his new book, Consistency is Key, Jay Johnson draws on twenty years of studying the sport, working with high school, collegiate and professional runners, and learning from its best coaches to present 15 practical, fundamental principals to become a better runner.
One Key to Consistency in Your Running
Outside's long reads email newsletter features our strongest writing, most ambitious reporting, and award-winning storytelling about the outdoors. Sign up today. In his new book, Consistency is Key, Jay Johnson draws on twenty years of studying the sport, working with high school, collegiate and professional runners, and learning from its best coaches to present 15 practical, fundamental principals to become a better runner.
One Key to Consistency in Your Running – PodiumRunner
Know that you could have gone farther or faster (or both). Join PodiumRunner Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Join PodiumRunner Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites.
The Value Of Planning During A Pandemic | Credit Unions
It’s unlikely any credit union anticipated how 2020 would unfold, but the year’s many challenges underscored the importance of planning. The industry has had to navigate many turns during the year, but it still delivered value to members at an unprecedented level. Credit unions could not have accomplished such a feat without the shared purpose, goals, and plans developed by leadership teams across the country.
Credit Unions Are Stronger Than Ever | Credit Unions
“We’re stronger than we’ve ever been!” That was the sentiment of a credit union chairman at a recent strategic planning session I facilitated. Was he referring to his credit union? All credit unions? The answer is both! Credit unions are indeed having an outstanding 2017 — right on the heels of a very strong 2016 and 2015. At 4.3%, membership growth has hit its fastest rate ever. Credit unions added 4.5 million net new members over the 12 months ended June 30.
GAC Week And A Movement’s Heart For Growth | Credit Unions
CUNA’s GAC is a great opportunity every year to take the pulse of the credit union industry, and this year it was great to see how strong that heart was still beating! In addition to all the stimulating conversations we have with people at the industry’s biggest gathering itself, we look forward to the CEO Roundtable that our own clients at Callahan & Associates take the time to attend. Neither disappointed.
The CUSO Question: Are You Willing To Invest To Innovate? | Credit Unions
Blogs Commentary Organizations that are willing to think ahead — and put time and money toward creating new solutions to old challenges — are often those that outperform their peers. There’s something about the annual NACUSO conference that makes it interesting and energizing. It’s a reminder of the power of CUSOs in providing scale for innovation. That’s what makes them ideal incubators to produce the products that credit unions need to thrive.
CUbroadcast Highlights Callahan's Second Quarter Trendwatch | Credit Unions
In this episode, Mike and I discuss Callahan's quarterly Trendwatch call — the must attend event for credit union leaders, which covers performance trends, industry success stories, and areas of opportunity.
Financial Wellness Is A Big Idea For 2016 | Credit Unions
Financial wellness was my pick for one of the “Six Big Ideas for 2016” we’re highlighting here at Callahan & Associates and CreditUnions.com as the New Year begins. I have 16 good reasons why. Fifteen of those reasons are the 15 credit unions Callahan is working with on a financial wellness initiative through its participation in the Credit Union Financial Services Limited Partnership (CUFSLP).
Boost margins and strengthen your financial position through real estate
In recent years, changing industry dynamics have steadily squeezed operating margins for U.S. healthcare providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has only escalated these financial worries, resulting in an estimated loss of $323.1 billion for hospitals and health systems in 2020. In this fiscally challenging environment, reducing operating costs and adding top-line revenue is more critical than ever—and real estate and facilities should be part of the solution.
Cross Country Hub
One of the most important factors for a successful and fulfilling cross country season is nailing down and honoring your nutritional needs. You won’t be able to run very far or fast without enough of the right nutrients, and it won’t be any fun if you aren’t enjoying what you eat! Unfortunately, there’s a lot of contradicting and fallacious information floating around out there about how distance runners should and shouldn’t fuel to run fast.
Telehealth Adoption to Reshape Healthcare Real Estate
The next time you visit your physician, your appointment may very well be virtual from the comfort of your own home. Telehealth, or telemedicine, was an emerging part of healthcare delivery long before COVID-19. Now, the pandemic has catapulted the concept into national awareness. Changes in insurance reimbursement have expanded the availability of telehealth, with new implications for healthcare real estate occupiers, owners and investors.
Widespread pandemic: Learnings and implications evident in first quarter data
In the current environment, member circumstances and behaviors are changing. It is incumbent upon credit union leadership to monitor these changes and respond accordingly. First quarter call report data provides an indication of how credit unions initially responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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