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NCUA exam reports often contain more than meets the eye.

Examiner findings, supplementary facts, and documents of resolution may look like routine supervisory language — but each serves a distinct purpose and sends a different signal to credit union boards and management.

In this episode of With Flying Colors, Mark Treichel is joined by former NCUA senior leaders Steve Farr and Todd Miller to break down how exam reports are structured, how issues escalate, and what credit unions should be paying attention to long before enforcement actions appear.

Drawing on decades of NCUA experience, the discussion explains how examiners decide where issues belong in the report, why volume matters as much as severity, and how governance and communication failures often sit at the root of repeat findings.

This is an evergreen episode for any credit union executive, board member, or compliance professional who wants to better understand what NCUA is really saying — and how to respond effectively.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The practical differences between examiner findings, supplementary facts, and documents of resolution
• Why a long list of “minor” findings can be a major warning sign
• How supplementary facts are used to signal emerging risk and specialist concerns
• What elevates an issue into a document of resolution
• The SMART framework examiners are expected to use — and where it breaks down
• How unresolved issues contribute to CAMEL rating pressure
• Why corporate governance increasingly appears in exam reports
• The role communication plays in preventing escalation
• What boards should ask before approving a document of resolution

Who Should Listen:

• Credit union board members
• CEOs and executive leadership teams
• Compliance, risk, and governance professionals
• Credit unions preparing for an upcoming NCUA exam
• Institutions experiencing repeat findings or growing examiner scrutiny

Key Takeaway:

NCUA exam reports are not just compliance documents — they are communication tools. Understanding how examiners signal concern helps credit unions prioritize issues, respond proportionately, and avoid unnecessary escalation.

About the Host:

Mark Treichel is a former senior NCUA executive and the founder of Credit Union Exam Solutions. With more than three decades of regulatory experience, Mark helps credit unions understand NCUA expectations and navigate examinations with confidence.

This is a classic episode of With Flying Colors—and a rare one that steps slightly outside the credit union lane for a reason.

As teamwork becomes an increasingly critical theme heading into 2026, this conversation felt worth revisiting.

In this episode, Mark sits down with Joe Jacoby, an Olympic gold medalist and performance coach, to explore what high-performing teams really look like when conditions are uncertain and pressure is high.

While the setting is the Olympic Games, the lessons translate directly to leadership teams, boards, and organizations navigating complexity, change, and accountability.

This conversation isn’t about motivation—it’s about execution:

• How trust is built before it’s needed
• Why great teams communicate without noise
• How different strengths actually work together under stress
• And why teamwork isn’t soft—it’s strategic

If you lead, serve on a board, or work as part of a management team, the insights here are as relevant today as when this episode first aired.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What Olympic-level teamwork looks like in real time
• Why preparation matters more than celebration
• How unspoken communication develops inside high-trust teams
• The role of diversity of thought in performance
• Lessons leaders can apply long after the competition ends

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

In this quarterly roundtable episode of With Flying Colors, Mark Treichel is joined by former NCUA executives Dennis Bauer, Steve Farrar, and Todd Miller to break down the NCUA Q3 2025 Quarterly Credit Union Data Summary.

The discussion highlights a key theme: the credit union system is gradually returning to a more normal operating environment after years of rate shocks, pandemic liquidity, and balance-sheet distortion.

Key topics include improving net interest margins, rising non-interest expenses, and why ROA gains lag margin recovery. The panel examines growing pressure in auto and credit card portfolios, increased repossessions, and what delinquency trends suggest heading into 2026. They also explore liquidity stabilization, shifts in share mix, and renewed investment risk-taking as some credit unions bet on future rate cuts.

Additional insights include CAMEL rating trends, HELOC utilization growth, differences between credit union and community bank performance, and what examiner behavior may look like amid NCUA staffing constraints.

This episode is designed for credit union executives, board members, and risk leaders looking for plain-English interpretation of regulatory data—without spin or hype.

www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

NCUA has launched a new Deregulation and Simplification Project, signaling a shift toward clearer, more flexible rules—without weakening safety and soundness.

In this episode of With Flying Colors, Mark Treichel breaks down the four proposed regulatory changes released by NCUA and explains what they mean in practice for credit unions, boards, and exam preparation.

Rather than a wholesale rewrite, this package focuses on clarity, structure, and regulatory housekeeping—especially around audits, corporate credit union governance, and cybersecurity guidance.

Key topics covered:

• Updates to Supervisory Committee audit rules (Part 715)
• Technical and governance clarifications for corporate credit unions
• Why cybersecurity guidance is moving out of regulation and into Letters to Credit Unions
• What’s not changing—despite the headlines
• How this project fits into broader NCUA budget and structural discussions

Mark also shares perspective on why moving guidance out of the CFR matters—and what credit unions should (and shouldn’t) do next.

More regulatory developments are coming fast, including NCUA’s upcoming board meeting and budget discussions. Stay tuned.

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In this episode of With Flying Colors, Mark Treichel speaks with Dan Prezioso, Partner at Olden Lane, about the demographic shift reshaping credit unions and why deposit competition is entering a new era.

Dan shares data and insights from multiple national surveys, macro trends, and firsthand M&A activity, including:

• Why strategic mergers are already breaking NCUA approval records in 2025
• The shrinking role of baby boomers as depositors, borrowers, and primary financial institution users
• Why Gen Z and millennials are saving more — but choosing Robinhood, Coinbase, and SoFi over traditional credit unions
• The alarming statistic that 37% of Gen Z credit union members are likely to switch institutions in the next 12 months
• “Real” deposit growth vs. nominal growth, and why rising OPEX may force additional consolidation
• The engagement deficit: younger members don’t think of credit unions as their everyday financial partner
• What credit unions can do right now to stay relevant in the next decade

Dan also highlights examples of institutions that are getting it right — from fractional real estate investing to budgeting tools and crypto-enabled debit cards — and explains what boards should be asking their CEOs in 2026 strategic planning.

📩 Connect with Dan: dprezioso@oldenlane.com

🔗 Olden Lane: info@oldenlane.com

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for future episodes of With Flying Colors.

www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

Episode Summary

In this archive episode of With Flying Colors, Mark sits down with Todd Miller — longtime NCUA expert, former Director of Special Actions, and member of the CU Exam Solutions team — to break down one of the most misunderstood and under-optimized tools in credit union governance: the board package.

Boards get in trouble not because they don’t care, Todd explains, but because they are often misinformed, overwhelmed, or kept in the dark. A well-designed board package solves that — if it’s built with the right mix of clarity, consistency, and candor.

Todd explains:

• What high-performing board packages include
• Why “size and complexity” shape reporting expectations
• The danger of data dumps, inconsistent formatting, and detail overload
• How to pair dashboards with strong qualitative narratives
• The one question every executive should answer in their reports
• Why peer comparisons matter
• How risk appetite, strategic plans, and deviation explanations must tie together
• Real-world stories from troubled and well-run credit unions
• How to avoid examiner criticism by aligning reporting with actual risk

This episode is full of practical actions your board and leadership team can apply immediately.

Key Themes & Takeaways

1. Great Board Packages Balance Qualitative + Quantitative Reporting

Todd outlines a simple principle:
Board reports should demonstrate management’s compliance with the business plan, board policies, and the credit union’s risk appetite.

transcript Board Packages Todd …

Boards need both data and narrative to understand where the credit union is, how it got there, and where it’s going.

2. Consistency Builds Board Trust

From formatting to color-coding to dashboards, consistency helps directors quickly understand risk without getting bogged down.

Inconsistent layouts or disorganized reporting create confusion and can lead to micromanagement or oversight failures.

3. Avoid the “Data Dump” Trap

Todd highlights that many troubled credit unions had mountains of data… but no clarity.
Board packets that keep expanding over time—without periodic pruning—bury critical insights.

Annual reviews of what stays, what goes, and how information is summarized are essential.

4. Dashboards Are Critical — But Must Be Thoughtfully Built

Dashboards should show:

• Where the CU has been
• Where it is now
• Where it’s trending next

They must also be paired with narrative analysis to flag:

• Variances
• Deviations from strategic/annual plans
• New risks
• New opportunities

5. The Biggest Blind Spot: Credit Risk Reporting

Credit risk is the No. 1 cause of failures.
Todd explains how to reduce hundreds of pages into 2–3 meaningful pages with:

• Risk migration visuals
• LTV + credit score overlays
• Portfolio trends
• Business loan concentration & large-borrower exposure

6. Committees Create Risk — and Reporting Obligations

ALCO, lending, IT, risk committees…
Boards need visibility but not minutiae.

Todd walks through how well-run credit unions:

• Summarize committee output
• Elevate red flags
• Keep the board focused on strategy, not operations

7. Real-World Stories—The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Todd shares examples of:

• 39 unprofitable branches hidden in an overly detailed packet
• Boards blindsided by marijuana banking risk and resulting fines
• A $4 million depositor walking out because the board lacked context

These stories underscore the need for transparency, context, and prioritization.

Why This Matters

A strong board package:

• Improves governance
• Enhances regulator confidence
• Prevents surprises
• Supports faster, cleaner exams
• Keeps boards strategic
• Helps management demonstrate competence and control

This episode is a must-listen for CEOs, CFOs, lending executives, and directors looking to elevate their governance culture.

www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

Overview
In this episode, we break down the fundamentals of risk management for credit unions — what it really means, why it matters at every asset size, and how boards and executives can build a resilient framework that supports safe, sustainable growth.

blog risk appetite

What We Cover

• The Three Pillars of Risk Management
  • Risk Culture — how tone from the top determines effectiveness.
  • Risk Appetite — defining how much risk is acceptable before strategy becomes unsafe.
  • Risk Management System — the controls, processes, and oversight that put culture and appetite into action.

    blog risk appetite

• Why Size Matters — and Doesn’t
  • Practical guidance for smaller credit unions: clear limits, strong oversight, and effective supervisory committees.
  • What larger credit unions need: formal risk appetite statements, risk departments, and comprehensive reporting frameworks.

    blog risk appetite

• Common Pitfalls
  • The “capital trap”—why even strong net worth can’t compensate for unmanaged concentration risk (e.g., taxi medallion credit unions).
  • Siloed risk decisions.
  • Hoping limit breaches “self-correct.”

    blog risk appetite

• Best Practices for a Strong Framework
  • Align appetite with capital and strategy.
  • Use clear metrics to monitor risk.
  • Establish formal limit-breach processes.
  • Encourage staff to raise risk concerns without hesitation.
  • Maintain strong documentation and communication.

    blog risk appetite

Key Takeaway
Risk management isn’t about eliminating risk — it’s about managing it in a way that protects members while enabling growth. A clear culture, aligned risk appetite, and well-designed system create the foundation for long-term success.

www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

This week on With Flying Colors, I’m joined by three longtime colleagues from my days at NCUA — John McKechnie, Alonzo Swann, and Geoff Bacino — for a lively roundtable on where the agency stands today, what’s working, and what’s at risk.

Together, we revisit our shared time inside NCUA and discuss how leadership, budgets, and supervision are evolving in 2025 and beyond. From one-member boards and budget cuts to liquidity lifelines and affordable housing, this episode brings together decades of experience and unfiltered perspective.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What it means for NCUA to operate with only one sitting board member
• The implications of budget reductions and staff shortages on examinations
• How Federal Home Loan Banks have become vital liquidity partners for credit unions
• Why onsite contact and examiner familiarity still matter
• The Supreme Court and DOJ developments shaping NCUA’s legal authority
• The value of compromise and balanced governance inside NCUA
• The political landscape heading into the next election cycle — and what it may mean for credit unions

You’ll hear candid insights, historical context, and even a few friendly football rivalries — the kind of inside conversation that only veterans of the agency can have.

🎙️ Guests

• John McKechnie – Former NCUA Director of Public and Congressional Affairs; consultant to the credit union and housing industries
• Alonzo Swann – Former NCUA Regional Director; Credit Union Strategist at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
• Geoff Bacino – Former NCUA Board Member; former Federal Housing Finance Board Member; association executive and industry advocate

🔗 Connect & Learn More

Visit MarkTreichel.com/podcast
for past episodes, transcripts, and consulting resources.

Follow Mark on LinkedIn for weekly updates: linkedin.com/in/marktreichel

Sponsored by Credit Union Exam Solutions — helping credit unions save time and money when working with NCUA.