Founded in 1935, Madison County Federal Credit Union (MCFCU) has been a trusted provider of personal financial services, including auto and home loans, as well as online banking. As a member-owned cooperative, MCFCU prides itself on putting people over profit, offering personalized support and reliable access to financial tools that help its members in times of need.
As the organization marked its 90th anniversary in 2025, it also ushered in a new era of efficiency and modernization, beginning with its approach to managing board meetings.
The Challenge: Board Processes in Need of Greater Efficiency
For nearly a century, MCFCU had relied on manual, patchwork processes to run its board reporting. While the organization had evolved in many ways over the years, the board reporting workflow remained time-consuming. Managers still submitted monthly reports to a single person responsible for compiling them into one final document. Though the system was functional, the credit union recognized clear opportunities for improvement and knew it was time to transform its operations.
So, the team decided to adopt a modern solution that would simplify report compilation and promote ease of access, all without compromising high standards for security.
The Search for a Secure, Seamless Board Solution
The organization’s cumbersome reporting process sparked the search for a more modern and efficient board management tool.
“I interviewed five [contenders] and narrowed the field to Convene [and two others], with Convene being my top choice,” said Jim Thiemet, Chief Technology Officer at MCFCU.
Jim found Convene to be the best option, with its interface being the most user-friendly and well-designed among all the solutions, not to mention its straightforward and cost-effective pricing model.
“I presented my report and recommendation to our CEO and the board of directors for their approval.” The decision came quickly—and it was a clear win for Convene.
The Solution: An All-in-One Tool That Transformed MCFCU’s Overall Board Experience
Convene redefined the credit union’s processes. With a secure, intuitive platform in place, MCFCU experienced immediate improvements in how meetings are prepared, conducted, and followed up. Here’s a closer look:
Hassle-Free Onboarding and Implementation
Convene’s onboarding experience exceeded expectations from day one. Jim credits the Convene team for delivering personalized, hands-on training, both for himself and the board. He praised the support team, “[They] took much time to answer all my questions and address the few concerns that I had. The entire team has been very responsive. Great experience overall.”
That commitment didn’t end after setup. Convene’s support team remains readily available whenever new questions arise, whether it’s a minor technical hiccup or a need for guidance on using new features.
Seamless, Optimized Board Meetings and Reporting
MCFCU’s number one priority was to provide board members with simple and easy access to monthly reports. Since adopting Convene in March, the organization has fundamentally changed how it manages board reporting. What was once a one-man job, completed in days, is now a shared task that can be done in just a few clicks, significantly reducing preparation time and administrative burden.
That transformation also extended to the management team, who now benefit from secure, simple access to reporting within the same platform. The team, comprising seven management users and seven board members, quickly adapted to Convene. “All users appreciate the ease of use and navigation within the portal,” noted Jim. Each manager now uploads their reports directly into the portal, while the administrator simply adds the final touches before publishing. He continued, “All have remarked on how intuitive it is to use.”
By using features like the Agenda Builder and Review Rooms, board meeting preparation and document review have become more efficient. During meetings, MCFCU also benefits from features like meeting annotations, which help capture key points in real-time, and live video conferencing that keeps all participants connected and engaged, regardless of their location. The CEO, in particular, values how simple it is to run monthly board sessions using Convene.
Document Access Made Simple and Secure
Before implementing Convene, distributing board materials at MCFCU was not only inefficient—it was also a security concern. “After the board report was compiled, it was emailed to the board members, who then struggled with credentials, security, and access. Lockouts were common, and confusion was prevalent,” shared Jim.
Convene helped the credit union transition to a one-stop and secure platform that eliminated these access issues. The platform’s centralized Document Library now serves as a single source of truth, providing board members with controlled access to all essential materials.
Beyond ease of access, the board management tool delivers enterprise-grade security for every user and document. Convene’s role-based permissions ensure that users only see what they’re authorized to access, while document watermarks help deter unauthorized sharing. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection, giving the organization greater peace of mind as it handles sensitive member and business information.
Why MCFCU Sees Convene as a Long-Term Solution
Four months into using Convene, MCFCU has already transformed the way it runs board reports and document management—but it’s just getting started.
The team is now eager to experience Convene’s full suite of features. “We plan on exploring further to see what fits and makes sense for our meeting flow,” said Jim. Plans are already in place to roll out Convene to the supervisory committee, which will help document and organize their activities within the platform.
With almost a hundred years in the industry, MCFCU is showing that tradition and modernization can go hand in hand. In this case, Convene proved to be the right tool at the right time. When asked to sum up the board portal in a few words, Jim was clear and confident: “Convene represents a simple-to-use, secure, complete solution that saves much time preparing for and conducting board meetings.”
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