Last year’s GAC attracted more than 4,000 attendees.

American Idol winner Taylor Hicks launched last year’s GAC with an opening concert. On tap this year: Swedish rock band ABBA.

CUNA CEO Bill Cheney: “CUs have the most favorable perception in consumers’ eyes that they’ve ever had.”

Ryan Donovan, CUNA’s senior vice president of legislative affairs, was right last year when he predicted continued legislative gridlock.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray: “We want all of your competitors to be held to the same kind of accountability that CUs face every day.”

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, now a Stanford University professor, has been a Stanford FCU member for 30 years. “I couldn’t have bought my first car without it.”

Attendees at last year’s Opening General Session stood to honor the U.S. Armed Forces Color Guard during the Presentation of the Colors.

“Will you renew the president’s contract?” political pundit Charlie Cook asked last year. Apparently so.

NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz: “In times like these, people flock to institutions they trust.”

CUNA’s Kevin Smith demonstrates to Art and Ginny Tinner the new features of the CUNA Volunteer Network.

Serving members during troubled times is really nothing new for CUs—it’s part of CUs’ tried-and-true philosophy, agreed Cookie Yoder and Louise Lingenfelser. Yoder is CEO of City Co FCU in Pittsburgh, and Lingenfelser is CEO of ClearChoice FCU, Wyomissing, Pa., and a member of CUNA’s Small CU Committee.

The Welcome Center is the first stop for the more than 4,200 GAC attendees. After they registered, some relaxed on comfy sofas to review this year’s event program.

First-time attendees of CUNA’s GAC get an orientation Sunday afternoon.

First-time attendees of CUNA’s GAC get an orientation Sunday afternoon.

First-time attendees of CUNA’s GAC look over orientation information at a special event Sunday afternoon.

Mark Wolff, CUNA’s SVP of Communications, gives first-time attendees of CUNA’s GAC tips on getting the most out of the week’s activities.

CUNA President/CEO Bill Cheney welcomes first-time attendees of the trade association’s GAC Sunday afternoon.

What’s the state of the small CU movement? John Graham (left), CEO of Kentucky ECU, Frankfort, and chairman of CUNA’s Small CU Committee, and Mike Schenk, CUNA’s VP of economics and statistics, weighed in during the Small CU Roundtable. Bob Hoel (right), Filene Research Institute fellow, moderated the session.

Small CUs face a lot of pressures to keep getting bigger, said Mary Nefske, CEO, Alpena (Mich.) Community CU, during the Small CU Roundtable. When is it OK to stay small, she asked? It's OK, said Mike Schenk, CUNA's VP of economics and statistics.

CUs attending the Small CU Roundtable asked questions about regulatory issues and strategies to increase loans.

Having an interest-rate risk policy will only put your CU ahead of the curve—regardless of whether regulators now require it of you, said John Graham, CEO of Kentucky ECU, Frankfort, and chairman of CUNA’s Small CU Committee, during the Small CU Roundtable.

From left, Small CU Roundtable panelists CUNA Mutual Group VP of Sales Dave Sweitzer, Informa Research Services VP James Royal, and CEO Windy Campbell, Electronic Cooperatives CU, Little Rock, Ark., dispensed advice and took questions from the audience about ways to enhance noninterest revenue.

Windy Campbell, CEO for Electronic Cooperatives CU of Little Rock, Ark., says CUs can’t be shy about charging fees for services that require an employee to go above-and-beyond, but underscored that it pays to be selective. “Don’t just add something because it’s popular,” she said. “Find something that works for your group.”

At the Small CU Roundtable, the panel of (left to right) CUNA Mutual Group VP of Sales Dave Sweitzer, Informa Research Services VP James Royal, and Windy Campbell—CEO for Electronic Cooperatives CU of Little Rock, Ark.—dispensed advice and took questions from the audience about how to enhance noninterest revenue.

John Lass, CUNA Mutual Group's SVP of Strategy and Business Development, speaks to the Defense CU Council about CU trends for 2013.

Attendees flooded into the Exhibit Hall on opening night, greeted by refreshments, games, and swag at more than 300 booths.

GAC attendees danced and jived to ABBA classics such as “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia” during the Sunday evening concert, sponsored by CUNA Councils.

Chatzky signed copies of her book, “Money Rules: The Simple Path to Lifelong Security” at the National CU Foundation booth after Monday’s Opening General Session.

The GAC “Crashers” spent Sunday brainstorming, meeting with entrepreneurs, and designing new concepts for CUs.

Lin Hodges, president/CEO of Associated CU, Norcross, Ga., gives two thumbs up before the dome of his Mork-and-Mindy-esque pod descends, encapsulating him inside “The CSCU Experience”—a four-minute multimedia and surround sound presentation.

Attendees rev up for Monday’s GAC sessions on a beautiful morning outside the Washington Convention Center.

The escalator was the popular mode of transportation for attendees arriving for Monday’s Opening General Session.

Lasertec’s Wendy Lokken welcomes Josh Estes, a director at Mill Town CU, Everett, Wash. Lasertec offers e-statement integrated marketing for CUs. Estes was one of many Exhibit Hall visitors entering to win a $100 Lasertec gift card.

The National CU Foundation showcased its fund raising, grant making, program management, and financial education initiatives.

Get your brackets ready. Transamerica, which provides new-account and lending solutions for CUs, is a sponsor of the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Boston Firefighters CEO John Winne (left) accepts the Membership Benefits Performance Awards first-place trophy for CUs with assets between $75 and $250 mil. He's joined by (left to right) Gerald Brooks of St. Louis Community CU, which took second place; a representative of Community Financial CU, which took third place; and CUNA chief economist Bill Hampel.

Melrose CU director Rob Nemeroff (left) accepts the Membership Benefits Performance Awards first-place trophy for CUs with assets over $250 mil. He's joined by a representative of Southwest Airlines FCU, which took second place, and CEO David Mooney of Alliant CU, which took third place, as well as emcee Bill Hampel, CUNA's chief economist.

Steve Hoke, CUNA Mutual Group’s director of loan growth products, demonstrated AskAuto™, a new downloadable smartphone and tablet application that provides vehicle information and loan application assistance to help members shop and buy smart.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.“The 120 regulatory changes that took place between 2008 and 2012 have created unsustainable complexity. But we can change that through grassroots activities, and credit unions know how to mobilize at the grassroots level better than anyone.”

Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala. “We can make long-term changes to entitlement programs now, like raising the retirement age.”

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio“I came here 22 years ago to do the same thing you’re doing here today: to represent the people of my district like you’re representing the people of your credit unions. As the speaker and a small-business owner, my focus is similar to yours: Get government out of the way so that hard-working Americans can prosper and take care of their own.”

Rep. Denny Heck, D-Wash. “I cannot wait to vote to expand member business lending capability for the credit unions of this nation.”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas “The Dodd-Frank Act created 400 new regulations that fit into two categories: those that create uncertainty and those that create harm. And I won’t rest until I see the repeal of the Durbin Amendment.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.“We meet today on the threshhold of what could be a dangerous period for our economy and our markets as the result of irrational and arbitrary budget cuts, known as the ‘sequester.’”

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo. “Thanks for all you do and for your understanding of your issues. Your being at the the GAC shows your ability to push back on some of those issues.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) “There’s a better chance nothing will happen than something will happen” regarding sequestration.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. “I am a credit union member. I know the services that you give to all the communities throughout America, and for that, I say to each and every one of you, thank you for what you do. Because you have made America a better place.”

Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif. “Now is not time to maintain artificial caps on safe and sound lending. Businesses are asking for it. The economy and the job market are in dire need of it. You have the expertise to provide it and so we have got to get this done.”

Michael Fryzel, NCUA Board member “Your efforts saved and restored the credit union industry. And today, credit unions are the premier financial services industry in this country. These accomplishments—as hard-won and as difficult as we have ever achieved—could only have been accomplished with hard work by both the regulator and the regulated. Working together we did what other financial service industry people could not. We fixed what was broken with innovative, new, never-been-tried programs and solutions.”

Credit unions arrived to listen to Speaker of the House John Boehner—and so did the trade and national media.

Speaking to credit unions during the GAC never gets old for CUNA President/CEO Bill Cheney.

The Howard Gospel Choir welcomed attendees on Tuesday morning.

“Pat, I now turn over the gavel to you, and the honor, the responsibility, and the obligations of serving as chairman of the Credit Union National Association,” outgoing CUNA Chairman Mike Mercer said to Wesenberg as she now begins her term.

Before attending an afternoon of breakout sessions, GAC attendees gathered once more Tuesday during a special General Session featuring Speaker of the House John Boehner.