Don’t Create a Vacuum: Crisis Communication for Credit Unions with John McKechnie

When a crisis hits your credit union—whether it’s a cyber breach, ransomware attack, or liquidity event—how you communicate in those first hours and days can define the outcome. In this episode, Mark Treichel sits down with John McKechnie to discuss crisis communication lessons learned from decades in the credit union industry.  John served at CUNA for over 18 years before joining NCUA, where he led the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs under three chairmen during some of the most turbulent years in the agency’s history, including the 2008 financial crisis. Since 2011, he’s been advising credit unions on communications strategy, public affairs, and crisis management.

In this episode, Mark and John discuss:

•        Why silence during a crisis creates a dangerous vacuum—and how to avoid it

•        The principle of being “first with the truth” and why speed matters

•        How to identify and prioritize your key stakeholders during an incident

•        The value of tabletop exercises and crisis communication plans

•        Real examples from the 2008 financial crisis and recent cyber incidents

•        Why your members need to hear that their insured funds are safe—early and often

•        Setting up a landing page as a single source of truth during a crisis

•        The importance of conducting a postmortem after any incident

•        How a crisis can actually strengthen the bond between a credit union and its members

Whether your credit union has a crisis communication plan on the shelf or is starting from scratch, this episode offers practical guidance on how to prepare—and how to perform when it matters most.

Connect with John McKechnie:

Email: john@mckechniellc.com

Phone: 202-997-5816