Credit union executives and military financial leaders from across the country are gathered at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa this week for the Defense Credit Union Council's 2026 Annual Conference, a four-day event that opened Monday, Aug. 3, and runs through Thursday, Aug. 6.

The conference kicked off with the annual VADM Vincent Lascara Golf Tournament on Turnberry's championship courses, where participants raised $2,350 for the United Service Organizations through mulligan and gimme-string sales. The fundraiser is part of DCUC's "Conference with a Purpose" initiative, CUToday.info reported.

Anthony Hernandez, DCUC president and CEO and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, said at the opening that the gathering is meant to bring credit unions together around their shared mission of improving financial well-being in the communities they serve, with a particular focus on military-connected families.

The speaker lineup features former President of Poland Andrzej Duda in a fireside conversation with Hernandez; Ramón "CZ" Colón-López, retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; former U.S. Senator Martha McSally, America's first female combat fighter pilot; and FDNY Chief Richard Picciotto, the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse on Sept. 11, 2001.

A CEO panel pairing Hernandez with Scott Simpson, president and CEO of America's Credit Unions, rounds out the programming alongside sessions on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and member service. The conference also welcomed DCUC's 2026 "Crashers Class," ten emerging credit union professionals from seven states selected for executive mentorship, according to a DCUC press release.

The resort at 19999 W. Country Club Drive, with its 72,852-square-foot conference center and 40 meeting rooms, has become a recurring destination for major national gatherings. The Florida Local Government Information Systems Association held its own annual conference at the same venue July 20-23.

The DCUC conference wraps Thursday, Aug. 6, with the Hall of Honor Gala among the remaining signature events. The full schedule is available at dcucannual.org.

Upcoming in the community

  • Aventura Farmers Market — Sundays at Founders Park, 19501 W. Country Club Drive
  • Sunny Isles Beach Summer Concert Series — free oceanfront concerts through August at Heritage Park