Members Development Company
Members Development Company (MDC) is a national research and development network of nearly 80 credit union leaders, serving over 10 million members and driving innovation across the financial services industry.
AUDIENCE: Senior executives from credit unions across the U.S. (250 attendees)
LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
CHALLENGE: Fostering innovation across credit unions while addressing strategic planning needs to remain competitive while navigating industry disruption and preparing for future innovation.
CARA BROOKINS’ SOLUTION:
55-minute keynote: “RISE: How a House Built a Family” + 5-minute live Q&A
Delivered during MDC’s 20th Anniversary Winter Owner Meeting at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort
AV check in Las Olas Ballroom with meeting planner Megan Hildebrandt
Participated in optional Owner Welcome Reception (2 hours, poolside)
Introduced by MDC President & CEO Jeff Kline
Members Development Company (MDC) is a collaborative hub for nearly 80 credit union owners committed to industry innovation. Through research and development, MDC delivers forward-looking solutions that help credit unions across the country meet the evolving needs of over 10 million members.
“Cara’s ability to take her remarkable personal challenges and triumphs and apply them to our organization’s challenges was spot on and really resonated with the team.”
— Members Development Company, February 2020
In February 2020, MDC hosted its 20th Anniversary Winter Owner Meeting at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, a milestone event bringing together 250 senior executives to reflect, strategize, and reimagine the future of credit unions.
To honor the moment and inspire forward momentum, MDC invited Cara Brookins to deliver the keynote address. The presentation, titled “RISE: How a House Built a Family,” centered on themes of perseverance, transformation, and building strength through challenge, messages that closely aligned with the credit union movement's community values and long-term vision. Cara’s story of constructing a home from the ground up with her children mirrored the ingenuity and collaborative spirit at the heart of MDC’s mission.
Cara was introduced by MDC’s President and CEO, Jeff Kline, and spoke to a packed room of executives ready to embrace innovation with renewed clarity. Despite technical difficulties during setup, Cara remained professional and gracious, completing a seamless AV check in the Las Olas Ballroom and even attending the optional welcome reception to build personal connections with attendees.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Cara’s ability to connect personal resilience with organizational transformation deeply resonated. Her presence reinforced her reputation as a keynote speaker who understands the needs of leadership audiences in finance, strategy, and innovation. For meeting planners and conference organizers seeking a self-help and motivational voice with executive-level relevance, Cara delivered exactly what the moment demanded.
“Cara, thank you so much for hanging in there with us last week. I truly appreciated you spending time with our credit union attendees and being so gracious under pressure during our horrific AV challenges. You are a rock star professional, and I can’t say THANK YOU enough!”
