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Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive™ (CUCME) Designation

Demonstrate and showcase your credit union marketing expertise

Earn your designation as a Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive™ (CUCME) by attending all three years of CUNA Marketing & Business Certification Schools and passing a comprehensive exam at the end of each term. This designation shows others you are a verified professional who has successfully demonstrated knowledge of the most pertinent aspects of being a credit union marketing executive.

Curriculum and testing will focus on the following core competencies:

  • Strategic Marketing 
  • Public Relations & Reputation Management
  • Building a Relevant Brand Experience
  • Retail Marketing
  • Market Research
  • Persuasive Communication
  • Aligning Marketing with Credit Union Strategy
  • Leadership Skills
  • Marketing Plan and Budget Development
  • Identifying and Implementing Trends
  • Member Retention
  • Calculating ROI
  • Content Marketing
  • Market Segmentation
  • Digital Marketing

There are two requirements:

  1. Attend all three Marketing tracks/years at CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification School.
  2. Pass all three corresponding exams. Exams are administered onsite at the end of each program. A laptop or tablet is required to take the exam.

Dates and more information will be posted here as they become available. If you have questions about earning this designation, please call 800-356-9655 or email hello@cuna.coop for assistance.

Your CUCME certification will be valid for three years. To maintain your designation, you can recertify in one of the following ways:

  1. Attend CUNA Digital Marketing School.
  2. Attend CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council's annual conference.
  3. Attend the Business Development track at CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification Schools. By doing so, you'll both recertify your CUCME designation AND have the opportunity to earn another designation - Credit Union Business Development Professional (CUBDP).

To self-report your recertification, login at cuna.org, go to My CUNA, then to My Designations.

Dates and more information will be posted here as they become available. If you have questions about recertifying this designation, please call 800-356-9655 or email hello@cuna.coop for assistance.

As a credit union marketing professional, what is the benefit of this designation?

The CUCME designation highlights proficiency in credit union marketing. The content of the tracks/courses is based on competencies that have been proven to help credit union marketers be successful at their jobs. Attending the school will test your understanding of the competencies.

What is a passing grade?

All exams are 60 questions in a multiple-choice format. A passing grade is considered 70% or higher. The instructors are actively involved in reviewing the materials with you throughout the week to successfully prepare you to take the test.

What happens if I don't pass a test?

In the event you do not pass a test, you will be able to retake the exam at a later date with a designated proctor. Click here and expand “Choose ProctorU” for details about exam retakes.

Do I have to attend in consecutive order or in consecutive years?

CUNA encourages those who are starting out in marketing to start with Part 1, but the requirement is to attend all three parts. You are not required to attend in consecutive years. There is not an expiration date to complete the requirements once you have started the program.