CHRIS HOWARD

Chris Howard is a Senior Vice President at Callahan & Associates. When he’s not working with industry-leading credit unions on purpose, financial health and well-being, data analytics, fintechs, and stakeholder impact, he’s moderating a Callahan Executive Roundtable or consulting with any number of credit unions on topics ranging from strategy and governance to member engagement and ways to measure performance.

Chris has more than 30 years of experience in financial services, more than a decade of those with Callahan. He works with several dozen leading credit unions on innovation and new initiatives and has been instrumental in establishing Callahan’s collaborations with Harvard Business School Online and Gallup. Chris is a frequent industry speaker and seasoned planning session facilitator. 

Outside of financial services, Chris has worked as a U.S. Senate staffer, produced a TV show, taught college courses, written articles for think tanks, and tended bar. His varied background gives him a diverse array of perspectives from which to pull when helping clients meet their strategic challenges. As a banker, Chris saw firsthand how banks put stockholder needs above those of consumers and is dedicated to helping credit unions meet their mission to improve the wellbeing of average Americans.

When he’s not helping credit unions turn the for-profit model of financial services on its head, he’s exploring everything Washington, DC, has to offer — including museums, parks, food, and history. On pleasant days, Chris enjoys hitting the road on his bicycle or heading out into the countryside. On rainy ones, he opts for a book about politics or business. And, he considers any day a good day to enjoy a glass of fine wine.

Here are a few of Chris’s topics:

• How Big Data Can Change the Rules
• Building a Culture of Innovation
• Strategic Alignment from the Boardroom to the Member
• Tailoring Strategy to Meet the Mission