The Northern Colorado Financial Sector Partnership (NOCO FSP) hosted its Q2 All-Partner Meeting on Thursday, June 5 at High Country Beverage. With 63 attendees from across the financial sector—including bank and credit union leaders, wealth managers, insurance professionals, investment advisors, and career services experts—the event served as a dynamic forum for collaboration and innovation. A special thank you to Alpine Bank for sponsoring breakfast and serving as the meeting’s official sponsor.
Leadership & Partnership Overview
Joe Scherger and Nicolas Krause, co-chairs of NOCO FSP’s Leadership Team, kicked off the meeting by:
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Welcoming attendees and introducing partnership officers
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Providing an overview of NOCO FSP’s organizational structure and how it supports the shared goals of the partnership
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Introducing the co-chairs of each committee
Financial Education Committee Updates
Co-Chairs: Ian Nelson and Ben Van Hoose
The committee is leading two major initiatives:
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Shaping Financial Curriculum (House Bill 25-1192)
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Exploring how financial professionals can influence education through job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships
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Key questions:
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How can the industry help shape curriculum?
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What resources can be offered?
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How can we better prepare students for real-world financial success?
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“Raising the tide for all youth means investing in their success, which ultimately benefits our communities.” – Ben Van Hoose
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Business & Career Resources
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Building centralized resource hubs
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Creating tailored how-to guides for different business stages
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Hosting incubators and accelerators
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Acting as a referral resource for local businesses
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Call to Action: The Financial Education Committee is seeking both public and private sector partners to help drive impact and innovation in financial literacy.
Workforce Development Committee Priorities
The Workforce Committee is focused on preparing a future-ready, diverse, and skilled financial workforce. Both committees are aligned in their mission to:
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Close skill gaps in finance, tech, and compliance
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Expand access to career opportunities for underrepresented groups
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Align education/training with actual industry needs
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Support economic mobility and long-term sector growth
Vision: Collaborative, cross-sector solutions that connect education, training, and career pathways.
Shared Talent Development Strategy
The Financial Education and Workforce Development Committees are working together to strengthen the region’s financial talent pipeline. Their shared goal: develop a workforce that is skilled, diverse, and prepared to meet the changing demands of the financial industry.
Why It Matters:
As part of the financial sector, workforce leaders have a strategic role to play in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in a rapidly evolving, highly regulated space.
Talent Acquisition Insights
Challenges:
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Skill shortages across specialized roles
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Intense competition from other industries
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Inefficient, slow hiring processes
Obstacles:
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Budget limitations for recruitment and retention
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Lack of actionable workforce data and analytics
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Disconnected HR processes between departments
Goals:
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Build a robust talent pipeline
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Reduce time-to-hire and cost-per-hire
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Strengthen employer branding to attract top candidates
Call to Action: NOCO FSP is actively seeking financial sector professionals to lend their voices to the Workforce Committee. Real-world insights are essential for designing effective strategies that meet today’s hiring and retention challenges.