Foreword

Your Path of Happiness: The Credit Union Playbook for a Successful Retirement isn’t another retirement book that talks on and on about savings targets and portfolio balances. It squarely takes on what people are hungry for when our work comes to an end: meaning, identity, a sense of belonging, and yes, happiness. The truth is simple: This book needed to exist, and it’s showing up right when it should.

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Right now, we’re living through an unusual moment: A huge wave of Americans are nearing retirement, yet too many are heading toward it with no real plan for what their days will look like once the paycheck and the job title are gone.

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Most people spend years, even decades, preparing financially for retirement. That part gets attention. What doesn’t get attention, far too often, is preparing for the experience of retirement itself, how it feels, how it changes relationships, and how it reshapes your idea of who you are. That’s the missed opportunity this book addresses, and it’s one of the biggest blind spots in financial services today.

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For credit unions, this isn’t just a matter of “nice-to-have” extras. It’s a clear call to step up. Your members have counted on you over a lifetime, and many of them are walking into one of the biggest transitions they’ll ever face. Add to that the reality of rising elder abuse, constant online threats, and a world that can feel more intimidating by the day, and the message gets sharper: Be there for them.

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These members aren’t simply names on a roster. They’re your bedrock, built on years of trust, loyalty, and responsible money management. And as they approach retirement; guidance, support, and human connection start to matter even more than before. Still, the industry often stays locked on products while missing the full human side of retirement.

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Look at most credit union websites and you’ll see the standard menu: checking, savings, and loans. Those are essential, but they don’t speak to where many members actually are in life. At Gentreo, we talk about “Life Milestones,” and it’s surprisingly uncommon to see financial institutions truly meet people in that context, helping them deal with the stage they’re in now and move toward the life they want.

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That’s why this book matters.

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Ron and Tom combine deep experience with warmth, humor, and a genuinely practical approach. They lay out steps that help people not only retire, but retire well, and stay happy, which is harder than many expect. Ron brings more than forty years in the credit union movement as a CEO, a board leader, and someone who’s helped steer the industry. None of his perspectives are abstract. They’re earned.

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Tom has a rare ability to put words to what retirement actually feels like. Through his work and writing, he’s become one of the clearest voices on retirement happiness. He’s direct, honest, and funny in a way that makes this phase of life feel less intimidating, especially for people who assume they’re “prepared” because their finances look fine.

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Together, they bridge two things that rarely get connected as well as they should: The strength of credit unions as institutions and the lived reality of retirement for everyday people. That mix is what makes the book so strong and easy to read.

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Credit unions aren’t some distant, faceless system. They show up in our lives, often quietly, and often at the moments we remember. For me, that relationship began right after college. My first car loan came through the La Salle County School Employees Credit Union, where my mom was a member. It felt personal. It represented trust, a first taste of independence, and support at a time when I was taking real steps into adulthood.

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That car mattered. I drove it across the country with a close friend. I drove it to my first job. And my story isn’t special. Millions of people have leaned on credit unions at pivotal points in their lives.

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That’s what credit unions have always done. They show up for firsts. They show up for change. They show up for those Life Milestones when people need guidance, not just a product brochure. Life shifts in expected and unexpected ways, and this book makes the point clearly: Retirement is one of the biggest shifts of all, and credit unions are uniquely well-positioned to help.

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I’ve also come to see this on a larger scale through my work as CEO of Gentreo. We help individuals and families with life and estate planning, and we work side by side with credit unions nationwide that care deeply about supporting members at every stage, including retirement. Over time, one thing has stood out: Being financially ready is necessary, but it’s only part of the picture.

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There’s a huge opening here to help members actually enjoy retirement. People assume happiness will automatically arrive once work ends, but Ron and Tom show that it doesn’t always unfold that way. The good news is that you can work toward it, and credit unions can help members do that work.

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Older members aren’t just part of a membership base; they’re what it’s built on. If you’re in a credit union, as a leader, an employee, or a board member, this book shouldn’t be optional. It should be required reading. The industry can’t ignore what it highlights: Aging members carry decades of loyalty and trust, hold a significant share of assets, and are entering a life stage where connection and guidance matter more than ever.

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Yet many strategies still revolve around the familiar set of offerings, wealth management, lending, and financial literacy. Those have value, but they don’t fully speak to what members are living through as retirement begins. The emotional shift. The loss of identity. The need for purpose. The desire to stay relevant, connected, and engaged. Ron and Tom push the industry to widen its lens, because serving members well means seeing the whole person, not only the balance sheet.

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The book also speaks to another issue that matters to every institution: staying relevant. If credit unions don’t deepen relationships with members as they age, if they stop being the trusted place during retirement, they risk losing more than one generation. Over $100 trillion is expected to move across generations. Relationships built over decades can evaporate fast. Assets can move just as quickly into a child’s account somewhere else when the connection hasn’t been maintained.

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This isn’t only about service. It’s about retention, long-term trust, and navigating what is called the Great Wealth Transfer. The upside is enormous, but it belongs to the institutions willing to adapt. As Ron and Tom point out, it also means returning to the core of what makes credit unions different.

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One of the strongest ideas in the book is also one of the simplest: A good financial plan is just the starting line. Retirement isn’t solved by hitting a number. It’s shaped by how people live, how they adjust, how they find purpose, and how they redefine themselves.

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Relationships matter. Mindset matters. Expectations matter. So does the ability to meet this new phase with realism and a bit of optimism. Ron and Tom bring these themes to life with history, stories, and practical insight that feels grounded and refreshingly unlike the usual financial advice. They don’t only explain retirement, they make it human, and they do it in a way that can genuinely make you smile.

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And this isn’t written only for executives. It’s for everyone. It stays practical, offering thoughtful guidance for living this next chapter well. From managing expectations and stepping off the “hamster wheel,” to practicing self-empathy, keeping your mind active, and even allowing yourself a do-over, the framework they provide is both straightforward and surprisingly deep.

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These aren’t abstract concepts. Each chapter gives real steps, things you can actually do, to rediscover purpose, keep your independence, and find happiness in retirement.

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This book shouldn’t gather dust. It belongs in boardrooms, in staff conversations, and in recommendations to members. Put it on counters and desks where it can spark the kinds of discussions credit unions should be having. If you’re part of a credit union, it will push you to rethink your role, not only as a financial provider, but as a partner through one of the most important stages of your members’ lives. In fact, why not bring Ron and Tom to your credit union to share their insights and experiences with your members, young and old, your staff, and your board of directors? My guess is it will be one of the most memorable events you can host.

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Your Path of Happiness: The Credit Union Playbook for a Successful Retirement should affect strategy, guide conversations, and spark new thinking about community service. It gives credit unions a real opening to lead, to change how they show up, and to strengthen relationships with the members who helped build them.

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If you’re one of the many Americans nearing retirement, this book will help you prepare for what actually matters. If you’re already retired, it offers a chance to reflect and make more intentional choices about how you want to live now. And if you’re supporting a parent, spouse, or loved one through the transition, it will help you understand what can be hard for them to put into words.

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Plenty has been written about retirement, and even more about money. Very few books manage to combine history, humor, humanity, and practical guidance in a way that feels both meaningful and usable. This one does. In my view, it has a real chance of becoming one of the most important books on retirement happiness and on the role credit unions can play in helping people achieve it.

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Read it. Share it. And then do something with it. The future of retirement and the future of the credit union movement will depend on how well we serve people, not only in preparing for life but in living it.

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Renee Fry

CEO & Co-Founder, Gentreo

Quincy, Massachusetts