CREDIT UNION TIMES Vol. 9, No. 2 January 14, 1998

Looking back eight years ago finds U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) warning against a financial industry "owned" by banks and encouraging credit unions to make an even bigger impact on working Americans. "Credit unions have been successful not because they have been great marketers -and not because they have been financial geniuses - but because they fill a vacuum," said Kanjorski. "The credit union movement fills a tremendous vacuum by providing services to the average consumer and small businesses. If credit unions lose in the Supreme Court, the financial services industry will by owned by banks-and they don't have the right to count on the guarantee of the average consumer." Also in that issue the Delaware Credit Union League moved cautiously to publicly endorse the "concept" of dual chartering. To explore the option of state chartering the DCUL formed the State Charter Exploratory Committee. Previously the league had resisted pursuing such a system concerned the move would spark an expensive and prolonged battle with the Delaware American Bankers Association. "Forty-seven other states have the choice of state of federal charter, why shouldn't Delaware?" said American Spirit FCU CEO and Exploratory Committee Member Tom Munley. "If federal legislation comes down against us we need to move to the state level. As far as worrying about the ABA, we shouldn't. I don't think they worry about us when they make a business decision."