May
The article in the Feb. 9 issue, "Natural Person CUs Plunge Into DIY Investing" (page 6), asks where credit unions will place their investable funds in the aftermath of the five failed corporates. The implication is it won’t be another corporate. I believe such a broad premise doesn’t consider the expertise or high-quality investment services of strong corporates that neither made risky investments nor lost all of their members’ capital.
At Mid-Atlantic Corporate Federal Credit Union, we have always taken a moderate approach to investing, following the long-standing principles of safety, liquidity and then yield. This strategy served us well throughout the financial crisis. And today, we meet the NCUA’s requirements for the leverage ratio and both risk-based capital ratios. We expect to meet the retained earnings ratio before the October 2013 deadline.
Our asset-liability management professionals have a track record for sensible balance-sheet management. As such, credit unions often ask Mid-Atlantic Corporate to assist in developing ALM plans, resulting in solid investment strategies that don’t lead to concentration risk. Many credit unions also rely on our expertise in managing through all phases of the economic cycle. In turn, we are able to attract deposits by paying fair market rates and thus ensuring adequate liquidity for members in need.
Finally, as a member-owned corporate, Mid-Atlantic Corporate exists solely to serve credit unions. We understand credit unions’ ALM needs from firsthand knowledge of industry regulations and the nuances of their balance sheets. This positions us to facilitate off-balance-sheet options that help credit unions diversify their investments. Moving forward, we’ll continue evolving our investment products so they are both attractive and acceptable to credit unions.
Rodney A. May
SVP, Member Services
Mid-Atlantic Corporate FCU
Middletown, Pa.
