As the credit union community watches the evolving situation inNorth Carolina, no matter which side of the issue you're on, you'rewitnessing organizations that know how to grab attention.

With his folksy and outspoken personality, Jim Blaine grabsheadlines frequently. He said what's on his mind and, minus the GACbanker-brothel debate debacle of 2004 when he garnered attention hedid not relish, he always has substance behind what he says whetheryou agree with his opinion or not. For those who say, “You alwaysquote, so-and-so,” there's a reason.

Beyond grabbing attention, Blaine is always available andwilling to talk to the press for the record. He once returned acall to me while he was out on bereavement leave. That might be abit much, but it is one example that demonstrates his dedication tothe credit union community.

Creating a public, industry-wide debate in a national forum suchas Credit Union Times airs the issues and educates thecommunity about what's going on around them. How are CAMEL codescalculated? How subjective are they? Why shouldn't a solid creditunion be able to demonstrate that with its CAMEL when there are severalratings agencies already putting out essentially the same thing?Making his credit union the example to generate a national debateon the NCUA's oversight took guts, which Blaine obviously has, andshines a little more light on the regulator.

The question of whether the agency is retaliatory is no longerup for debate. The NCUA's overtly bullying response requires allstate-chartered credit unions to submit to a federal examination in addition to the state's each year.Despite its testaments in support of a dual chartering system, thisaction demonstrates exactly the opposite. It lays bare that theNCUA believes it knows what's best and the North Carolina regulatorcan't keep its house in order but the NCUA can.

The NCUA was established to regulate credit unions and not thestate regulators. A variety of alternative solutions exist thatwouldn't penalize dozens of state-chartered credit unions that werefollowing the rules. Such draconian behavior as punishing all ofthe state-chartered credit unions in North Carolina for the actionsof one is costly to all.

More importantly, it takes credit unions' eyes off bigger andmore important issues, like return to the membership and qualitystrategic planning. These are two things that SECU doesexceptionally well.

In a conveniently timed yet coincidental public relations move,the NCUA board announced last week that it was canceling itsFebruary board meeting because it did not have any pressing issuesto consider.

Chairman Matz stated, “We understand that many credit unionofficials are feeling overwhelmed by a large number of proposed andfinal regulations, many of which are mandated by statute and issuedby several different agencies. As part of my regulatorymodernization initiative, we are carefully evaluating which NCUArules need to be streamlined, eliminated or clarified in 2012. Wehave concluded that there are no essential board action items topublicly consider at this time and, therefore, no need for an openboard meeting this month.”

I applaud the cancelation of any meeting that wastes more timethan it's worth and believe the world would be a better place withfewer meetings. The chairman has vowed to cancel more meetings ifthey are deemed unnecessary.

But canceling an NCUA board meeting does not mean there are noregulations coming from the NCUA or any other regulator. It doesnot even mean that examiners aren't out there waving their bigsticks at this moment, following central office's lead in NorthCarolina. It doesn't negate the repeal of certain RegFlexprovisions–though the agency has proposed expanding the pool ofeligible credit unions–and it doesn't mean there won't be a newCUSO reg, albeit possibly less all-encompassing than the originalproposal. Not holding a board meeting also means that promisedregulatory streamlining and elimination isn't getting put in placeyet either.

Still it got attention because it is not in the usual order ofbusiness and that is another way to attract attention, which issomething that credit unions need to do better. Some, like SECU andothers, do a great job at grabbing interest and being consistent.Every credit union could adapt that model to scale. Knowing how tograb attention is part of the reason credit unions like SECU haveconsistent membership and loan growth.

This month's Trailblazer 40 Below, Nathan Anderson (seestory, page 6), said of his sales philosophy, “You're stillnot serving them unless you help them.” Help your members andpotential members by selling them on your credit union.