A quick glance at how credit unions are faring when it comes totheir loan portfolios revealed that most are seeing somegrowth.

Taken during the “Loans: The Next Frontier” Web seminar, hostedby Credit Union Times Wednesday, a poll asked, “Whatdirection has your credit union loan's growth taken?”

VIEWING: Watch the webinar here.

Of the 70 seminar attendees who responded, 42.9% said loangrowth was “up somewhat,” while 27.10% reported negative growth. Alittle over 24% said growth was flat and 5.7% said loan activitywas “through the roof.”

A second poll asked attendees, “What's your credit unionphilosophy on collections?” Nearly 95% of those who responded said,“we approach members firmly yet courteously the day a payment ispast due.”

Another 5.2% said “we don't like to pressure our members; we askonce after 60 days.”

The lending seminar focused on how credit unions are succeedingin growing their loans without compromising asset quality. Theseminar also focused on strategies, technology, sales-serviceculture and marketing as a way to earn more wallet share frommembers and increase market share.

The guest speakers were Minh McKenzie, vice president of salesand service at the $1.7 billion Community First Credit Union in Appleton, Wis., and DaveLarson, senior vice president at the $1.5 billion Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in St. Paul, Minn.