Kirk Drake, president/CEO of Ongoing Operations LLC, is lookingto CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference next week as a way toplay up what CUSOs are and are not.

“Even though CUSOs are owned by credit unions, it has been myexperience that they are largely overlooked, not asked toparticipate in most of the political advocacy and are lumped intothe general vendor category,” Drake wrote in his CUNA GAC CUSO guide.

At least 25 CUSOs will have exhibit booths at the GAC inWashington, according to Drake. Ongoing Operations, a Hagerstown, Md.-based CUSO that providesbusiness continuity and technology solutions, will be amongthem.

In the CUNA GAC CUSO guide, Drake offers background informationon how CUSOs are different from vendors, how they enablecollaboration, and a list of CUSOs that will be at the GAC.

One of the differences between CUSOs and vendors is that credit union ownership as strategicpartners ensures that credit unions have a voice, Drake said.Another difference is there are no non-credit union shareholders toplease, he added.

Jointly owned CUSOs also pay dividends to their credit unionowners and can provide savings on services as well as generaterevenue through products and services a credit union cannot offerdirectly, but can do through a CUSO, Drake said comparing CUSOs toother vendors.

“I think CUSOs are one of the most important if not the mostimportant way for innovation, adaptability and differentiationcredit unions have and are crucial to the long-term viability ofthe industry,” Drake said.