Credit unions have alot to gripe about between the NCUA and CFPB and interest rates.However, like that friend who does nothing but complain, it's timeto step back and see what you can do for yourselves. I profferthree keys to credit unions' success that are under yourcontrol.

Awareness

During the recent White House Cybersecurity Summit, MasterCard discussed itspartnership with the $7.3 billion First Tech FCU for biometricsdevelopment. The new service will identify consumers by acombination of biometrics technologies, including voice and retinalscans, to verify point of sale and remote purchases. As if thetechnology weren't sexy enough, a major card firm chose to workwith a credit union to make these breakthroughs! Huge victory! Wayto go First Tech FCU to prepare and create this opportunity for yourcredit union, but also represent credit unions in a very tech savvyrole! And in creating this opportunity, it is presented at theWhite House Cybersecurity Summit, where credit unions were held inthe same regard as massive players, such as Apple,Walgreens and PayPal! The status of the event practicallyguaranteed news coverage to reach members and nonmembers alike!Attended and addressed by the president of the United States noless! I don't like exclamation points, so can you tell I'm excitedabout this!!!!!!!

Credit unions always have had a critical awareness issue.Consumers think they are unions or you have to be a member of aunion to belong, and if they can't get past that, they likely don'tknow about the benefits of credit union membership. CUNA researchfound as much.

After a peak in 2012 at 44% of nonmembers being familiar withcredit unions' fee and rate benefits – following Bank Transfer Day– this figure has dropped to 31% among the general population ofnonmembers and 25% among 18-24 year old nonmembers. Click on the graph at left toexpand.

Yet there are so many benefits of becoming a credit unionmember. Seventy-two percent of the largest credit unions in theU.S. offer standalone free checking accounts, according to a newBankrate.com study, while only 38% of the largest banks and thriftsmake that commitment to their customers. Five years ago,Bankrate.com reported, 78% of credit unions and 65% of banksoffered standalone free checking accounts. Credit unions standsteadfastly by consumers, while the banks are abandoning them.Additionally, 26% of credit unions offer free checking once amember meets certain requirements, such as accepting electronicstatements, for a total of 98%.

I'll wait to see what hay credit unions make of this, but Iwon't be holding my breath. Credit unions' awareness issue is theirown, and there's nowhere else to point fingers. If there is anyarea of the business in which credit unions should cooperate, thisis it. Awareness is not only beneficial for reaching consumers, butalso potential employees and public officials in your advocacyefforts.

Advocacy

As many of you head into D.C. next week for CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference, issues raised with lawmakerswill likely include cybersecurity, supplemental capital, risk-basedcapital, field of membership restrictions and business lending.Greater awareness among members and consumers of credit unions'benefit can help turn them into greater allies in getting the toolsyou need, particularly data security. Few issues achieve the nexusbetween consumer and credit union concerns than maintaining thesecurity of personal and financial information. Really rally thetroops, not just each other. I get shouted down when I say creditunions are no longer a movement. Prove me wrong.

Risk-based capital will be raised with NCUA board members aswell, but another one to advocate for is increasing the definitionof a small credit unions. The current proposal is to increase theasset threshold to $100 million. Board Member Mark McWatters hassuggested that $250 million would be more appropriate, and amongthe entire financial services community, it is.

I suggest that it would be more sensible to have a formula thatsets the amount as of Dec. 31 each year, such as the average assetssize of credit unions, which according to CUNA's U.S. Credit UnionProfile for Q3 was $173.2 million. That figure represents a 40%increase over the last five years, making setting any number nottied to a formula outdated after the first year and resulting indisagreements among the board members on where it should be.

While debate among the board members can be healthy, recentNCUA board spats certainly are not. Issuing press releasesarguing over who released the risk-based capital confidential legalopinion first distracts from the real issue. It does not advancethe issue, and it's a distraction from real progress.

NCUA Vice Chairman Rick Metsger has publicly stayed out of thatdebate but constructively put himself into one of more substance.The Global Women's Leadership Network, of which I am a co-chair ofthe D.C. Sister Society, excitedly circulated the January editionof The NCUABoard Report, which featured Metsger's advocacy of closing thegender gap among the largest credit unions. We're very excited tosee him speak on the matter at the GWLN breakfast during the GAC,and to have such a high level industry professional bringing lightto the issue, which is not to hire either gender over the other butto work better together.

Assistance

Finally, credit unions must provide each other assistance. Helpout smaller credit unions that are trying to struggling withresources. Provide assistance when you can and without strings.It's tougher now with interest margins so thin, but sharingpolicies or how-tos and even old equipment that still functions canmake a world of difference for a smaller credit union that's doing all the right things butlacks resources. Small credit unions' assistance on the Hill, aswell as with those members large credit unions are unable or don'twant to serve, is invaluable. And together you can generateawareness, advocacy and assistance.