Creditunions' No. 1 concern must be consumer awareness. I and othershave harped on this for a long time now. If no one knows creditunions exist or grasps even a basic understanding of what they are,all the mobile investments and fights with those working to dry upcredit union business lending are for naught.

CUNA's analysis of 16 years' of its research bears this out:Even after more than a century in business, consumers, particularlythe gigantic generation of up-and-coming millennials, don't know ofor understand credit unions. Therefore, based on CUNA's research,the main messages of the perpetual awareness effort (not acampaign, it's been emphasized) are:

• Credit unions are different than banks;
• Credit unions are not-for-profit unlike Wall Street;
• Credit unions are member owned like Main Street; and
• Credit unions return earnings to members through lower fees andhigher interest rates on savings.

I truly applaud CUNA's action on this matter. As Pablo Picassohas been quoted saying, “Action is the foundational key to allsuccess.” And it's been a long time coming on the awareness issue.Credit unions' future depends upon it.

Xceed Financial President/CEO Teresa Freeborn recognizes theneed for greater awareness as a priority, which is why she'sheading up the committee leading the charge. She explained to me,“I am a serious credit unionist believing strongly in the creditunion movement and the good work we do for our members.” The formermarketer said she wasn't sure what the past obstacles have been toawareness efforts, “but I do believe the challenge of creatingawareness can only be solved by aggressive actions importantly donewith many voices, and by those who are expert in this particulararea, along with a long-term, sustainable commitment.”

A long-term, sustainable commitment is crucial for buildinggeneral awareness for long-term sustainable success of the creditunion community. And now is a critical time, while consumers – evenfive years after Bank Transfer Day – continue to express displeasure with theirbanks. Freeborn pointed to research showing 93% of credit unionmembers are highly satisfied versus 69% of bank customers.

Whilethe credit union difference can be a draw for young members,Freeborn said, so are all the latest tech gizmos. Once you grabconsumers' attention, you have to provide the services they want,not just what they need. It's not enough to simply be a safe placeto park your money. When and how members can access money andservices is mission critical. Freeborn said many credit unions have figured out the evolving definition ofmember service, and the ones that have not are learning quicklyfrom their experience.

Credit unions don't only need member awareness and growth tosafeguard the businesses' future; they also need to boost membergrassroots support. Take last week's leaked letter from Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) to the Ways and MeansCommittee chairman requesting a study from the GovernmentAccountability Office on whether credit unions are earningtheir tax exemption, and questioning the NCUA's authority to makethe business lending expansions it's allowed credit unions. Theletter had a snide tone to it, including quotation marks aroundnot-for-profit, and looks like it was most certainly written bybankers.

Jon Murphy, the Iowa Credit Union League's director ofgovernment affairs, diplomatically said of the state credit unions'relationship with King, “There's some positives and there's somenegatives.” Relief from regulatory burden, he explained, is an areaof agreement they have with him, but he said King has said Kingviews large credit unions differently from smaller ones, hence histax exemption questions. King's office didn't return a call forcomment as of press time.

Murphy added that while the league has 20,000 people in itsstatewide advocacy database, Iowa still has three times as manybanks as credit unions. The gap just happens to be particularlypronounced in King's district. “What we find interesting orpeculiar is credit unions put out more low-cost capital out tosmall businesses here,” Murphy lamented. It's disappointing thatanyone would want to decrease that flow of capital and jobcreation, he added.

So King's position was not surprising, but the timing rightbefore an election is curious. It's politically puzzling that hewould put Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) in such an awkwardposition when he, too, is working toward re-election; politiciansdon't like controversy at election time. Additionally, CUNA's chieflobbyist, Ryan Donovan, related, “I think it's an odd letter at anodd time. We're coming out of the financial crisis where creditunions were a beacon of hope and a beacon of opportunity forconsumers and small businesses.” Fortunately, lobbyists don't seethe request getting any traction with Brady.

Credit unions must make their voices heard, and to do that theymust weave themselves even deeper into America's financial roots.That means growing and growing louder by nurturing – watering ifyou will – member grassroots. King seems to have taken a page frommy grandmother who indicates she's irritated with a pointed, “I'mgonna cloud up and rain all over you.” Like the soil, grassrootswill hold credit unions together through the storms.