Credit Union Times Magazine February-08, 2006

In Other News

• AWARDS

  By Staff Writer

  Sunmark Federal Credit Union, Schenectady, N.Y., has been recognized as one of the Great Places to Work in the Capital Region by The Business Review. Sunmark was one of more than 130 companies to enter, making the list of finalists on the strength of its employee evaluations. The award recognizes...

• DONATIONS

  By Staff Writer

  North Jersey Federal Credit Union, Totowa, N.J., has recently donated clothing items from their winter accessory drive to Eva's Village in Paterson and La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark. Since 1982, Eva's Village in Paterson has been dedicated to feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and offering medical and...

• AWARDS

  By Staff Writer

  Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Anchorage, has named Natalie Slaymaker the 2005 Employee of the Year and John Combs the 2005 Manager of the Year. Slaymaker began her Alaska USA career in 2001 as a receptionist in the Special Credits department. Since then her self-motivation, desire to learn, and enthusiastic...

• Maryland & D.C. CU Association Signs Lease Contract for Space in D.C.

  By Staff Writer

  COLUMBIA, Md. - When the Maryland and District of Columbia credit union leagues officially merged Jan. 1 to form the Maryland & District of Columbia Credit Union Association, one of the new association's goals was to find office space in downtown D.C. to lease. Its search is over. MDDCCUA has...

• DFCU Financial FCU Has Ties to Ford

  By Staff Writer

  DEARBORN, Mich. - The $1.8 billion DFCU Financial Federal Credit Union, which has applied with regulators to change to a bank charter, is one of the credit unions in the country which may take a significant hit from the massive downsizing announced by the Ford Motor Company. The number two...

• NAFCU Launches New Technology for Meeting Registration

  By Staff Writer

  ARLINGTON, Va.-NAFCU recently announced that it has put the latest technology to use for its online conference registration system. Working with PlanNet, experts in delivering the latest technology for meeting attendees, NAFCU introduced a new, streamlined registration system that gives meeting attendees the option to register via a personalized e-mail...

• ABA Sees No Grounds for Dismissal in Utah Suit Against NCUA

  By Sarah Snell Cooke

  WASHINGTON-The American Bankers Association sees no reason for the judge to dismiss its case against NCUA over the underserved areas the agency granted America First Federal Credit Union. ABA Director of Communications Charlotte Birch said that despite the moratorium NCUA has imposed on non-multiple common bond credit unions adopting underserved...

• San Diego CUs Honored for $1 Million Fundraising Efforts

  By Staff Writer

  SAN DIEGO - Credit Unions for Kids' (CUFK) fundraising efforts for Children's Hospital and Health Center has earned it the Children's Hospital Inspiration Fountain Award. CUFK was recognized for raising $1 million for the hospital over the past nine years. CUFK's contributions primarily support the Patient Care Fund, which directly...

• Treasury, IRS Propose Changes to Designated Roth Accounts

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department and IRS recently issued a number of proposed rules and definitions for designated Roth accounts that complements final rules that were made effective Jan. 3. The proposal deals with what defines a qualified distribution, rules for Roth contributions and taxation of distributions of that are...

• CUNA Renewal Review Gets Underway

  By Staff Writer

  ST. PAUL, Minn.-As CUNA's Renewal marks its 10th anniversary, a review committee is beginning to reassess the CUNA director division and other Renewal-related issues. Renewal was the process that revised the governance structure of CUNA in 1996. The review committee will meet periodically throughout the year during its second five-year...

• Two More CUs Go With Pemco

  By Staff Writer

  SEATTLE - Two more credit unions have gone with Pemco Technologies for their card processing. The $111 million Five County Credit Union, headquartered in Bath, Maine and the $39 million Keypoint Credit FCU, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana both chose the firm last week. In addition, the company signed a...

• Credit Unions Define CUs, Not Banks or Congress, Hyland Says

  By Staff Writer

  HARTFORD, Conn.-NCUA Board Member Gigi Hyland told participants at the Connecticut Credit Union Association's Governmental Affairs Conference that credit unions need to define themselves and not allow the bankers or lawmakers to do it for them. "The window of opportunity is open, for a time, for credit unions to define...

• Florida's Seaboard CU Gets Nod Take in Duval County, Population 821,338

  By Staff Writer

  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Anyone or lives or works in Duval County is now eligible to join Seaboard Credit Union. After 77 years of exclusively serving employees of select business partners, Seaboard received approval from the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulations to expand its field-of-membership to include Duval County...

• CO-OP Network Gaining 7-Eleven Machines, Losing TRM Machines

  By David Morrison

  ONTARIO, Calif. - CO-OP Network, the nation's ATM network with the largest number of credit union owners, made news last year by renewing a previous relationship it had with 7-Eleven. Under the terms of that revived relationship, members of CO-OP network credit unions will be able to use 5,300 ATMs...

• House Passes Deposit Insurance Reform Legislation

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON-The House gave the green light to deposit insurance reform legislation at press time last week. The main purpose of the legislation, which was folded into the budget reconciliation process, was to merge the Bank Insurance Fund and the Savings Association Insurance Fund under the FDIC; require the FDIC and...

• City Kicks off Campaign to Offer Small Business Relief During Rail Construction

  By Staff Writer

  TEMPE, Ariz. - More than 140 "mom-and-pop" type businesses here may qualify for a new loan program created to offer financial relief during the city's light rail construction project. The Tempe Chamber of Commerce created the Asset Assistance Program, which allows businesses to tap into a $20,000 line of credit....

• Addison Avenue FCU Aims for More Control through Purchase of Broker-Dealer Essex National Securities; Moves Away from CFS

  By Michelle A. Samaad

  PALO ALTO, Calif. - The acquisition of a broker-dealer firm is rarely seen in the credit union industry, but it's probably no surprise that Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union is among the first to do so. On Jan. 26, the $1.7 billion credit union announced that its subsidiary, Addison Avenue...

• ALM First New Mortgage Servicing Rights Valuation Service Takes Guesswork Out of Servicing Valuation

  By Staff Writer

  DALLAS - Credit unions that sell mortgages on the secondary market increasingly choose to retain servicing rights as a way to maintain the member relationship. But that option also comes with credit unions' responsibility of having to value the income they derive from the servicing to provide auditors and regulators....

• One-Third of CU Members Oppose Tax-Exemption, Study Finds

  By Sarah Snell Cooke

  BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-As CU Vote, a credit union member education organization started by the Alabama Credit Union League, prepared to go nationwide last week, a survey they commissioned provided disturbing news. More than one-third (34%) of 500 credit union members surveyed around the state said they opposed the credit union tax-exemption,...

• NCUA Rejects DFCU Financial FCU's Disclosure Package; Concerned Over Supervisory Committee's Move to Board After Conversion

  By David Morrison

  ALBANY, N.Y. - NCUA has rejected the $1.8 billion DFCU Financial Federal Credit Union's first proposed package of disclosure materials and balloting procedures that the credit union must send to members prior to the vote on whether to convert the credit union to a mutual bank. In a 10-page Jan....

• NAFCU to Senator: Risk-Based Capital for CUs Makes Sense

  By Sarah Snell Cooke

  ARLINGTON, Va.-In response to a request from Senator Mike Crapo's (R-Idaho) office for comment on his regulatory relief matrix, NAFCU wrote strongly in support of including a provision permitting a risk-based capital calculation for credit unions in any legislation introduced. "NAFCU strongly supports PCA reform as the current one-size-fits-all system...

• NACUSO Appoints Advisory Boards in Key CUSO Service Areas

  By Staff Writer

  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - NACUSO has appointed four Advisory Boards to provide input and advice to the NACUSO Board in a variety of service areas CUSOs are active in. The four include: the Financial Services Advisory Board (for investments, insurance and trust services); the Business Services Advisory Board for business...

• On the Air with Linda Baughman, USE CU CEO Takes Message of `Down-to-Earth' Personal Finance Advice to Radio, TV, Web

  By Michelle A. Samaad

  SAN DIEGO - Linda Baughman has personal finance pearls of wisdom to share and her audience can be found tuning in on the radio, television and the Internet. The president/CEO of $740 million USE Credit Union, a 30-year veteran in the financial services industry, is using her expertise to expand...

• Washington State CUs Score Super Bowl Ad `Coup'; 30-Second Spot Seen by Millions

  By Jim Rubenstein

  FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - When you talk Super Bowl superlatives, the 2006 winner has to be Washington State credit unions for pulling off an unprecedented feat: a 30-second advocacy commercial reaching perhaps millions during the championship Seattle Seahawks/Pittsburgh Steelers game in Detroit. Across the nation, credit unions were giving `high...

• Persevering New Orleans CUs Receive Federation Money to Rebuild

  By David Morrison

  NEW ORLEANS - Three credit unions which were among the hardest hit in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding have received funds from the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions. At a ceremony in New Orleans, NCUF Executive Director Cliff Rosenthal presented checks to the $1.3 million...

• Katrina Moves Mississippi Convention to Florida

  By Eileen Courter

  JACKSON, Miss. - Your daughter's wedding and reception are scheduled at one of the best hotels in town. Rooms are set aside for out-of-town guests, and everything is under control. Suddenly the hotel calls. Sorry, but a fire just destroyed the building and the hotel won't be back in business...

• Ford CUs Cope With Lost Income, Worker Aid

  By Jim Rubenstein

  FENTON, Mo. - U.S. credit unions with a Ford Motor Co. membership begin preparing for lost loan income and mapping out assistance programs in the wake of the automaker's plans to close 14 plants. "The Ford layoffs at Hazelwood were not exactly a surprise since closure at the plant has...

• Boston New Alliance Reaching Out to Immigrants; Banks and CUs Team Up

  By Eileen Courter

  BOSTON - The Boston New Alliance Task Force may not literally be putting welcome mats at the entrances to local financial institutions, but that's the idea. The task force had its first meeting January 19 and expects to meet at least quarterly from now on. Their mission: educating new immigrants...

• Both Sides Getting into Position for Coming Interchange Fight

  By David Morrison

  WASHINGTON - The different sides in what might become a public policy and legal brawl over the U.S. credit and debit card system have begun to stake out their positions. Retailers hope the more than 40 lawsuits they have filed against Visa and MasterCard will give them the traction they...

• Corporates Making Many Strides in Image Exchange; Big Banks Still Playing Catch-Up

  By Staff Writer

  HOLMDEL, N.J. - Last week saw a flurry of announcements from corporate credit unions and how they are making significant progress in taking advantage of Check 21 and moving the industry closer to full blown image exchange. EasCorp recently began to manage in-clearing work from 20 of its members using...

• CU Super Bowl Bets: Chocolate, Wine, Coffee and Even Ketchup

  By Jim Rubenstein

  PITTSBURGH - Western Pennsylvania credit unions would, of course, be thrilled to have a co-op TV ad during the Super Bowl but, as one marketer here put it last week, "we are only now taking baby steps but we do look to those billion dollar West Coast credit unions to...

• Credit Unions Making Strides in Reaching Younger Members-One School at a Time

  By Myriam DiGiovanni

  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - These days students don't have to go further than down the hall to find financial services from their local credit union. From elementary schools to high schools, credit unions are finding that student branches are a help in their efforts to promote financial literacy to...

• Visa Investigating Possible Security Breach

  By Staff Writer

  SAN FRANCISCO - Visa USA says it is investigating a possible security breach at a major U.S. retailer but stressed that no breach had been confirmed as of press time. "Visa USA is examining a possible unauthorized intrusion at a U.S. merchant. The review is still ongoing and no security...

• CULAC Surpasses Last Non-Election Year Figures in 2005

  By Sarah Snell Cooke

  WASHINGTON-The Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC) of CUNA achieved its goal to `do better' than the previous election cycle so far, according to the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission. CULAC raised $1,767,860.82 in 2005, exceeding its previous non-election year fund-raising record of $1,670,259.27 collected in 2003. The...

• Hyland Pays Visit to Navy Federal Credit Union

  By Staff Writer

  VIENNA, Va.-NCUA Board Member Gigi Hyland visited $25 billion Navy Federal Credit Union, the world's largest, last week. Hyland, along with Senior Policy Advisor Gary Kohn, met with Navy Federal CEO Cutler Dawson and other members of the management team. Topics of discussion were Navy Federal's `uniqueness,' Bank Secrecy Act...

• CU Bringing its Card Portfolio In-House

  By Staff Writer

  INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - OneBridge, the privately held card processing firm which used to be known as AmeriCard, has helped the $20 million Touchstone FCU to bring its card portfolio processing in-house. The move will give the Wilmington, Massachusetts credit union more control over member experiences and bottom-line growth. "The number...

• Fairwinds, Community First CU of Florida Join HLPR Program, Number of Participants Approaches 100

  By Staff Writer

  ORLANDO and JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Fairwinds CU and Community First Credit Union of Florida have added their names to the growing list of credit unions participating in CUNA's Home Loan Payment Relief (HLPR) mortgage program, bringing the total number of credit union participants to 94. Launched in 2005, the HLPR...

• Consumers in the U.S. the Most Cash Strapped in the World

  By Staff Writer

  SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - Credit unions might need to work a bit more with their members on saving money. Fully 22% of U.S. consumers say they have no spare cash from paycheck to paycheck and that if they lost their jobs or had some other large expense they would have no...

• Michigan's TRW Converts to Community Charter

  By Staff Writer

  STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich.-NCUA approved TRW Michigan Employees Federal Credit Union for a community charter last fall, which the institution is preparing to act upon. According to Hometown Life.com (Michigan), the TRW plant that formerly sponsored the credit union is closing this summer. "I started here in 2000 and there were...

• Kinecta Federal Credit Union Makes Dreams of Italian Getaway a Reality

  By Staff Writer

  MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - Thanks to Kinecta Federal Credit Union, the Nullmeyer family is headed to Turino, Italy to cheer on US Olympic favorites. "When I was initially contacted by Kinecta I was in disbelief. I actually thought my husband was playing a trick on me," said Pamela Nullmeyer "This...

• Mid Oregon Credit Union Wins Business of the Year on the Road

  By Staff Writer

  BEND, Ore. - It's not unusual for a credit union to win an award from its local chamber of commerce. However, when Bend-based Mid Oregon Credit Union won business of the year from the Redmond, Oregon chamber, the $95 million institution had something to crow about. "One of our board...

• Pennsylvania County Lending Project Adds Another Bank to CU, Bank Partnership

  By Staff Writer

  CARLISLE, Pa. - Another bank has signed on to an eight-month old business lending project in Cumberland County here. Omega Bank has joined $1 billion Members 1st Federal Credit Union and F&M Trust in the Cumberland Business First Loan Partnership Program, which was launched last June. All three financial institutions...

• CUNA Brings Women Together for Second Leadership Conference

  By Staff Writer

  MADISON, Wis. - Women in credit union leadership positions - and those who aspire to be - can expand their professional and leadership boundaries during the second annual women in leadership offering from CUNA. The 2006 Women's Leadership Conference will take place May 7-10 in San Francisco, with the focus...

• Citizens Choice FCU, One of Lansing's Oldest CUs, Merges With Capital Community CU

  By Staff Writer

  LANSING, Mich. - Citizens Choice FCU which has been serving the Lansing community since 1952, has joined the CapCom family. The $24.5 million CU merged with Capital Community CU, a $224.7 million CU. Just a little over a year ago, LSI CU, Grand Rapids merged into CapCom also. According to...

• Redwood CU Helps Small Business Owners Make a `Healthy Start'

  By Staff Writer

  SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Consumers and small business owners in the North Bay area here are being encouraged to commit to a healthy financial outlook in 2006 with a "Healthy Start" checking account. The $1.3 billion Redwood Credit Union said for a limited time, when members or small business owners...

• Randolph-Brooks FCU's Highway Honors

  By Staff Writer

  LIVE OAK, Texas - For Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union building, a new headquarters here had some unexpected rewards. With the new facility, which generated some 300 new jobs to the City of Live Oak, the city has changed the name of Point Northeast Parkway to Randolph Brooks Parkway. The new...

News

• NCUA Approved 12 Community Charters with FOMs Over 1 Million in `05

  By Staff Writer

  ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA's approval of large community charters has slowed over the last few years, according to the agency's year-end community charter reports. NCUA approved a dozen credit unions for community charter conversions last year. By comparison, the agency gave the nod to 15 credit unions in 2004 and 19 the...

• Special Report: Corporates

  By Staff Writer

  Turn to pages 22-28 for the latest news on corporate credit unions. The section includes a thought-provoking opinion from FirstCorp CEO Pete Pritts.

• Lee Starts at U.S. Central

  By Staff Writer

  LENEXA, Kan. - Francis Lee officially arrived in the corner office at U.S. Central on Feb. 1. Lee, the former CEO of Southwest Corporate FCU, succeeds former U.S. Central CEO Dan Kampen, who resigned last year and has since formed a credit union consulting firm, The Rochdale Group. Southwest Corporate...

• Jumbo Mortgages Go Online at CharlieMac

  By Staff Writer

  LENEXA, Kan. - Charlie Mac, a U.S. Central subsidiary that acts as a secondary market for credit union auto loans and mortgages, has debuted a new online system, ExpressLock. ExpressLock helps credit unions sell jumbo loans in a secure, online environment. "It's a way for credit unions to very easily...

• Trade Industry Profession Charter Gaining Steam

  By Staff Writer

  ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Since NCUA permitted credit unions to adopt TIP - trade, industry, or profession - fields of membership, the idea is gaining some steam. NCUA began allowing TIPs in 2003 for single sponsor credit unions that did not want to stray too far from their single sponsor roots. Since then,...

• U.S. Central Extends Processing Agreement with IntegraSys; Implications on Symitar, Future of System are Unclear

  By Staff Writer

  FRISCO, Texas - U.S. Central's quest to change the system corporates use to access their U.S. Central account has had its challenges. The corporates' corporate decided approximately three years ago to move away from EDS and to Symitar. IntegraSys is the former credit union processing division of EDS, which was...

• MemberTrade Advisory Services, LLC Adds Transition Product

  By Staff Writer

  ALBANY, N.Y. - MemberTrade Advisory Services (MTAS), LLC, an Empire Corporate CUSO, wants to help credit unions that find themselves in a transition period that could affect asset/liability management. Bart Salazar, president/CEO of MTAS, said when a credit union loses a CFO or other individual who plays a big role...

• CUISPA IT Risk Management Summit Draws Rave Reviews; Everything From Phishing to Malware Covered

  By Staff Writer

  AUSTIN, Texas - Good ol' fashioned shoe leather was one reason for the success of the Credit Union Information Security Professionals Association 2006 IT Risk Management Summit Jan. 29-31 at the Driskill Hotel. CUISPA Executive Director Kelly Dowell has traveled countless miles over the past 12 months rallying support for...

• Andermahr Leaves Life of Running her Own Ad Agency to Head Up WesCorp's Marketing Department

  By Staff Writer

  SAN DIMAS, Calif. - WesCorp Vice President of Marketing Connie Andermahr is a familiar face to many in the credit union industry For 30 years she ran her own ad agency that works primarily with credit unions and credit union organizations. About five months ago she decided to take a...

• EasCorp Firms Up Speakers For ALM and Investment Academies

  By Staff Writer

  WOBURN, Mass. - EasCorp has set its speaker lineup for its eighth annual ALM & Investment Academies this March. Among the Academies' lecturers and topics are Thomas Bowers, senior education programs director at the IPS-Sendero Institute, who will present forward-looking liquidity planning techniques and ALM modeling insights; Dan Gordon, senior...

• On-Site at CUISPA Summit

  By Staff Writer

  CUISPA was able to attract credit unions, vendors and regulators to its first IT summit held in Texas last week. Pages 34-35.

• Corporates by NEV, Operating Expenses, Assets and Loans

  By Staff Writer

  NONE

• ACCU Excited About NCUA's Openness on Risk-Based Capital for Corporates

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON - Association of Corporate Credit Unions Executive Director Mike Canning said the ACCU will deliver its risk-based capital proposal for corporates to NCUA in about three weeks. Canning said recent comments by NCUA Vice Chairman Rodney Hood are exciting because they show he is open to the idea. NCUA...

• SunCorp Names Lau Chairman

  By Staff Writer

  DENVER - The board of SunCorp Corporate Credit Union has named Mark Lau as chairman. Lau previously served as vice chairman. He is senior vice president of retail delivery for Premier Members FCU based in Boulder, and also serves on SunCorp's supervisory committee. "I'm honored that the board has chosen...

• SmartSource Designs New Web Site for First Bristol FCU

  By Staff Writer

  WALLINGFORD, Conn. - SmartSource Solutions, LLC, a wholly owned CUSO of Constitution Corporate Federal Credit Union, has designed First Bristol FCU's new Web site (www.firstbristol.org). First Bristol wanted to add Web site tools that would promote greater interaction with its members. The site has many new features, including multi-faceted mortgage,...

News Briefs

• Delta Community CU Expands Membership to Two Georgia Counties

  By Staff Writer

  ATLANTA - Delta Community Credit Union recently received approval to expand its field of membership to two area counties here. The $2.5 billion CU can now serve residents of Fayette and Henry counties here. It is also going forward with its goal of building more branches, having just opened a...

• CUNA Chairman Applauds ABA Chairman's Record Profits

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON-CUNA Chairman Juri Valdov `praised' the record profits announced for Zions Bank and doing their part to keep the banks as the nation's most profitable industry. "Kudos to Zions Bancorporation and [American Bankers Association] Chairman [Harris] Simmons for doing their parts to ensure that banking remains the nation's most profitable...

• ESL FCU Rewards Members With $6 Million Dividend

  By Staff Writer

  ROCHESTER, N.Y. - ESL Federal Credit Union is among the latest in the industry to issues a dividend to its members. The $2.8 billion CU said more than 180,000 members will receive their share of a $6 million dividend this month. To calculate the dividend, the CU added the total...

• Former CUNA VP Creates Member Loyalty Firm

  By Staff Writer

  Madison, Wis. - Kevin Lytle, former CUNA vice president of marketing and sales, hopes to help credit unions and other cooperatives increase member loyalty through his new firm, Member Allegiance, LLC. "Mature co-operatives are finding it difficult to build loyalty within its membership," said Lytle. "But loyalty can not be...

• Second Year in a Row Pittsford FCU Issues Dividend

  By Staff Writer

  MENDON, N.Y. - This is the second year in a row Pittsford Federal Credit Union has issued a dividend to its members. The $218 million CU recently issued a "special member dividend." For 2005, it was $500,000, which was calculated by summing the total interest paid on loans and the...

• First Data to Keep Card Issuing Business

  By Staff Writer

  DENVER - After almost two months of hints from the company and speculation from analysts, First Data Corporation, the card processor for many credit unions, announced last week that it would stay in the card issuing business after all. Company officials had noted that when compared to its Western Union...

• Pantano Re-elected NJCUL Chairman

  By Staff Writer

  HIGHTSTOWN, N.J. - Rina Pantano, president/CEO, New Jersey Gateway FCU was re-elected chairman of the New Jersey Credit Union League. She'll serve for one year. Pantano has served on the board since 1998. Prior to first being elected chairman in 2005, Pantano was vice chair. But NJCUL spokesperson Sharon Dilling...

Tech Bytes

• American Airlines FCU Debuts Redesigned Web Site

  By Staff Writer

  FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines Federal Credit Union recently introduced a totally revamped Web site to its members. Designed my international interactive media firm Agency.com, the purpose of the redesign is to refocus the site on the member experience. To ensure that the site meets the needs of the...

• Arizona FCU Launches Phishing Counter-Attack

  By Staff Writer

  PHOENIX - Arizona Federal Credit Union has selected online risk management company Cyveillance to provide that company's anti-phishing solution to the credit union. This comes in response to a recent Federal Trade Commission report that names Arizona as a national hotspot for identity theft. With 22 branches and $1.7 billion...

• Denali Alaskan Mortgage Gains Online Home Loan Approval Capability

  By Staff Writer

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Members and non-members of Denali Alaskan CU interested in financing their mortgage or refinancing their existing one through the credit union can now access the CU's online mortgage center and get instant approval. Denali Alaskan Mortgage has begun offering online application capability. Denali Alaskan Mortgage Production Manager...

• Check 21 Moving to the Merchant

  By Staff Writer

  DAYTON, Ohio - In a sign that electronic presentment, a.k.a. Check 21, is being pushed out to the merchant, retail systems provider Ingenico recently agreed to purchase check scanners from Panini North America. The Panini My Vision X scanner is already in use by a number of credit unions, and...

• Fidelity: All Aboard For 2.2 Million Loans

  By Staff Writer

  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - According to Fidelity Information Services, a division of Fidelity National Financial (NYSE: FNF), its Electronic Loan Interface (ELI) loan-boarding tool was used to convert more than 2.2 million loans to the company's Mortgage Servicing Package in 2005. Boarding is the process by which acquired loans are converted...

• IT Security Sleuths Walk Right In, Walk Right Out . With Confidential Data in Hand

  By Marc Rapport

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Jim Stickley routinely walks into credit unions disguised as an exterminator or fire marshal and walks out with unencrypted data tapes and other goodies that could easily compromise the CU's security, reputation and bottom line. Stickley is chief technology officer and vice president of engineering for...

• Two Community CUs Select Corillian

  By Staff Writer

  PORTLAND, Ore., - Oregon Community Credit Union of Eugene, Ore., and Utah Community Credit Union of Provo, Utah, have both selected Corillian for that company's online banking, payment, and authentication products. According to Oregon Community, the new system is advantageous from a marketing perspective. "Corillian's solutions are superior in that...

• CheckFree IS Chooses Multifactor Authentication for New Application

  By Staff Writer

  SAN MATEO, Calif. - CheckFree Investment Services has selected the TriCipher Armored Credential System (TACS), from TriCipher, Inc., for multifactor authentication. TACS will be used when CheckFree deploys its new CheckFree EPL (Enhanced Portfolio Lifecycle) online investment management system. According to TriCipher, TACS provides a highly customizable multifactor authentication environment....

Special Report

• Prime Alliance Solutions Sets New Record for Growth in 2005

  By Staff Writer

  TUKWILA, Wash. - Prime Alliance Solutions didn't let a little thing like the market's transition from a record-setting refinance boom to a purchase market, and a slow down in the overall market slow down its business in 2005. The company came through the year setting a new record for itself...

• House Financial Services Committee to Hold Oversight Hearing on Fannie Mae Report

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON -House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael Oxley (R-Ohio) and Ranking Member Barney Frank (D-Mass.) have notified Fannie Mae that the Committee intends to conduct an oversight hearing on the findings of a soon-to-be-finished report by former U.S. Sen. Warren Rudman on the internal controls, governance, accounting, capital, organization and...

• FHLB of Atlanta Provides $169,500 to Latino Community CU for Mortgages

  By Staff Writer

  DURHAM, N.C. - Latino Community CU, with the help of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, has provided $169,500 in home mortgage aid to 34 low-income families. To qualify for the mortgage assistance, the member must use the purchased home as their primary residence. The funds are provided as...

• Freddie Mac Makes $40 Million in Mortgages Available to Mississippi Hurricane Victims

  By Staff Writer

  McLEAN, Va. - In what marks the first installment on Freddie Mac's commitment to fund up to $1 billion in below-market rate mortgages for storm recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana, the housing Government Sponsored Enterprise announced it is making $40 million available in low-cost mortgages to residents in Mississippi who...

• Shelby to Continue to Push for GSE Regulatory Reform This Year, Hopeful for Passage

  By Staff Writer

  WASHINGTON - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) released the 2006 tentative agenda for the Committee on Jan. 31, and the tentative agenda states that the Committee intends to continue its efforts to seek a consensus to move a strong GSE regulatory reform bill through the Senate. According to...

Opinions

• Value Blockers Can't Belong to the New Tier of Corporates - the Pump Value into Credit Unions Tier

  By Staff Writer

  We all have mission and vision statements. I really like ours. It consists of a few statements starting with "Because of credit unions.," with the last one being, "Because of credit unions, we exist." We strive to add value to credit unions. Is this crazy talk? I hope not. We...

Letters to the editor

• Member Bonuses, Too Much of a Good Thing?

  By Staff Writer

  The credit union industry is extraordinary in that so many credit unions pay a bonus at the end of the year. I think most of these credit unions would better serve their members and would be more competitive if they adjusted their share and loan prices rather than use a...

• It's Not Adams' Job to Stick His Nose in Credit Unions' Business; Should Leave Michigan CUs Out of his Personal Agenda

  By Staff Writer

  Can't help myself. Just read Dave Adam's letter about what "he thinks we should do about credit union conversions". I would like to remind your readers that Adams' contention that, "Undoubtedly many credit union CEOs may be secretly hoping to see more conversions so that they may one day have...

• Influx of Bankers Not Necessarily Bad for the Industry, if They're Educated on CU Difference

  By Staff Writer

  I would like to comment on your voting poll questioning whether bankers moving into credit unions is good for the industry. Having served in the credit union movement for over 30 years, I think we need to be careful about properly educating noncredit union people about who we are and...

• Adams is Too Quick to Condemn Raffles in CU Charter Conversion Process

  By Staff Writer

  In David Adams' letter to the editor in the Jan. 18 issue, the CEO of the Michigan Credit Union League states "I know that I invite criticism." Well, I have some for him. His pleas for "fairness" in the conversion process show contempt for the integrity of the regulators and...

• From the Editor: Keep Those Letters Coming!

  By Staff Writer

  Credit Union Times is proud to report that so far in 2006 every issue has contained letters to the editor. We're proud of this for two reasons. First, it's an indication that Credit Union Times is providing thought-provoking editorial coverage that is inspiring more readers than ever to write letters....

Looking Back

• CREDIT UNION TIMES Vol. 15, No. 6 February 11, 2004

  By Staff Writer

  Looking back two years ago finds NCUA disqualifying Columbia Community Credit Union's previous vote to convert to a mutual savings bank. "We have sent a letter to Columbia indicating that we found their voting procedures unfair," said Melinda Love, NCUA's regional director for Region V, based in Tempe Arizona. "And...

Publisher's Column

• Super Bowl Hype, Another Look at Milk and Some Current Events

  By Staff Writer

  Sure it was a stroke of serendipity for the Washington Credit Union League that the Seattle Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl and its credit union awareness ad scheduled to run during the game will be seen by millions in Washington. The league is getting quite the bargain because...

People

• WEST

  By Staff Writer

  Redwood Credit Union, Santa Rosa, Calif., has named Justine Malpas business development officer. Simpson Community Credit Union, Shelton, Wash., has named Bert Fisher senior vice president / chief operations officer. Wescom Credit Union, Pasadena, has named Cindy Law vice president/ controller. Veridian Credit Union, Waterloo, Iowa, has promoted Wanda Birdsong...

• SOUTH

  By Staff Writer

  First Flight Federal Credit Union, Greenville, N.C., has promoted Jason Groesser to director of lending. In addition, First Flight FCU has named Anna Thiel Fuquay-Varina branch manager.

• EAST

  By Staff Writer

  Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union, Lowell, Mass., has promoted the following employees: Susan Gruber to senior vice president/chief financial officer; Scott Flagg to senior vice president/human resources director; James Reddy to vice president/controller; Katherine Schroeder to vice president/mortgage processing manager; Dianne Dowd to assistant vice president/assistant human resources director; Mariann O'Brien...

• MIDWEST

  By Staff Writer

  Community Choice Credit Union, Livonia, Mich., has named Phil Cooper chief operations officer. NuMark Credit Union, Joliet, Ill., has named Ed Stofko executive vice president of operations.

In Memoriam

• Credit Union ONE Mourns Loss of Former SVP

  By Staff Writer

  FERNDALE, Mich. - Former Credit Union ONE Senior Vice President Kevin J. McCarty has died at the age of 68 due to complications from cancer. Devoted to the credit union movement for over 40 years, McCarty always believed in helping others and while in the Peace Corps he helped develop...