Credit Union Times Magazine March-26, 2008
In Other News
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Donations
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News
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Elevations CU Opens 3 New Branches
After dropping its federal charter a year ago, the $760 million Elevations Credit Union announced last week it plans to add three new branches in Boulder and Broomfield Counties over the next 12 months.
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Women's Summit Conference Receives Support from Navigant CU
The $1 billion Navigant Credit Union was one of several entities that supported the Women's Summit, a conference that brought nearly 1,000 attendees here from across southeastern New England.
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CUNA Mutual's 401(k)s Garners High Customer Satisfaction Rankings
Overall client satisfaction with CUNA Mutual Group's 401(k) plans is strong, according to two, independent research and information organizations.
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National Guard Honors Eastern Financial for Backing AVP-Reservist
Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union has recently received the My Boss Is a Patriot award from the National Guard and Reserve.
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CU Members Mortgage Conference Spotlights 'Ideal Time' for CU Lending
Janet Walter, CU Members Mortgage vice president of public affairs, was pleased to note that even in down times for other lenders, credit unions are picking up steam in the mortgage area.
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Maine League To Surpass Goal for Hunger Drive
Maine credit unions are again coming to the assistance of the state's hungry by raising more than $40,000 in 2008, including a special gift in memory of a special food bank leader who died in 2004.
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Ohio Launches Multi-Media Campaign to Reduce Mortgage Foreclosures
The Ohio Department of Com-merce recently launched its new multi-media public awareness campaign aimed at helping Ohioans prevent foreclosure.
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Riverside NAACP Honors Altura CU's McManuis with Activist Award
The Riverside Chapter of the NAACP has recently honored Altura Credit Union Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Ricki McManuis.
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CUhire Launches Recruiting Blog
CUhire Inc. is the latest on the blogging scene.
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CUES, fi-linx Create Deposit Reclassification Partnership
To offer credit unions revenue building strategies as margins continue to shrink, the Credit Union Executives Society and fi-linx, a technology solutions CUSO, have teamed up to bring deposit reclassification to the industry.
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South Africa Passes First Cooperatives Legislation
South Africa recently passed the Cooperatives Banks Act, the first financial cooperative-specific legislation in English-speaking Africa.
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LA Financial Will Convert to Symitar Episys Platform
LA Financial Credit Union will be soon be converting its core processing to the Symitar Episys platform from Jack Henry & Associates.
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NCUA Urges Credit Unions to Use HOPE NOW Alliance
The National Credit Union Administration issued a letter to credit unions, encouraging all who service securitized subprime adjustable-rate mortgages to adopt the HOPE NOW alliance's loan modification standards on reporting foreclosure prevention efforts.
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FFIEC Updates Business Continuity Planning Booklet
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council has issued an update to the Business Continuity Planning Booklet that was issued in March 2003.
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Hovnanian, Big Builder in Florida, Faces Class Action Suit for SEC Violations
A class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders of Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. alleging violation of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. In August 2005, Hovnanian bought First Home Builders of Florida, the developer that built homes in Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres, many of which were...
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SSFCU Saves Water, Lowers Costs
Security Service Federal Credit Union is doing its part for the environment.
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Spotlight Shines on Michigan Business Lending, CUSOs
TROY, Mich. -- In the midst of the state's tough economy, the growing entry of Michigan's credit unions into business lending was recently profiled.
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Visa IPO Has Great Success, Despite Down Market
Credit unions issuing Visa cards moved one step closer to getting a share of stock in Visa Inc. on March 18, when the card brand recorded a very successful initial public offering of its stock.
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Competitive Pricing, Convenient Access Remain Mainstays for Membership Growth
If January's membership gains are any indication, convenient credit union branches and other access channels, product and service selection and competitive pricing may continue to be key drivers of growth within the industry.
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Kansas Senate Advances Compromise Bill Limiting CU FOM Expansion
The Kansas legislature appeared headed last week toward passing compromise--and perhaps milestone--legislation putting new limits on field of membership and merger expansion by state-chartered Kansas CUs. The measure stops short of using the language in federal FOM statutes.
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Who's Who in America's Credit Unions Dedicated to Rep. Paul Kanjorski And Rep. Steve LaTourette
The 2008 inaugural edition of Who's Who in America's Credit Unions will be dedicated to Representatives Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) and Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio).
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PCUA Aids CUs on Student Lending
The roiling of the secondary student loan market and a halt to direct funding by a state agency prompted quick action last week by the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association to assist CUs transition to new funding vehicles.
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Justice Department Responds to Community First's Federal Tax Challenge
The question of whether or not a state-chartered credit union must pay federal taxes on the part of its business operations that the IRS has deemed unrelated to its tax-exempt work moved a bit closer to resolution this week.
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SBA Slims Lender Procedure Guide
As part of its reform agenda to become easier for lenders to work with, the Small Business Administration has released its modernized Standard Operating Procedure for lender and development company loan programs.
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Youngsters Buzzing About LGFCU's New Kids Web Site and Penny Hollow
Move over Pokemon, Local Government Federal Credit Union has created a whole new world for kids under age 8 to explore and learn about money.
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Hiway CU Gets 'Comfort' Payoff With Counseling Program
Amid the new anxiety over the economy, the $705 million Hiway Federal Credit Union is discovering that its year-old credit counseling program is paying off after it signed on with a Minneapolis agency.
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Harland Clarke Earns Verizon Cybertrust Certification for Third Year
Harland Clarke has earned the Verizon Business security management program Cybertrust certification, demonstrating Harland Clarke's commitment to security assurance practices, Verizon Business recently announced. This is the third consecutive year that the company has received the certification for its Dallas and San Antonio operations.
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As U.S. Economic Woes Mount, Pa. Association CEO Appeals to CUs to Shine
Amid the nation's economic uncertainty, credit unions in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are now being viewed as having bedrock stability, making it imperative that they "shine and grow," according to President/CEO of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association James McCormack.
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For Financial Planning, Consumers Tend to Follow the Herd to Brokerage Firms
Brokerage firms and independent advisers lead the pack in financial planning for consumers, according to a new wealth management study from Aite Group.
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Skiles Selects Larry Fazio to Fill NCUA Deputy Executive Director Position
NCUA Executive Director J. Leonard Skiles has selected Office of Examination and Insurance Deputy Director Larry Fazio to be the deputy executive director of the NCUA.
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Anti-CU Bill Stalls in Kentucky
The Kentucky Credit Union League has staved off a banker-backed bill to impose restrictive and burdensome rules and limits on CU branching.
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WesCorp Saves on Workers' Comp Costs By Using CUSIG Injury Prevention Plan
Since joining CUSIG four years ago, Western Corporate Federal Credit Union has saved nearly $750,000 on workers' compensation premiums, according to Tom Swedberg, vice president of strategic planning. This year alone, WesCorp's premiums are $250,000 less than they would have paid for a standard policy.
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Eschewing Gloom and Doom, There's Nothing But Good News at CUSIG Meeting
SAN DIEGO -- The jubilant mood at Credit Union Self-Insured Group of California's March 13 annual meeting was a far cry from the doom and gloom forecasting at most industry gatherings these days.
Front Page News
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On-Site Coverage: League Bids Farewell to VP Ron Fong
The California Credit Union League stunned Big Valley attendees at the group's live political action committee auction with news that Vice President of State Government Affairs Ron Fong will leave the trade association to head the California Grocers Association as president/CEO effective March 31.
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Prelude to a Lawsuit? - First Basin Takes Dissident Members To Court to Extract Depositions
Another credit union that tried to convert to a mutual bank charter and then withdrew its application appears poised to sue members who opposed that move and helped organize other members to oppose it.
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As World Markets Gyrate, CUs Are Poised to Weather Bear Stearns Fallout
When the news that investment icon JPMorgan Chase had stepped in to buy a struggling Bear Stearns Co. came across the wire on a late Sunday night, markets around the world braced for the fallout as investors scrambled for cover.
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Michigan Court Enforces FCU's Bylaws, Lets Members See Records, Call Meeting
A Michigan court has ruled in favor of three FCU members who sued their credit union to force it to follow its bylaws and hold a special meeting that members had petitioned for and allow them to examine the credit union's records.
News Briefs
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Consumer Model Key to Controlling Health Cost
The 13th Annual National Business Group on Health/ Watson Wyatt study finds that more employers are turning to consumer-oriented health care models to help control costs and improve employee health and productivity.
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NAFCU Polls on Higher Fannie, Freddie Fees
The March 2008 Flash report from NAFCU noted the additional surcharges that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac implemented on the mortgages of lower-rated borrowers (credit scores below 680) who put down less than a 30% down and have terms longer than 15 years.
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CU Organizations Launch Council for Card Risk
Nine credit union institutions and groups have organized what they are calling the Credit Union Risk Council to help CUs develop and implement better card risk management strategies.
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New Illinois Regulator Eyes Payday Borrowers
After an 18-month hiatus, the state has a new credit union regulator, Chicago attorney Robert Meza, who said last week that payday lending and the role CUs play in serving unbanked consumer needs will be among his priorities.
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Redesigned $5 Bill Enters The Real World
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve issued the new $5 bill during a commemorative transaction at President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home.
Special Report
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WesCorp's OnDeck with Dwight Johnston Wins Telly
OnDeck with Dwight Johnston, a weekly podcast produced by Overland Studios and presented by Western Corporate Federal Credit Union, has been selected over 14,000 entries as a bronze Telly Award winner in two categories, nonprofit and education.
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WesCorp Launches Beyond the Balance Sheet Webcast
Western Corporate Federal Credit Union has launched a new series of complimentary monthly Webcasts that focus on credit union topics that go "beyond the balance sheet."
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NCUA Says Corporates Humming Along Despite Credit Markets Turmoil
Despite the on-going disruptions in the markets, NCUA reported that corporate credit unions are still performing well.
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Mid-Atlantic Goes with Newest Open Solutions System Release
Mid-Atlantic Corporate Federal Credit Union will soon be running its core data processing on Open Solutions Inc.'s newest release.
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CEO Richard Johnson Compares Notes on Corporates' Past, Present and Future
Richard Johnson was the first corporate credit union CEO taking the helm at Western Corporate, then called California Central Credit Union, in 1976. He began with three employees, who were transferred from the California Credit Union League. At the time, corporates offered only one service: overnight settlement accounts.
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Fitch Lowers U.S. Central to AA+ Rating from AAA
Fitch Ratings has changed U.S. Central Federal Credit Union's long-term debt rating of AA+. Previously, U.S. Central was rated AAA with a negative outlook. U.S. Central's short-term rating of F-1+, individual rating of A and support rating of 1 were affirmed by Fitch.
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Georgia Central CU Assets Climb Past $2 Billion Mark
Georgia Central Credit Union is celebrating a new milestone--reaching over $2 billion in assets in February. Chief Investment Officer Cory Johnston explained that Georgia Central attributes its record assets to several events: normal liquidity inflows, increased deposit activity at credit unions due to a slowing economy and Georgia Central's successful...
Opinions
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In These Times, an Optimist Can Seize the Day and Capitalize on Opportunities at Hand
Oil hits record $110 per barrel. Gold prices explode and now exceed $1,000 per ounce. Storied investment firm Bear Stearns disappears over the weekend. The Federal Reserve dusts off arcane rules to create liquidity conduits. Real estate prices down by 33% in some markets.
Opinion
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It's Not Too Early to Start Preparing for Identity Theft Red Flag Requirements
As I was sitting in yet another airport terminal waiting for a flight home, the TV monitor showed a CNN breaking news story on Eliot Spitzer troubles. As evidence that I picked the correct career path, I was less interested in the details of what he did than in how...
Publisher's Column
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Dos and Don'ts of Working the Media
I'm frequently asked how to better pitch stories for Credit Union Times' coverage.
Staking Out the Stats
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Watson Wyatt Finds Employers Are Enhancing 401(k)s
A recent Watson Wyatt survey found that many companies are enhancing contributions to their defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s.
On-Site Conference Coverage
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Hampel Warns Directors to Resist Urge to Offset Falling Net Worth
Though net income, return-on-assets, and net worth ratios are expected to fall in 2008 and 2009, credit unions shouldn't put too much effort into offsetting them, CUNA Chief Economist Bill Hampel warned directors attending the Big Valley Educational Conference this morning.
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Focus Group Finds Gen Y Wants Options, Easy Access to Information
Generation Y doesn't like courtesy pay, doesn't want your text messages, but does want educational print materials, according to focus groups conducted by the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues'Applied Research Institute think tank.
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CUs Share Best Practices in Pricing, Pre-Approval and Youth Marketing
Three credit union representatives shared their best practices on a variety of subjects in a Big Valley session.
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As Tax Rebate Thieves Go on the Prowl, Credit Unions Man Consumer Defenses
The upcoming tax rebate that will put an extra $300 to $1,200 in the hands of most Americans. And, while that sounds good to consumers, it also has become a golden opportunity for crooks. After all, the total going out to individuals is projected to be in the neighborhood of...
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