Credit Union Times Magazine May-28, 2008
News
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IBT Survey Finds Large Majority of FI Executives Considering Building Green
ATLANTA -- Forget about it being a fad, going green seems to be the future for financial institutions.
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Constitution Corporate, Seeing Advantage in Private Student Loans, Promotes H.E.L.P.
WALLINGFORD, Conn. -- With the cost of college tuition rising at a 7.5% clip annually, credit union member-parents with college bound kids are looking for some help and a bit of relief. A new program rolled out here by Constitution Corporate FCU and other corporates to their own CU members...
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Marquis Announces Changes at NCUA as Agency Adjusts to Industry Woes
LA JOLLA, Calif. -- NCUA Director David Marquis didn't have much good news for WesCorp Future Forum attendees during his presentation on the event's first day. Not only has the agency charged $215 million to NCUSIF reserves so far in 2008, but last year's NCUA employee collective bargaining agreement and...
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SEC Opens Up Small Business Financing Opportunities for CUs
WASHINGTON -- Now that the Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted an amendment to increase the availability of capital to certain smaller companies, credit unions and other lenders may be able to help more small businesses.
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CUNA to Party at Rainbow Room
NEW YORK CITY -- Attendees at CUNA's annual conference will be able to eat, drink and dance on a revolving floor high atop Manhattan.
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NCUA: CUs Can Use CUSOs as Loan Experts, With Restrictions
WASHNGTON -- Like so many warranty disclaimers, NCUA has said credit unions can use CUSO loan experts but certain restrictions apply.
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SACU Picks Online Supplier
SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Federal Credit Union has signed a multiyear deal for online account opening services from Online Resources Corp.
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Patelco CU Boasts of a Firm Growth Path Thanks to Walgreens SEG
DEERFIELD, Ill. -- San Francisco-based Patelco Credit Union is writing the book this year on the nurturing of SEGs considering its stellar record for the giant Walgreens drug chain as measured in member growth and loan volume.
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Senate Banking Committee Passes Mortgage Bailout Measure
WASHINGTON --A fund to help victims of the subprime mortgage crisis and a reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are key components of a bill passed by the Senate Banking Committee last week.
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Emigrant Mortgage Reaches Out to CUs With 'Conservative' Approach
ELMSFORD, N.Y. -- Emigrant Mortgage Co. here believes it has found a like-minded approach between itself and credit unions in how mortgage operations are conducted. Realizing that affinity, Emigrant is now reaching out to introduce itself as another option available for specialized mortgage products for credit union members.
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Aloha Airlines FCU Mulls New Direction; Community Rallies Around Workers
HONOLULU -- Members of Aloha Airlines Federal Credit Union are proving to be a resilient lot even after nearly 1,000 of them lost their jobs when Aloha Airlines closed its doors for good on March 31.
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Fannie Mae Mortgage Guidelines Will Help Homebuyers, Says CMPS Chairman
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In early May, Fannie Mae announced several key changes to its residential mortgage guidelines that will have a major impact on helping homebuyers and may assist lenders in easing the mortgage crisis, said Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute (www.cmpsinstitute.org), an organization that certifies mortgage...
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Economists Kick Off Forum With Good News, Bad News on Current Slump
LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Two top economists launched WesCorp's Future Forum with the same good news, bad news scenario many industry economists have already predicted: The forces driving the current economic downturn are severe and unique. However, thanks to a lack of traditional recession indicators, it shouldn't be terribly severe.
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TruHome Hits $1 Bil. Mark
LENEXA, Kan. -- For the first time ever, TruHome Solutions LLC, a mortgage credit union service organization, has hit the $1 billion mark in mortgage servicing.
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Four More States Offer SBA's Rural Lender Advantage Program
WASHINGTON -- To make it accessible to even more credit unions and community banks, the Small Business Administration has extended its Small/Rural Lender Advantage program to Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.
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Hayes Brings Marketing, Education Experience to WesCorp's Top Finance Post
SAN DIMAS, Calif. -- When new WesCorp Chief Financial Officer Jim Hayes was named Todd Lane's replacement after just five years of heading the corporate's marketing and business development department, those unfamiliar with Hayes and his background might have questioned the choice.
Front Page News
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Fired CUNA Exec Wins EEO Case
MADISON, Wis. -- A Madison Equal Opportunity Commission hearing examiner has found that CUNA fired a former top executive for complaining about his boss's racist and sexist comments. If upheld, the ruling could force CUNA to pay a substantial amount in back pay and damages.
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XCU Capital Lacked Tech and Resources
SAN DIEGO -- Ask any of the principals affiliated with XCU Capital Corp., a credit union homegrown broker-dealer and investment advisory firm, for the
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Spring Data Reveals an Industry First: Ranks of CU Members Swell to 90 Million
MADISON, Wis. -- For the first time ever credit union membership has topped the 90 million mark, according to industry estimates.
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Hugs at WesCorp Future Forum
WesCorp President/CEO Bob Siravo teams up with the Friar Mascot of the National League San Diego Padres during WesCorp's Future Forum in La Jolla, Calif., last week. Conference attendees were treated to a Padres-Mariners game at Petco Park in San Diego.
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NCUA Board Orders Additional Data Collection on Membership Profile
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Federal credit unions will have to submit additional data about the financial characteristics of their members and the services they provide to them as a result of policies approved Thursday by the NCUA Board.
News Briefs
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Risk-Based Capital Is 'Well Overdue': Cuevas
BOISE, Idaho -- The time for risk-based capital "is well overdue" for credit unions and conditions are improving for passage perhaps in a year, according to former NCUA aide Kirk Cuevas.
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Hampel Voices Positive Outlook
WASHINGTON -- CUNA Chief Economist Bill Hampel, appearing on Bloomberg TV, expressed an overall positive view of the future for the economy, saying that next year will be a very important year for growth.
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Bethpage Sponsors Fonz Book Signing
HUNTINGTON, N.Y. -- Bethpage Federal Credit Union partnered with Book Revue, an independent bookstore in Huntington, N.Y., to sponsor author events throughout the year. This months author event featured actor, producer and author Henry Winkler.
Marketing
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CUES Announces GMA Award Winners
MINNEAPOLIS -- It was a big night for marketers as 2008 CUES Golden Mirror Award winners were announced during the recent CUES Experience: Immersion Learning for Marketing, Technology & Operations Leaders conference.
Special Report
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Neighborhood CU Boomer Programs Named to 'Today' Show's Top Five
DALLAS -- For its plethora of programs courting the 50 and older crowd, Neighborhood Credit Union was recently featured on NBC's "Today" show as one of the top five financial institutions in the country for targeting the baby boomer generation.
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Baxter CU Advisers on CUNA Council
VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- For their performance and service to members, several of Baxter Credit Union's investment adviser representatives have been named to CUNA Mutual Group's President's Council.
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California Investment Managers Strive to Keep Networking Group Grassroots
SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Over lunch or coffee, outside of the office, colleagues are more apt to talk candidly about the pressing issues of the day.
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Fee-Based Advisory Channel Surpasses Retail Investments, Benchmark Report Shows
ROCKLIN, Calif. -- Spotting where the revenue growth is in credit union investment programs, the fee-based advisory channel has seen the largest increase year over year compared to the revenue of other products and services within the retail investment services channel, according to the 2007 Callahan/SCS Credit Union Retail Investment...
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Bank Mergers Provide Opening for Tremont CU's Trust Services
BRAINTREE, Mass. -- The type of member seeking trust services at Tremont Credit Union ranges from older couples with concerns about their estates should they have to face Alzheimer's disease to parents ensuring that spendthrift children won't abuse their inheritances.
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Sandwiched By Work and Caring For Elderly, Baby Boomers Seek Relief
PASADENA, Calif. -- Dubbed the sandwich generation for their position between working full time, raising children and taking care of an elderly parent or relative, credit unions are discovering this growing baby boomer segment has unique financial needs.
Opinions
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Protect Your Members from Sharks, Direct Them to Client-Oriented Advisers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of gasoline has increased by 26% in the last year and oil increases show no sign of slowing down. Similarly, the bureau notes that grain and dairy-based products have increased by double digits in the last year. And, we are all...
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Michigan and St. Lucia Leagues Sign Up For WOCCU International Partnership
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Michigan Credit Union League and the St. Lucia Credit Union Co-Operative League penned the latest World Council of Credit Unions international partnership at the MCUL's 2008 annual convention and exposition.
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Big Co-Op Makes Solar Commitment
KENT, Wash. -- One of the largest cooperatives in the country announced a commitment to solar technology and put it on the fast track.
Publisher's Column
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Underserved, Justice Served, Poorly Served and Reader Served
At the risk of exposing myself as a scatterbrain, I couldn't settle on just one topic for this week's column, so I'm going to hit you with a throng of subjects.
Quotes Worth Quoting
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Quotes Worth Quoting
"Everybody's writing off a few more loans, spreads are thinner and ROAs aren't looking good."
On-Site Conference Coverage
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CSCU Advances Effort to Help CUs Better Manage Card Portfolios
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Building on steadily improving CU card portfolio performance, Card Services for Credit Unions unveiled a sharply expanded consulting and education effort for member credit unions at its annual meeting.
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Fidelity National Stepping Forward Additional Help for Credit Unions
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), the card processor for most card issuing credit unions, used Card Services for Credit Unions annual meeting to introduce several upgraded products and services.
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Interchange Debate Gains the Spotlight at This Year's CSCU Meeting
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Protecting card interchange income made center stage at Card Services for Credit Unions annual meeting here this year.
People
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People
EASTEight Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, Broomall, Pa., announced that its employees were acknowledge for participating in a successful 2008 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in the City of Chester. The VITA program provides free income tax preparation to low income taxpayers. Eight Franklin Mint volunteers were recognized along with...
Letters to the editor
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You Don't Have to Be 'Truly Ignorant' To Be Financially Illiterate
I thought CUVA CEO Laura Enock's opinion piece (CU Times, April 23, 2008, page 16) was very provocative. While I don't agree 100% with what she said or how she said it, I do agree that it takes more than education. It takes personal responsibility and motivation and self discipline,...
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Responsibility Is Important, but Better Financial Education Is Imperative
It was with great interest that I read Laura Enock's op-ed regarding our country not needing financial education--only financial responsibility. Not only was your piece misguided and the tone condescending, it is also offensive to anyone who teaches financial education or has ever had a financial problem. In my 11...
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Federally Insured CUs Pay for Wealthy Members' Moral Hazard
As thoroughly reported in Credit Union Times, the financial condition of the California-based and recently conserved Cal State 9 Credit Union continues to deteriorate. The National Credit Union Administration's handling of this state-chartered, federally insured institution raises an important public policy question. Is the NCUSIF purposely or inadvertently using conservatorships...
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