Credit Union Times Magazine April-28, 2010

Senate Gearing Up for Reg Debate

By Claude R. Marx

Lawmakers were trying at press time to iron out a bipartisan agreement on legislation to overhaul the way financial services are regulated.

Louisiana CUs Band Together To Create Business CUSO

By Michelle A. Samaad

For more than nine years, Carter Federal Credit Union hummed along with its business lending program amassing $7 million in loans, relishing the fact that its portfolio never took any charge-off or delinquency hits.

Ambac Restructuring May Cost Corporate CUs $400 Million

By Heather Anderson

Monoline insurer Ambac's forced restructuring could cost corporate credit unions as much as $400 million in new OTTIs.

Wis. Bankers Lambast MBLs

By Michelle A. Samaad

Pulling from a 2003 Government Accountability Office study, the Wisconsin Bankers Association offered what it considered evidence that most NCUA examiners do not have enough experience to effectively monitor commercial loans at credit unions.

Year-Old Tenn. Credit Union Finds Success Despite Great Recession

By David Morrison

The now $3 million Mid East Tennessee Community Credit Union turned one-year-old this past March and organizers report the new CU is thriving despite the down economy.

CUES and Currency Marketing Are Searching for the Next Top CU Exec

By Lindsey Siegriest

CUES and Currency Marketing have teamed up to create an outlet for the voices of the next generation of credit union employees to be heard.

NCUA Report Faults Cal State 9 Management and Regulators

By Claude R. Marx

The management of Cal State 9 Credit Union made "poor strategic decisions" and lacked the experience to understand the risks of subprime lending and its HELOC program, while NCUA examiners failed to recognize the risks and take corrective action.

Texas CU Signs NCUA Letter to Improve Records and Loans

Poor recordkeeping and unsafe loan practices are among the conditions that officials of Kappa Alpha Psi Federal Credit Union agreed to improve in a letter of understanding and agreement with the NCUA.

NCUA: CEO's Embezzlement and Exam Failures Caused Center Valley Demise

By Claude R. Marx

The primary cause of the failure of Center Valley FCU was the embezzlement of millions of dollars by the former CEO to fund her family's restaurant and the purchase of luxury vehicles.

Last Gonzalez Hacker Associate Headed to Jail

By David Morrison

Damon Patrick Toey, 28, the last currently captured hacker who took part in the majority of major card security breaches over the last 10 years, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

California CU Forms a Team to Launch 'Money Matters' Program

By Myriam DiGiovanni

Travis Credit Union has helped to make sure money matters to Solano County's foster youth.

New Jersey League Issues Challenge on Financial Literacy

To kickoff Financial Literacy Month, the New Jersey Credit Union League has issued the financial literacy challenge to local credit unions.

Blog Ideas

CUcontent.com has unveiled a new service as part of its free weekly e-zine, MarQueting Moments, weekly topics for social media posters and bloggers.

MAC Finalists Are Named

The Marketing Association of Credit Unions has announced the five finalists for its MACQUEE award-Best in Show for the 2010 Marketing Awards Competition.

As Delegates Tweet and Blog, Industry Conferences Undergo Remake

Social networking has hit the credit union conference circuit big time in 2010.

CUNA Mutual: Deposits Past Peak

By Michelle A. Samaad

While money market account have increased by $29 billion, their sister accounts, certificate of deposits, have declined by $10 billion since February 2009.

CUNA Search for New CEO Nearing End

By Claude R. Marx

Cinco de Mayo, the day Mexico's 1862 victory over the French is celebrated, may also mark the day when CUNA names a new leader.

Cheryl Davis, CEO At Smart, to Retire

After 46 years of service, Smart Financial Resources President/CEO Cheryl Davis will retire.

New Charter Formed In Washington State

A credit union marketing firm in Washington State is helping organize the first new CU in seven years to be located on one of Seattle's commuter islands in Puget Sound.

Montana Head Teller Faces House Primary

Kathy Keenan-Swanson, the head teller at the $91 million Southwest Montana Federal Credit Union of Anaconda, is preparing to face her first test in her pursuit of a House seat in the Montana legislature.

450 Turn Out for Home for Troops

In the latest industry show of support for Iraq-Afghanistan veterans, an estimated 450 Missouri credit union managers, volunteers and employees turned out recently for a build-a-home project on behalf of a badly injured U.S. soldier.

CRIF Buys APPRO

CRIF is the new owner of APPRO, the latest in its acquisition of American lending software and credit services operations.

Fed More Eager To Engage CUs

Credit unions seem to be gaining new stature in the Federal Reserve system based on new overtures from at least one key district bank, CU officials reported.

Leading ACH Receivers

Perhaps reflecting their primary roles as savings institutions, four credit unions were among the top fifty receivers of payments through the Automated Clearing House system, according to the Electronic Payments Coalition.

Navy FCU, Columbia CU Tally Benefits of Eco-Friendly Facilities

By Myriam DiGiovanni

Kermit the Frog may have lamented that it's not easy being green, but it is certainly worth the time and effort for credit unions.

Consultant Says Virtual Branch Can Offer Boost to Even Smallest CUs

By Myriam DiGiovanni

Before building another physical branch, consider investing those dollars in technology to transform your credit union's website into a vibrant, interactive, high-performing resource.

Time for Credit Unions to Help Their Members Be Greener?

Is it time for credit unions to expand the concept of helping consumers live within their means to include green efforts?

FinCen Encourages Electronic Filings

Credit unions that wish to learn how to electronically file reports to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act can consult a new brochure from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

NAFCU Survey Shows Interest in Serving the Underserved

Credit unions don't want the added regulatory burden of complying with the Community Reinvestment Act, but 40% of those surveyed said they would add an underserved area to their field of membership if the law were changed to let them do so.

Trades Express Concern on CARD Act

CUNA and NAFCU are concerned about the CARD Act's proposed fee structure and the requirement to reevaluate a card user's interest rates every six months.

Billion-Dollar CUs Commit to EasCorp Mobile Remote Deposit Capture

A pair of billion-dollar credit unions have committed to being among the first users of the mobile remote-deposit capture service from Eastern Corporate Federal Credit Union and its Vertifi Software LLC subsidiary.

Enhanced Mobile

A small suburban Cleveland credit union has enhanced the mobile banking service it launched last fall.

E-Statement Market Matures, Offers 'Whale' of a Savings

By Marc Rapport

"Last year our members saved about 60 tons of paper using electronic statements. That's the equivalent of two average-sized gray whales," said Teresa Halleck, president/CEO of The Golden 1 Credit Union in Sacramento.

You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Can't Make Him THINK

By Sarah Snell Cooke

I spent time in Scottsdale, Ariz., last week at CO-OP's THINK 2010 conference. CO-OP didn't become the largest CUSO by accident, and credit unions could take a lesson or two from the organization.

Well-Managed Indirect Auto Loan Programs Are Essential for CUs

I just read Brett Christensen's comments in the article titled, "Is Indirect Lending a Romp in the Devil's Playground?" in the April 7 issue.

NCUA Avoids Blame

Well said! I applaud you for taking this stance in the March 17 Editor's Column titled, "Is the NCUA Clueless? Or Is It Seeking to Kill Off the Corporates?"

Making Dollars and Sense of Cooperation

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of cooperatives is that they all apply set principles and values to fulfill their respective visions and missions.

Student Loan Bill Brings Opportunity

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which was included in the health care reconciliation bill that was enacted last month, directly impacts higher education financing programs guaranteed by the federal government.

NCUA Says Goldman Charges Will Not Affect Plans on Legacy Assets

The Securities and Exchange Commission April 16 filed a civil suit against Goldman, Sachs & Co. and one of its vice presidents for defrauding investors by misstating and omitting key facts about a financial product tied to subprime mortgages.

Goldman Contract Renewed

The Trust for Credit Unions Mutual Fund Family renewed its annual contract with Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Callahan Financial Services announced April 13.

People

Municipal Employees Credit Union, Baltimore, announced that Harry Deitchman, director emeritus, was inducted into the Credit Union Executive Society's director hall of fame.

Local Government FCU Is Proud of Its Branding and Marketing

By Eileen Courter

Maurice Smith's high school classmates were on the right track when they predicted in the yearbook he would be a bank president.

Board Member Lumpkin Passes

Community First Credit Union of Florida is mourning board member John Lumpkin, who died at the age of 58 from complications of pneumonia.

Branching Out

Northern Star Credit Union, Portsmouth, Va., announced plans to hold a grand opening celebration at I.C. Norcom High School, one of two of its newest student credit unions.