Credit Union Times Magazine February-17, 2010

Velocity Staying With NCUA; SafeAmerica Switches to ASI

By Jim Rubenstein

Last week the score on deposit insurance coverage was even. One for the NCUA and one for American Share Insurance.

Constitution Corp Digs Deeper

By Heather Anderson

When Constitution Corporate Federal Credit Union released its December 2009 financials Feb. 8, reporting an inflated $25.2 million prior undivided earnings deficit, the industry wondered if the $1.3 billion corporate was under conservatorship.

Charter Comment Time Extended

By Claude R. Marx

Credit unions will have six additional weeks to submit comment letters on the NCUA's proposed rule to revamp the application process for community charters.

Perfect Recessionary Storm Batters California's Big Credit Unions

By Heather Anderson

North Island Credit Union President/CEO John Tippets said he's cautious but positive he can turn the ailing $1.4 billion San Diego credit union around, despite dropping to 3.39% net worth at year-end 2009.

NCUA Board Approves Interim Capital Rule

By David Morrison

The NCUA Board has approved changes to the agency's regulations to allow eligible credit unions to use capital they might access from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The board took the action in a notational vote Feb. 9.

Staffers Focus Details While Prepping for GAC

By Claude R. Marx

With several thousand attendees, exhibitors and speakers converging on Washington for CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference,

NCUA Mum on Future Assessments

By Heather Anderson

Credit union executives seem satisfied with the NCUA's methodology and corporate loss estimates presented at the regulator's Feb. 4 town hall meeting, said Southeastern League of Credit Unions President/CEO Patrick La Pine.

Tower FCU Sees Opportunities From Baltimore-D.C. Strengths

By Michelle A. Samaad

Despite last week's blizzard that literally shut down Washington, Tower Federal Credit Union is still optimistic about the findings from a new report that show the region has several qualities that may make it ideal for stronger economic growth this year.

America First Merges Mountain High FCU

By Jim Rubenstein

The $4.8 billion America First Federal Credit Union, Utah's largest, has taken over the $50 million Mountain High FCU of Provo, Utah, in an NCUA supervisory merger.

University of Iowa CU Merging With Hiawatha CU

By Jim Rubenstein

The $914 million University of Iowa Community Credit Union, the state's second largest, is making its mark this month in further field of membership expansion by merging with the $46 million Best of Iowa Community CU of Hiawatha.

Lender Joins Wash. CU

By Michelle A. Samaad

Steve Okazaki, a 25-year banking industry veteran, has been hired by the $755 million Columbia Credit Union to assist with its commercial lending operations.

Following DMV Lead, Texans Credit Union Goes Paperless on Auto Titles

By Lindsey Siegriest

After the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles implemented its electronic lien and title program in November, Texans Credit Union decided to move to an electronic title system.

Polish & Slavic FCU Opens Two Branches in Chicago Suburbs

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union extended its reach to the Midwest by establishing its presence in the Chicago area, where it opened two branches in the city's suburbs of Mt. Prospect and Norridge.

CU Case Study Set

Xceed Financial Credit Union was selected to participate in a class case study conducted by students at Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University

Va. Bank Bill Morphs Into a Softer Compromise Measure in Senate

By Jim Rubenstein

For the time being, credit union concerns in Virginia and elsewhere over companion bills in the state Senate and House enabling banks to buy and merge credit unions have eased following committee action leading to likely passage.

WesCorp Guide Helps Fight Fraud

By Heather Anderson

Western Corporate Federal Credit Union has published an instructional document to help credit unions protect themselves from fraudulent electronic financial transactions.

New Mexico House Passes Funds Bill

By Jim Rubenstein

In a follow up to the "Move Your Money" campaign of New York pundit Arianna Huffington, New Mexico lawmakers may give credit unions and community banks a big boost when it comes to the deposit of public funds.

Senate Doesn't Include MBL Cap

By Claude R. Marx

Credit unions received some discouraging news on Capitol Hill last week when the draft version of a Senate jobs creation bill didn't include a provision to raise the cap on member business lending.

Invest in America Incentives Target Employee Groups at CUs

Credit union members in specific professions will be able to take advantage of an additional incentive offer through Invest in America.

Arizona Credit Union to Close Five Branches

The $460 million First Credit Union of Chandler, Ariz., has joined a growing list of Arizona CUs engaged in more internal cutbacks.

Kansas Credit Union Takes Over Main St.

After 55 years, Credit Union of Johnson County has a new name: Mainstreet Credit Union.

N.Y. Banks and CUs Fight Over Public Funds

New York credit unions and banks stepped up their Albany skirmishes over deposit of public funds with each side issuing dueling press releases both supporting and attacking the concept.

Conn. CU League Is Wary of Walmart

The Connecticut Credit Union League is joining the industry watch on Walmart Stores' move into financial services by issuing a member alert on the retailer's start of check-cashing in all 33 of its Connecticut stores.

Mich. Small Business Alliance Is Formed

One of the most pressing issues for Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is job creation.

Obama Proposes Temp Increase in SBA Cap

President Obama has proposed temporarily increasing the cap on SBA Express loans from $350,000 to $1 million in the latest effort to jump-start business lending.

NCUA Says CUSOs Can Provide CUs With Compliance Services

Credit unions can form a CUSO to provide services aimed at helping credit unions comply with federal regulations, according to a legal opinion from NCUA Associate General Counsel Sheila Albin.

Conflict of Interest Rules

A conflict of interest that would prevent a board member from voting must have a "real or actual effect, not a hypothetical or speculative effect on the individual or organization's interest,"

County Rules

A county can be a member of and sponsor of a CU and could use public funds to start one, according to a legal opinion by NCUA Deputy General Counsel Michael McKenna.

CUs Need to Look to Monitoring to Prevent Large Breaches

By Lindsey Siegriest

Recently, thousands of employees at the Iowa racing and gaming commission had records with their names

Even Before Snowmageddon, Credit Unions Got the Cold Shoulder From D.C.

By Sarah Snell Cooke

Disaster recovery and business continuity plans are a must to respond to crises like the 9/11 terrorist attack,

Retail CUs Do Have a Future

certainly am convinced of the validity of the statement in the Editor-in-Chief's Feb. 3 column that "In the pages of the Credit Union Times,

From the Editor: Keep Those Letters Coming!

Credit Union Times has a goal for 2010 to include Letters to the Editor in nearly every, if not all, issues. We had letters in nearly every issue of 2009.

LOOKING BACK

By Claude R. Marx

Calls for credit unions to be more convenient and Web-oriented in order to grow dates back to at least 10 years ago.

Optimize Your Legacy Technology on a Budget

As consumers remain cautious with their spending in light of economic fears and uncertainty,

Growing Budgets Seen Pushing Envelope in Online Channel Growth

By Marc Rapport

Despite rough economic times, half of the nation's largest financial institutions expect a budget increase of more than 15% in 2010 for online banking initiatives, according to a new report.

Social Networking Joins Online Banking as Consumer Security Concern

By David Morrison

Social networking sites continue to draw new users by the millions, but they also attract fraudster attacks that decrease consumers' willingness to share information online.

CUs Need to Remember That Mobile Banking Is Both Technology and Art

By David Morrison

Which one of these two statements is true? First, mobile banking is a new and innovative way of connecting a credit union with its members that will only become steadily more important.

Addison Avenue FCU Added Security Tools as 'Token' of Appreciation

By Marc Rapport

In the interest of serving a particularly security-savvy membership, particularly those engaging in notably alert-triggering activities,

People

GFA Federal Credit Union, Gardner, Mass., announced that Steven Anderson has joined its team as branch manager of its Fitchburg office.