Credit Union Times Magazine January 16, 2013

Thumbs Up for Forward Analytics

By Peter Strozniak

Soon after starting his new job as chief lending officer at the $614 million Farmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Union in Los Angeles, Brian Leonard began his search for his dream software solution that would enable him to actively manage and grow the credit union’s diverse portfolio of 31,000 consumer,...

Becker to Retire; Berger Named CEO

By Heather Anderson

NAFCU President/CEO Fred Becker, who announced his retirement Jan. 7, said he will be leaving the credit union industry for good when he leaves the trade July 31.

Secondary Sales Uptick

By Heather Anderson

A New York-based investment banker said he’s noticed an uptick in his bank and credit union clients selling mortgages to the secondary market, especially when the loans aren’t performing.

PenFed Growth Mode

By Michelle A. Samaad

Since its launch in 2006, Prudential PenFed Realty has used a formula to keep up with the demand for its services while showing homes to members who may have to uproot with little notice. The firm sets up shop where members are moving to.

Credit Unions Focus on Gen Y Relationship Building

By Natasha Chilingerian

Credit unions’ Gen Y-related challenges extend beyond grabbing their attention. Once a credit union gains young members, it has to convince them to stick around. Even after they’ve committed themselves, their impact on the credit union may not be 100% positive. Since many young adults lack expertise in personal finance,...

Comedy Tonight! Ropes In Young Adults to Workshop

By Natasha Chilingerian

Credit unions know that in order to convince young adults to attend an educational event, an incentive must be involved. In CAP COM Federal Credit Union’s case, comedy and prizes are what recently brought a large group of 15- to 25-year-olds through the door.

New ATM Syncs With Smartphones

By David Morrison

ATM manufacturer Diebold has released a new ATM that, the company said, will help deploying institutions attract members of the Millennial generation.

Reacting to Nasty Tweets, Snarky Posts May Help CUs Shine

By Candice Reed

Just when your credit union starts getting the hang of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Google+, someone writes a negative post on your page, and all hell breaks loose.

Support For Reg Z Change

By Heather Anderson

Both NAFCU and CUNA support the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule that would amend Regulation Z to allow nonworking spouses easier access to a credit card.

One Regulatory Size Does Not Fit All

By Sarah Snell Cooke

I’m going to share with you excerpts from a report that was sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explaining why it should practice an asset size-based exemption for its regulations. The executive summary opens:

ATM Homogenization to Continue

By David Morrison

It is becoming steadily more difficult to recall that, once upon a time, there were many different ATM networks across the country, some owned by credit unions and several with a fee-free option for users. These regional networks competed vigorously for credit union affiliation and led to sometimes as many...

Low-Income CUs to Blossom

By David Morrison

After many years as the ugly ducklings of the credit union industry, lower income credit union members are poised to become a good deal more like swans in 2013.

New Approaches to Lure Gen Y

By Natasha Chilingerian

The notion that credit unions need to increase their young membership in order to survive is a no-brainer. In 2013, the question won’t be whether credit unions should make a conscious effort to attract Gen Y. It’ll be how can they do it in a way that hasn’t been done...

Investment Overhaul

By Michelle Samaad

The markets roiled several times last year, scaring investors to pull out and wait on the sidelines.

Marketing Buzz Words

By Peter Strozniak

Mobile banking, on boarding and gamification may be some of the buzz words marketing professionals in the credit union industry are using throughout 2013.

HR Focus: Retention And Costs

By Peter Strozniak

Leveraging incentives and bonuses to keep high performers, taming the costs of Obamacare and looking at new policies to address workplace bullying are among some of the top trends that HR professionals in the credit union industry are expected to be talking about throughout 2013.

THINK 13 Registration Opens

The THINK 13 conference, organized by CO-OP Financial Services, will zeroing in on how to “Disrupt Business as Usual”–to creatively disrupt an organization from within before it gets disrupted from without. As usual, this year’s edition will feature a line-up of business leaders from outside the industry who will offer...

FDIC Spies Mobile Risks

In a detailed paper on mobile payments published in the FDIC’s winter issue of “Supervisory Insights,” a group of agency executives explore in detail “the unique risks and supervisory issues raised by this technology.”

Telesis Tab Reaches $72 Million

The NCUSIF has taken an estimated hit of $72 million due to the failure of Telesis Community Credit Union, NCUA Public Affairs Specialist John Fairbanks said Tuesday.

Bibb at MidSouth Helm

Roy Bibb has been named president/CEO of the $176 million, 30,100-member MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union in Macon, Ga.

Bridgeway FCU as CDFI

The $73 million, 9,500-member Bridgeway Federal Credit Union in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., has been recognized as a community development financial institution by the Community Development Financial Institutions fund.

Cordray at Webinar

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray will join NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz in a town hall webinar at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 5 to discuss the CFPB’s recently finalized regulations, proposed rules and enforcement efforts.

How to Really Make Social Media Work for Your Credit Union

After you read through your Facebook newsfeed today, did you remember any specific messages from businesses that you follow? If so, take careful note of how those messages were crafted and what they said. It will be valuable information after you read this.

Regulation, Communication, Trust and Ethics Linked

By Stuart R. Levine

The full effect of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is still to be felt in the financial sector. Dodd-Frank creates an environment of increased scrutiny and heightened sensitivity by regulators and consumers.

Will Your New Year Have Goals and Actions?

I recently had lunch with a respected business contact and friend. During our conversation about 2012 successes and direction for 2013, we got on the topic of goals.

Beat Big Bank Branding on a CU Budget

You resent them a little, don’t you? Those big banks with their huge marketing budgets and well-known brands. Their glossy brochures and those dazzling websites. Your credit union has great ideas, too, but with such a limited budget, it’s impossible to accomplish.

Holiday Donations 2012

Aggieland Credit Union, College Station, Texas, raised more than $1,600 over the course of 2012 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the credit union’s employee Give Back Days. Give Back Days are a chance for employees to fundraise one day a month by wearing jeans and a maroon...

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