Credit Union Times Magazine September 19, 2012

Featured Story

Mobile Remittances May Boost World’s CUs

A new partnership between the World Council of Credit Unions and Boom Financial, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based company that provides mobile banking and money transfer services to immigrant and unbanked families, could pump new life into credit unions in developing countries.

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Featured Story

Affinity Card Reward Help Credit Unions Stand Out

By David Morrison

Even though affinity card issuing may have a become a more difficult regulatory and economic challenge, some credit unions have begun to find payments success by launching affinity card rewards programs, credit union card executives report.

Front Page News

CEO as Treasurer: A Good Idea?

By Robert McGarvey

It may be common–and it certainly is permitted under NCUA rules–but debates are beginning to be heard among some credit union experts when it comes to credit union employees (frequently the CEO) serving on the board of directors as treasurer.
NCUA Stands Firm on Autoland Bids

By Michelle A. Samaad

The NCUA is standing by its decision to limit bids for Autoland Inc., an auto buying CUSO, to only credit unions and CUSOs.
College Savings Plan Hits $1 Billion in North Carolina

By Michelle A. Samaad

Twenty-five dollars may not seem like a lot of money, but those small investments over the years have helped the North Carolina’s National College Savings Program’s NC 529 Plans grow to more than $1 billion.

News

Post-Recession, Women in Control Face New Challenges

By Michelle A. Samaad

The Great Recession forced some women to take an even more active role in managing the household’s finances.
Boomers Most Anxious Over Rising Prices

By Michelle A. Samaad

With the futures of Medicare and Social Security main topics in this year’s election, baby boomers are surprisingly more concerned about another issue.
MBL Hike Outlook Is Dim in Congress

By Heather Anderson

WASHINGTON — Although speakers at NAFCU’s Congressional Caucus pledged their support for credit union member business lending , not one member of Congress said MBL legislation would be passed before the end of this year.
Members' Needs Driving Force Behind PFM Adoption

By Peter Strozniak

After raising the wrath of some of its members who had grown used to a personal financial management tool, Unitus Community Credit Union made the hard decision to go with another firm.
Michigan State University FCU Finds More Avenues Equals More Contacts

By Eileen Courter

Highway engineers often say you can’t out build traffic. Expand a two-lane road to four and more vehicles come. Add two more lanes and still more motorists arrive.

Editor-in-Chief's Column

Business Lending Gets Lost in Election Shuffle: Editor-Publisher's Column

By Sarah Snell Cooke

Years ago before my time in credit unions, CUNA and NAFCU decided one would hold its Governmental Affairs Conference at the beginning of the congressional session and NAFCU would target the end. The lines have blurred some and lobbying receives more emphasis on the whole.

People Feature

Myriad Challenges Drive Bill Clancy’s Days

By Myriam DiGiovanni

The greater the challenge the more fun Bill Clancy, vice president of retail strategy at Lake Michigan Credit Union, has trying to figure out a solution.
People in the News

By Staff Writer

Hirings, promotions, career moves.

On-Site Conference Coverage

All Eyes on Partisan Politics at NAFCU Caucus

By David Morrison

WASHINGON — Election year partisanship and controversy largely elbowed credit union topics off the agenda on the first day of NAFCU's 2012 Congressional Caucus. The annual event began Sept. 12, right at the beginning of a short congressional session before legislators head home to campaign for the November elections.
Matz Announces Low-Income Initiative for State CUs

By Heather Anderson

DENVER — The NCUA’s opt-in process for low income credit union designation may expand to include state-chartered credit unions, NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz announced last week during her keynote speech at the 2012 NASCUS Summit. The agency hopes to put the program into play later this month by working with...
Jeff Post Sees Continued High Unemployment

By Heather Anderson

DENVER — Regardless of which party wins the White House and control of Congress, 8% unemployment may be something we’ll have to live with, CUNA Mutual CEO Jeff Post told his general session audience last week during the 2012 NASCUS Summit here.

Opinion

New Mobile Ecosystem Calls for CU Card Brand Protection: Guest Opinion

By Brian Day

In an era of almost daily news about alternate and mobile payment solutions in our industry, credit union executives are right to be concerned not only about the future of their business but also of the potential dilution of their brand as new players enter the market.
Mobile Access Is Key to PFM Use

By Brett Wooden

With approximately 70 million possible tablet users by year end and 4.6 billion smartphones being used worldwide, it’s safe to say credit union members are mobile.

News Briefs

Toronto CU Names Senechal CEO

By Staff Writer

DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd. announced that Richard Senechal has been appointed president/CEO.
Google Kills Prepaid Card

By Robert McGarvey

Saying that the prepaid card it once built its Wallet around had become obsolete, Google has moved to kill that payment option, effective Oct. 17, according to an announcement emailed to users and also posted on a Google blog.
Atlantic Financial FCU Adds a SEG

By Staff Writer

Atlantic Financial Federal Credit Union now offers membership to employees of Transamerica Life & Protection. As a select employee group, Transamerica will offer AFFCU membership as part of its benefits package.
CBC FCU Names Miller New CEO

By Staff Writer

The board of directors of CBC Federal Credit Union recently appointed Patrick Miller as its new president/CEO. Miller brings more than 22 years of financial industry experience, including sales, marketing, compliance and operations. Most recently, he was vice president, branch operations for Navy Federal Credit Union.
POPA FCU Picks Bartus

By Staff Writer

POPA Federal Credit Union, Cerritos, Calif., has named Raymond Bartus its next CEO. Bartus had served as the credit union’s interim CEO.
Interchange Legal Action Is Likely

By David Morrison

A retail group which was not a party to the original anti-trust fight between retailers and major card brands and card issuers over credit card interchange said it is moving closer to taking legal action to try and block a settlement in that case.

Letters to the editor

Letter: Mortgage Growth Timing Is Now

By Tina Powers

Kudos to Callahan & Associates for acknowledging credit unions’ first-quarter record 8% U.S. mortgage market share and challenging the industry to increase that share even more, as outlined in the page 3 article in the Aug. 15 issue, “Leaders Call for a Push For More CU Market Share.”