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Los Angeles Federal Credit Union, Glendale, Calif., collected more than 700 toys for the annual "Toys for Tots" Toy Drive....

FirstLight FCU, El Paso, Reaps Praise For Big Food Drive

The $500 million FirstLight Federal Credit Union has become a champion for helping feed the hungry in West Texas following its drive to collect foodstuffs for the West Texas Food Bank in conjunction with its marquee role as sponsor of the annual FirstLight FCU Sun Bowl Parade....

Colorado/Wyoming League Hires New Lobbyist

As part of a shakeup of its lobbying and advocacy activities, the Colorado and Wyoming Credit Union Associations have hired Timothy Dore, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference of Denver as senior vice president of government affairs....

Nevada FCU Raises $10,000 as Part of Radio DJ Stunt

A fundraising stunt by a Las Vegas radio DJ who slept in a tent atop a 25 foot by 25 foot parking lot for 12 days got big time help from Nevada Federal Credit Union, which contributed $10,000 and paid for a tote board along the a highway showing the latest public tally....

Romney Uses CU Museum As Venue For Speech

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney used the building which houses the America's Credit Union Museum to rally his campaign workers in New Hampshire before he left the state to travel back to Iowa for the Jan. 3 caucuses. The elegant three-story museum exists in the building where the first CU in the United States was established in 1908....

Treasury Corporate Tax Report Still Eyes CU Tax Exemption, CUNA Gives Heated Response

A final copy of a report from the U.S. Treasury Department still lists the credit union tax exemption as one that could be reconsidered if the United States were to reform its corporate tax structure....

Small Business Loans Under $100,000 Continued Trend for Banks, SBA Report To President Shows

WASHINGTON -- While credit unions were not included in the Small Business Administration's Small Business Economy: A Report to the President for 2007 because of their relatively new relationship with SBA, the agency said it is working harder to include credit unions in future reports....

Upstart ATM Network Offers Yet Another Pricing Plan

The market for tailoring ATM programs continues to expand and diversify for credit unions....

Coastal FCU Forms Realty CUSO

To bring another real estate alternative to the Triangle area here, Coastal Federal Credit Union has launched Daymark Realty....

BizKid$ Show Attracts 143 TV Stations So Far

This is the kickoff week for the industry's BizKid$ PBS show on financial literacy with 143 TV stations in 33 states now slated to finally air the program which has been in the works for nearly two years. ...

Wings Financial Re-Registers Airline Credit Union Web Sites

Are two airline-based credit unions that Wings Financial Credit Union had previously contacted as possible merger candidates still on the financial institution's radar?...

CU Robber Tripped Up By Shared Branch Transaction

Authorities have charged a member of one credit union with a robbery of another credit union's branch and credit an observant teller and shared branch transaction for catching him....

First Data Will Start Processing American Express

In a move that could presage some larger credit unions offering their members American Express cards, First Data Corporation has announced an agreement to begin processing American Express transactions....

Brookwood Capital Brokers Card Portfolio Sale In New York

Brookwood Capital, a leading independent broker of credit union card portfolios, announced that it facilitated the sale of $35 million Adirondack Regional Credit Union's card portfolio to TNB Card Services....

Entertainment CUs Not Seeing Much Impact From Strikes Yet

Strikes in various branches of the nation's entertainment industry have not really impacted the members of credit unions established to serve that niche....

Money From 2003 Comes Just In Time For End of Year

Credit unions that participated in shared branching with the Financial Service Centers Cooperative in 2003 have received part of $500,000 on patronage for their transactions, just in time for the end of the year....

Texans CU Purchases Investment Firm for Long-Term Growth

When Texans Credit Union's senior team and board strategize at planning sessions, one topic seems to always top the priority list: how to aggressively reach out to the membership segment that represents one-eighth of the financial institution's $2 billion in deposits....

Low-Cost Services, Not Large Profits Main Reason for CUSO Use at State-Chartered Credit Unions, NASCUS Survey Reveals

The findings from a key survey from NASCUS reveals that credit unions are using CUSOs to provide services at a lower cost to members and not necessarily to generate large profits....

Iraqi Refugees To Receive Financial Relief Via ATM

Iraqi refugees in Syria will begin receiving cash relief via ATM from two United Nations agencies, the organization has announced....

CUNA Strategic Services Extends Pact

Strohl Systems will continue to offer its business continuity software and consulting services through CUNA Strategic Services....

Service CU Launches Dual Military/Civilian Web Sites

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- Service Credit Union has launched dual Web sites in an effort to meet the needs of two major member groups. The sites are accessed through a tunnel page (www.servicecu.org), where members are asked one important question: military or civilian?...

Hess Bids Adieu to Congressional FCU

Congressional Federal Credit Union President/CEO Robert A. Hess wrapped up his 38 years of leadership by retiring effective December 31, 2007....

New DI President Leads Integration into Intuit, Launch of FinanceWorks

A veteran of the tax software side of Intuit Inc. has taken over the reins of what is now officially known as Digital Insight, an Intuit company. ...

CSCU Prepares Data Breach Kit

Card Services for Credit Unions and Visa USA have worked together to produce a package of information credit unions hit by card data breaches can use to mitigate their situations....

Alaska USA FCU Launches Mobile Banking in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska USA Federal Credit Union is now offering mobile wireless banking to its more than 315,000 members....

CUs Rally for Financial Literacy at Iowa Caucuses

Credit unions were hardly taking a back seat for the Iowa Caucuses with employees and volunteers joining the AARP last week, actively promoting financial education to the presidential candidates at campaign stops over the last month....

King Memorial Receives $66,000 from Georgia Credit Unions

To honor the legacy of one of its native sons, Georgia's credit unions have contributed more than $66,000 to help build a national memorial to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr....

Andrews FCU, ABC 7 and NewsChannel 8 Help Soldiers Send Holiday Greetings

Andrews Federal Credit Union is working with ABC 7 and NewsChannel 8 to provide service men and women the opportunity to send season's greetings to their family members back home. ...

DI, Intuit Rolling Out Integrated Online Banking/Budgeting Presence

Digital Insight and Intuit Inc., its new owner, will spend the next several months rolling out what they hope will be the next generation of online banking. ...

Study Indicates Community Charters Don't Solve CU Growth Challenges

Unless you're a rare exception, your credit union is probably not signing up new members at a brisk clip, even if you have a community charter....

LGFCU Helps 50 Subprime Loan Borrowers Through Re-worked Mortgages

Sometimes members don't want to hear that taking out a loan they can't afford in the long run isn't in their best interests, but that's no reason to turn them away once they realize they've made a mistake and need help, said Maurice Smith, president of Local Government FCU here....

What Will New Congress Do With NASCUS Report Finding That State Charters Are Serving Their Members?

If an organization releases a report requested by one Congress after another Congress has come to power, does anyone care? ...

SBA Adds Vermont State Employees CU to Lender Ranks

Vermont State Employees Credit Union recently expanded its business lending and services program by becoming a Small Business Administration lender....

King Memorial Receives $5,000 from Illinois League

Count the Illinois Credit Union System among the latest in the movement to donate to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, which will recognize the civil rights advocate with a memorial in his honor on the National Mall in Washington....

Newtek Marks 200th Credit Union Partnership

Newtek Business Services, Inc., a provider of business services and financial products to the small- and medium-sized business market, marked a milestone last month when it signed its 200th credit union strategic alliance partner....

CURIA Gets 140th Sponsor

The Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act (H.R. 1537) has its 140th sponsor, a legislator from Alabama. The association has reported that Representative Robert "Bud" Cramer (D-Ala.) has signed onto the co-sponsor list for the legislation....

CUs Using CO-OP Network And Falcon to Receive Rate Cut

Credit unions that participate in CO-OP Network and use the Falcon network to score their ATM and signature debit transactions will see their bills drop a bit in the coming year, CO-OP Financial Services has announced....

Fifth Partner Joins Small CU Tech Consortium... Room for More

A fifth credit union has joined the new Credit Union Shared Resources technology consortium and there's room for more....

Pittsburgh Teachers CU Kicks Off 2008 with New Name

The new year brought a new name to Pittsburgh Teachers Credit Union: Riverset Credit Union....

NACUSO Welcomes 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' Author for 2008 Conference

Back by popular demand, Dan Clark, a New York Times best-selling author and primary contributor to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, will be the keynote speaker at the National Association of Credit Union Service Organization's 2008 Annual Conference....

Departments

Marketing

Common Wealth CU Finds Its Young & Free Spokesperson

Common Wealth Credit Union has found its Young & Free Spokesperson....

Connor Makes Virginia Marketing Council Executive Committee

Belvoir Federal Credit Union Vice President of Marketing and Business Development Jacqueline Connor was recently elected to the executive committee of the Credit Union Marketing Council of Virginia....

Desert Schools FCU Promotes Meyers

Desert Schools Federal Credit Union has promoted Media Spokesperson/Public Relations Manager Jason Meyers to director of marketing and public relations....

FORUM CU, Colts Offers Unique Fan Experience to Students

FORUM Credit Union and the Indianapolis Colts have once again teamed up for the Aware Team Contest for youth ages nine to 12....

"Georgia's Own Battle" Part of College Football Rivalry History

'Georgia's Own Battle', a celebration of the state's oldest football rivalry, launched by Georgia's Own Credit Union, wrapped up with the University of Georgia's victory over the Yellow Jackets....

Congress Votes To Increase CDFI Funding

Credit unions that have been recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department as community development financial institutions celebrated a significant victory at the end of the 2008 appropriations cycle. For the first time in almost eight years, Treasury's CDFI Fund saw an increase in congressional appropriations. ...

SEC Launches Online Executive Compensation Tool

Finding out what executives at some of the nation's companies, including some of the credit union industry's competitors and third party vendors, earn in salaries, bonuses, stocks, and options has just gotten easier, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission....

At SBA's Request, NAFCU Recaps Areas Needing Regulatory Relie

NAFCU reiterated its position on a number of areas needing regulatory relief in response to a Small Business Administration call for feedback on existing regulations in need of reform....

NCUA Ends Use Of Camel Matrix

NCUA has ended the use of the CAMEL matrix in favor of risk-based examinations, according to a letter to federal credit unions released Dec. 18....

Financial Insights Lists IT Realities for 2008

The coming year looks to be a big one on the credit global banking technology front, says industry analyst group Financial Insights....

Affinity FCU Goes Live With Teller Image Capture

Affinity Federal Credit Union is now using more than 130 scanning stations at 22 locations to scan checks with the member present....

Oregon CU Goes with StreamLend Velocity

Rivermark Community Credit Union can now make instant credit card and auto loan offers to new members....

New Wire Transfer System at Keesler FCU

Keesler Federal Credit Union will soon be using an automated system for launching the process of a wire transfer from the teller line through the core processing system....

Brink's Combines Check 21 with Armored Truck Service

DALLAS -- One of the bastions of old-school money transfer is now hoping to ride the leading edge of the new....

FIS Chooses mFoundry For Mobile Offering

Fidelity National Information Services (www.fidelityinfoservices.com) has chosen mFoundry as the provider of mobile banking and payment solutions to its credit union and bank clients....

HealthCare Associates Using New Laser-Generated Batch Mailer

HealthCare Associates Credit Union is now using a batch laser-generated self-mailer system to produce notices such as delinquency and loan billings....

Bank-Fund Staff FCU Deploys Mortgagebot LOS

Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union is now providing members with same-day approvals through the PowerSite loan-origination suite from Mortgagebot LLC....

XP Systems Completes Major Core Platform Conversions

XP Systems wrapped up 2007 with the successful conversion of a couple billion-dollar credit unions to the core processor's XP2 platform....

Columns

Letters to the editor

BSA Is Not So Bad

Regarding the Dec. 12, 2007 article entitled "CUNA BSA Task Force Meets with NCUA Board Member Hyland, Head of FinCEN," I must respectfully disagree with the assumption that Bank Secrecy Act compliance absorbs a large share of credit unions' resources....

As If 2007 Was Not Enough, Credit Unions In For a Wild Ride In 2008

At the end of 2006, former Editor Paul Gentile made a number of interesting predictions for credit unions in 2007....

On-Site Conference Coverage

Overdraft Guru Advises CUs to Give Members What They Want

Credit unions can bolster fee income through better service, according to Bill Strunk of Strunk & Associates....

Participants Show Strong Interest In Debt Cancellation, Insurance

One of the panels that brought the most questions from Credit Union Times' conference attendees was CUNA Mutual's on non-interest income strategies and success stories....

Credit Unions Must Take Advantage of Equity To Build Business

In the current environment, credit unions must learn to create equity and use it effectively, Sandler O'Neill Associate Director Peter Duffy told participants in Credit Union Times' recent conference on non-interest income....

On-Site Coverage: Non-Interest Income Remains a Necessity

One thing was clear from Credit Union Times recent conference on non-interest income: credit unions want it and need it....

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