WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The $1.2 billion Pacific Service Credit Union has donated money to support a innovative child care program in San Francisco....

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Neighbors Federal Credit Union is serious about making its staffers feel appreciated....

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Reps. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) both visited credit unions during the recent congressional recess to discuss regulatory relief and other issues important to credit unions....

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

 SAN DIMAS, Calif. -- WesCorp announced the passing on July 3 of Matt Morris III, a member relationship manager for the past 11 years....

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- More than 200 golfers, celebrities and spectators descended on the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex to play in the Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union-sponsored second annual Brees Dream Foundation golf outing benefiting the Purdue Athletes Life Success program....

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

CU Times Senior Correspondent...

SALT LAKE CITY -- The energy-saving move by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. ordering major state agencies to start a four-day work week in August appeared to have no quick takers among credit unions or banks. But it generated plenty of talk about possible changes in the future should the pain at the gas pump continue....

CU Times Technology Correspondent...

CU Times Washington Reporter...

WASHINGTON -- Credit card issuers and retailers could have their disagreement over interchange fees one step closer to being resolved this week....

HOLYOKE, Mass. -- Is your credit union ready for the un-conference? If so, head to BarCamp....

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

HOBOKEN, N.J. -- While the housing bubble burst some time ago, it will lead to a second implosion soon, according to Richard D. Manning, director of the Center for Consumer Financial Service at the Rochester Institute of Technology....

CU Times Managing Editor...

CU Times Staff Reporter...

CU Times Staff Reporter...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- NCUA Vice Chairman Rodney Hood said Sandy Baruah would bring a number of positive attributes to the top spot at the Small Business Administration....

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

VANCOUVER -- After nearly two years of stalls and starts, Credit Union Central of British Columbia and Credit Union Central of Ontario finally merged on July 1 to create the $7.5 billion Central 1 Credit Union....

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Credit unions should continue to build their credit card portfolios even in the current economic downturn, analysts said, but they should be careful to target growth efforts....

DALLAS -- Texas Credit Union Commissioner Harold Feeney said his agency is working closely with the $2 billion Texans Credit Union after the institution has taken substantial hits in its construction and development portfolio....

DENVER -- Foreclosures are up in Yourtown, but a colleague at a credit union in a neighboring city is seeing foreclosures drop....

VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- If luck truly is where preparation meets opportunity, Baxter Credit Union should have plenty when it comes to its healthsavings account offering....

CU Times Correspondent-at-Large...

DALLAS -- Noted leadership speaker Steve Farber, author of The Radical LEAP, will address credit union card executives on the topic of "extreme leadership" at TNB Card Services 2008 payments conference....

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- As of this year, over 800 students members of the Polish and Slavic Federal Credit Union have found help meeting their educational bills from the credit union, PSFCU announced....

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Indiana Credit Union League has partnered with Innovative Card Services to provide prepaid cards for its card center....

WASHINGTON -- NCUA's proposal to use median household income to measure service to the underserved is a good idea, but the board should ensure that under the new regulations credit unions don't lose their low income designation, CUNA wrote in a recent letter to the federal agency....

CU Times Staff Reporter...

CU Times Senior Staff Reporter...

PURCHASE, N.Y. -- MasterCard is offering chances to meet legends of the rock and country music world as part of its latest sweepstakes promotion....

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calf. -- CO-OP Financial Services announced that it would begin offering prepaid cards to participating credit unions in July....

An associate of mine recently was running late for an event in New York City. With no time to spare to get on a subway or bus, he decided to splurge and jump into a taxi. Although it was rush hour, he managed to move quickly down Manhattan's famed Park Avenue and found that he made it to his appointment in little time. Even the veteran driver took notice....

Despite the negative headlines about the economy, there really is no better time for credit unions to offer credit cards than today. While the economy squeezes lending products such as mortgages, home equity lines of credit and auto loans, credit card usage is trending upward as electronic payments resonate with consumers as the primary payment vehicle. Electronic payments, which include debit and credit cards, equaled 41% of payment transactions in 2006. By 2011 consumer electronic payments will rise to 51%, eclipsing cash and checks....

To make progress you must lay the groundwork and fulfill due diligence needs. Parents try to position their children to do better than they have; credit union boards and management try to provide members with what they want and need while anticipating what they will want and need in the future....

When I noticed the picture of Camden Fine, president/CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America on the front page of the June 18 issue of Credit Union Times, two thoughts came to mind: I know that guy and what is his picture doing in a CU publication? Well, it turns out NAFCU and ICBA agree they should oppose a proposal by the Treasury Department to overhaul certain financial regulations. Based on a documented account of Dan Mica's comments on this topic, it sounds like CUNA feels the same way....

NCUA's granting Navy Federal Credit Union a field of membership expansion to all armed forces personnel, families and the Department of Defense is a logical move in view of the merging of military resources and objectives as one illustration suggests: the conversion of McGuire Air Force Base into a multi-armed forces mega-base....

HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Eight years ago credit unions were hoping to get the jump on banks in the Internet world as a study showed that most banks still hadn't fully embraced the World Wide Web....

EASTAmeriCU Credit Union, Rome, N.Y., recognized several employees in the second quarter for their achievements, outstanding service and retirement. Member Relations Advisor Brandi Jefferson was presented with the AmeriCU spotlight on success employee recognition award this month. Jefferson was selected by a committee of employees. Jefferson received a special presentation in the monthly staff meeting, a framed certificate of recognition, a $100 American Express gift card, a desk trophy and will sit on the committee to vote for the next quarterly award selection. Manager of Asset Quality Nancy Smith announced her retirement after 35 years of service. Chief Audit Executive Mark Livesey was designated as certified internal auditor. Tom Birdsall, member financial adviser, AmeriCU Services, LLC and AmeriCU Capital Management was recently qualified to become an investment adviser by passing the Uniform Adviser Law Examination.First Financial Federal Credit Union, Wall, N.J., announced that Deborah Donato celebrated 40 years of employment at the credit union. Donato is the CUDL Business Development Officer. Throughout her 40 years of employment Donato has held positions from student loan officers to assistant branch manager to training and business development manager. Donato holds certifications in training for BDST and CUNA sales strategies. She is also a certified trainer in Schneider sales and management program.Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Groton, Conn., announced the promotion of Patricia Lima to senior vice president of human resources. Lima started at Charter Oak in July of 1965 and has served in various capacities over the years. Lima currently oversees all human resources functions. She is also a graduate of CUNA human resources management school....

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Meriwest Credit Union has elected Stan Chapman, Karl Nigg and Charles Munch to three-year terms on the board of directors....

Westerra Credit Union, Denver, offered its members a free family field trip at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. The event was in celebration of the Lowry Federal Credit Union that originated at the Lowry Air Force Base in the 1950s and the fifth anniversary of Westerra's Lowry branch. Members had to opportunity to see the new Colorado astronauts exhibit, view a moon rock and tour the entire museum....

United Educational Credit Union, Battle Creek, Mich. awarded a $400 bright ideas partnership grant to the Albion Public Schools and Albion College Teacher Education Program/Shurmer Education Institute collaboration project. The grant was applied for by Mae Ola Dunklin, director of the Shurmur Education Institute. The purpose of the grant was to provide professional development for Albion Public School teachers, preparing Albion College teacher education students to better meet the needs of the of the K-12 students and to provide support and new curricula on a yearly basis to the K-12 students in Albion....