Commentary

Web technologies clearly have the potential to create a powerful support channel for members and staff. Imagine a system where members and staff (end-users) using only a Web browser could quickly find information from a central source, some of the information being accessible by everyone and some only being accessible...

Credit unions around the country are beginning to gear up their member business services. The first loan applications are starting to flow in, and there appears to be lots of enthusiasm for credit relationship, in some cases, maybe too much. Everyone has read about the prospects for larger average deposit...

Stand around the water cooler long enough at any credit union in Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin or Ohio, and I'll bet you hear at least one person talk about "Survivor." No, not Survivor the TV show, but the survivor left standing in the "competition of the corporate credit unions." But...

All indications are that the NCUA Board will take up a final rule this week amending the agency's chartering and field of membership manual. At NAFCU's Annual Conference in Seattle this past summer, NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar laid out a timetable for adopting a final rule that he and the...

I have been reading with interest (and some discomfort) the recent news reports bashing the overdraft services that some banks have in place. As an economist for banks and credit unions who also provides overdraft services, I am obviously concerned, but not for the reasons you may assume. I, in...

Are credit unions lending to their "best" members only? The industry's low charge-off rate and delinquency rate (.49% and .72% respectively, according to mid-year NCUA data) suggest that may be the case. While these figures appear positive at first glance, they raise the question of whether less-than-ideal borrowers are inadvertently...

We all like to think that member pore over their monthly or quarterly newsletters, reading every word and considering how they can use all the wonderful services the credit union offers, participate in credit union events, and convince their families and co-workers to join the credit union. Reality check: Is...

I was sitting in the Utah State Capitol building late Thursday morning February 13 waiting for some action on House Bill 162 when the lights started flickering. It turns out the power outage was quite widespread, impacting a large portion of the Salt Lake valley. So the lawmakers were left...