THE WOODLANDS, Texas – According to D. Hilton Associates' 2002 Reality Check, credit unions that believe annual planning is just a review of last year's accomplishments and budgets for next year's business are missing the mark when it comes to strategic planning. The 2002 Reality Check is a comprehensive manual on "how to" formulate and execute strategic planning. It incorporates challenges, forums, and goals to help credit unions define their vision and strategy. Based on the idea that credit unions should practice "Actionable Strategic Planning", which is a plan that includes realistic three-to-five-year strategic targets, one-year tactical actions and statements of accountability, the manual is separated into the following six sections: Building a case for strategic versus tactical planning; the evolution of credit union organizational structures; the changing definitions of member retention, loyalty, and value; national benchmarks of member perceptions; managing today's workforce; and new thoughts on the role of technology. The 2002 Reality Check comes in an easy-to-use compact disk format, which includes permission to print multiple copies for the board of directors and management teams. For more information or to order a copy please visit D. Hilton's Web site at www.dhilton.com.