DECATUR, Ga. – Platinum has been a sterling performer for EmoryFCU's credit card program. The $100 million credit union says forits upscale Atlanta membership (19,000 of them), the platinum cardhas the right mix of benefits and panache. Emory, based in Decatur,Georgia, serves the Emory University community, which includes itsown hospital; Crawford Long Hospital; Children's Healthcare ofAtlanta; and a number of other health care and relatedorganizations. Among its 19,000 members are 2,700 MasterCard andVisa credit card accounts, says Demitra “Mickey” Houlis, vicepresident of compliance and e-commerce for the 36-year-old creditunion. “We got into the credit card business offering onlyMasterCard in about 1988, and we have always used TNB Card Servicesas our processor,” says Houlis. “Our largest group is members withclassic cards, but our growth is definitely in platinum.” Houlispoints out that implementing the platinum card offering turned outto be an easy, smooth operation. “It went great. TNB Card Servicesset up our user codes, our associate and card numbers, gave us thepaperwork, and we just had to get the business,” she says. “Whatmade it work so well was that they gave us a lot of leeway in howwe set up the card. I wanted an introductory rate and wanted themto track it, and it was easy to customize the program. They gave usa lot of good advice.” Emory had been carrying a sizable gold cardportfolio prior to the introduction of platinum, Houlis says, and“a lot of people wanted to upgrade to platinum. We saw there was amarket for it.” Emory chose not to participate in reward programson the platinum card, Houlis says, because of the expense involvedin maintaining and managing them. As she puts it, “A lot of peoplewant rewards, but if you explain our card to a member, they seethat ours is much better financially.” If that seems simple tounderstand, it is because that is the way Emory approaches its cardportfolio and other programs. “Simplicity is one of the reasons forthe successes in our program,” Houlis explains. “When you get toocomplicated, you lose people. We have one rate and no cash advancefees, and we don't have any of those rules where if you miss apayment your rate changes. We like simple programs that benefit ourmembers.” Going forward, Houlis says, Emory plans to implement arebate program this fall. The credit union has done well withoutone, but thinks it can boost the performance of its card portfolioby giving members something back for their purchases. “We're stilllooking at the scenario, but it will be based on purchase activity,and if cardholders meet a certain level at year-end, they will earna rebate. It doesn't have to be a lot, but we think people aredrawn to getting something back.” In promoting its card products tomembers, Houlis says Emory works with TNB Card Services to offerbalance transfers in the spring and fall for the classic and goldproducts, and also expects to roll out an upgrade program this fallto move credit-worthy classic cardholders to gold cards.