ARLINGTON, Va. – CUNA Mutual's Larry Blanchard and Sue Racine met with NASCUS management earlier this month to discuss challenges and projects for 2006. Racine, associate vice president for association relations, is a member of NASCUS' education committee; Blanchard is a member of the association's corporate governance task force. CUNA Mutual is an active NASCUS Dual Chartering Benefactor member. At their Jan. 10th meeting, Racine stressed the benefit of CUNA Mutual working with NASCUS and other associations to identify credit union system challenges and to learn how CUNA Mutual can most effectively respond. Racine said CUNA Mutual intends to continue to have a strong relationship with NASCUS and other credit union associations. It is important that we listen to NASCUS, the state regulators and state-chartered credit unions to understand the system's needs, she said. Racine and Blanchard also informed NASCUS that CUNA Mutual intends to emphasize customer service, improve their claims processes and focus on policy administration in 2006. The company is also committed to protecting members from plastic card fraud. NASCUS also shared its priorities such as strengthening state regulatory agencies, promoting credit union corporate governance best practices, minimizing federal preemption and preserving state choice. NASCUS also invited CUNA Mutual to participate in the association's State System Summit in August.