TUKWILA, Wash. – CEOs and Chief Lending Officers of the top mortgage lending credit unions will soon be receiving invitations from BECU, Callahan & Associates and Prime Alliance Solutions inviting them to participate in the first Annual Credit Union Housing Roundtable. The meeting is scheduled for May 10 in Seattle, Wash., but Prime Alliance President Joe Brancucci said the three organizers are "leaving the door open" for the schedule to be extended to additional days. At press time the list of invited speakers was still being worked on and was expected to feature housing experts and mortgage industry watchers. So far 16 credit unions' names have been added to the sponsor list, including: Eastman CU, Kingsport, Tenn.; Wescom CU, Pasadena, Calif.; Suncoast Schools FCU, Tampa, Fla.; Citizens Equity First CU, Peoria, Ill.; Star One CU, Sunnyvale, Calif.; Orange County Teachers FCU, Santa Ana, Calif.; Alliant CU, Chicaco, Ill.; Pentagon FCU, Alexandria, Va.; Financial Partners, Downey, Calif.; nuVision Financial FCU, Huntington Beach, Calif.; American Airlines FCU, Fort Worth, Texas, First Tech CU, Beaverton, Ore.; Bellco CU, Greenwood Village, Colo.; Xerox FCU, El Segundo, Calif; Bethpage FCU, Bethpage, N.Y.; and Alaska USA FCU, Anchorage, Alaska. According to Prime Alliance, the purpose of the Roundtable is to "create an actionable credit union housing agenda for the coming decade." Brancucci explained that the idea for the Roundtable came from comments offered last year by some Prime Alliance credit union CEOs as well as some non-PA credit union leaders, who expressed the need to figure out the role of credit unions in the mortgage market in the coming decade. From there, he said, came the suggestion of putting together a one-day roundtable and bringing in CEOs and other leaders in the credit union industry to discuss and define the role of credit unions in the nation's housing. "We want credit unions to take an active role, instead of just a reactionary role, in helping the country meeting its housing needs," said Brancucci stressing that the roundtable "is not a Prime Alliance meeting". Referring to the American Dream of owning a home, the invitation being sent reads that, "Credit unions must take a leadership role if our current and future members are to achieve that Dream. What's uncertain, though, is just what part credit unions will play in this important aspect of their members' lives and in the nation's housing. Let's end the uncertainty by defining our role and establishing a meaningful, actionable credit union housing agenda for the coming decade." Brancucci said, "We want an actionable roadmap for the credit union industry. CUNA's Home Loan Payment Relief program got us thinking, but we still need a roadmap for the future. We think it's important enough to have an objective dialogue and plan for affordable housing. How are we as credit unions going to serve these households? Are we going to be a player or just pick up the scraps left to us by other mortgage lenders?" -

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