MADISON, Wis. – CUNA Mutual Group's MEMBERS Financial Serviceshas begun offering credit unions its Select Employee Groupmarketing program designed exclusively to help them marketinsurance and investment programs to members and attract newmembers through retirement planning and financial services. “Goingdirectly to SEG employees with a financial services program is awin-win-win situation,” said Rob Peters, senior manager, CUNAMutual's Member Marketing Strategy. “Credit unions attract moremembers, employers offer their employees retirement services at nocost, and members receive financial advice and services to helpretirement planning.” Peters said the SEG program complements thetypical retirement programs offered by employers, such as a 401(k),but most employers do not provide financial counseling andservices. MEMBERS Financial provides all the marketing materialsnecessary to educate and service employees, Purvis said. The $1.5billion Coastal Federal Credit Union is currently using theprogram. It has held seven retirement seminars at SEGs and each oneattracted 20 to 30 people, said Chuck Purvis, Coastal FCU seniorvice president. The credit union has already garnered new businessfrom using the program, he added. “Coastal felt it was an importantservice to offer, so we did a survey of our SEGs, and almost 90expressed interest in working with us to develop a program, but ittakes time to meet with all the companies and get it rolling.” A2004 study by CUNA indicated only 20% of SEG employees eligible tojoin a credit union do so, yet 80% of the employees said they woulduse financial services designed to help save for retirement, CUNAMutual said.