o A financial team geared at working exclusively with credit unions with modest balance sheets;

o Direct access to staff members from WesCorp's liquidity solutions desk to offer guidance on managing liquidity;

o Asset/liability management solutions tailored for the balance sheets of small credit unions; and

o An assortment of free training resources geared for small CUs, and provided over the Internet.

"The starting point is to leverage what we can offer currently. Our core competencies are balance sheet management and investments," said Sheri Ledbetter, director of public affairs for WesCorp. She said small CUs obviously have other problems, including compliance, but WesCorp will focus on its strengths at first.

WesCorp has also partnered with NCUA's Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives to co-sponsor complimentary workshops aimed at helping small credit unions in areas such as disaster recovery preparedness, balance sheet management and best practices.

Working with small CUs is nothing new for WesCorp. Although it is the nation's largest corporate and does serve a number of billion dollar credit unions, more than 35% of its members are below $25 million and more than 60% below $100 million.

Ledbetter said helping small credit unions is the right thing to do for small CUs and the industry, and it also helps the credit union image on Capitol Hill. "It's a changing landscape. Certainly there is a spotlight on our industry from congress and the regulators, and just because we're a corporate we don't see ourselves exempt from that," she said. She also did not rule out WesCorp partnering with other groups to offer more benefits to small credit unions.

On a smaller scale, WesCorp recently donated something all CUs need–furniture–to the $7 million El Futuro Credit Union of Portersville, Calif. CEO Raul Pickett and another staffer drove four hours to pick up several pieces. –[email protected]