FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Even as they focus on improving their credit and debit card programs, credit unions should focus on building an overall strategy on electronic payments, according to a leading CU card executive.

Robert Hackney, President of Card Services for Credit Unions, the association of CUs which process their credit and debit transactions with Fidelity National Information Systems, reminded credit union card executives attending the organization's annual meeting that the steady progress over the last decade has been away from cash and checks and toward electronic payments.

According to data collected by Visa Inc, and the card brand's projections, roughly 66% of the average American's payments will be made through some sort of electronic means by end the of 2009, whether that is by credit card, debit card, electronic bill pay, ACH or other device, Hackney said.