"Our agreement with Senior Solution will serve to further expand our existing international reach while also providing the Latin American market with a more sophisticated open architecture platform option," said Louis Hernandez Jr., chairman and CEO of Open Solutions (www.opensolutions.com).

According to its Web site at www.seniorsolution .com.br, the 12-year-old company has made a series of acquisitions and now serves 74 large financial institutions, including the South American nation's 10 largest private banks.

–[email protected]

Gift and Calling Cards Offered by New Venture Of CU Business Capital

MIRAMAR, Fla. — Members who own small businesses will have another resource to turn to for their gift and calling card needs.

CU Business Capital LLC and Blackstone Merchant Services have created a new venture that will offer end-to-end merchant payment processing solutions with gift and calling cards.

The new entity, CU Merchant Services LLC, will offer credit and debit card processing, prepaid card programs, e-commerce processing, customized gift card programs and electronic benefit transfers.

Building on its existing relationship with Blackstone, a card services provider, CUBC aims to build the new division into a core business, said Bert Bryan, president of the CUSO.

CUBC offers business services, business deposits, cash management, and business lending services.

–[email protected]

SBA Adds Calif. CU

to Lender Roster

GLENDALE, Calif. — The Small Business Administration has granted approval to the $1.3 billion California Credit Union to participate in its 7(a) and Express loan programs.

"Small business is a staple of American commerce and ingenuity," said Ron McDaniel, president/CEO of California CU. "We're proud and very excited to be able to help foster such a crucial segment of American business. Our goal, after all, is to help all of our members realize their dreams and aspirations through smart fiscal management."

McDaniel said he takes pride in supporting a sector of business responsible for creating so many new jobs in an economy where they're getting harder and harder to find.

"New job creation by small businesses helps everyone," McDaniel said, "It helps the owners, who can expand and grow their businesses, it helps new employees who might not otherwise have been employed, and it helps the economy, because both owners and new employees have money to spend in the market at large." California CU serves nearly 80,000 members.

–[email protected]

Virginia County Chamber

Recognizes Synergy One

MANASSAS, Va. — Synergy One Federal Credit Union recently earned the excellence in business award from the Prince William County Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce for its community service work.

During a May 20 ceremony, the $200 million credit union received the business of the year award in the 16 or more employees' category.

A longtime member of the chamber, Synergy One was recognized for its youth and financial literacy programs for its members, various sponsorships, financial contributions and volunteer hours to local not-for-profit organizations.

"It is an honor just to be nominated," said William White, president /CEO of Synergy One. "And to have won amongst so many distinguished nominees is very exciting."

Earlier this year, the credit union beefed up its business services program with a new line of checking accounts, Visa reward cards, merchant card services and business insurance. Synergy One has offered business loans for several years.

–[email protected]

Teres and SWBC Integrate Offerings

AUSTIN, Texas — Teres Solutions Inc. and Southwest Business Corp. are expanding their three-year-old joint marketing partnership.

The provider of automated lending solutions said its SAIL software will now be integrated with SWBC's Unity insurance placement platform.

The integration will allow loan officers to use Unity software to offer insurance products such as extended warranties and payment protection while working within the SAIL software during the loan application process.

"The business opportunities insurance provides to the loan origination business is helping credit unions and financial institutions grow in ways never possible before," said Tim Kelly, CEO of Teres Solutions (www.teresolutions.com) in Austin.

"Providing access to insurance placement is becoming a key part of the value credit unions and financial institutions can add to their loan offerings," said Mark Hein, CEO of the Credit Union Division of SWBC (www.swbc.com) in San Antonio.

SWBC also announced that it's adding 100 more jobs in San Antonio. The provider of diversified financial services said its staff has grown from 450 in 2005 to more than 1,000 nationwide.

–[email protected]

Empower CU Returns

$150,000 to Members

MILWAUKEE — Empower Credit Union has reached a new milestone.

For the first time, the $133 million credit union has issued a bonus dividend of $150,000 to its members.

Empower CU President Jennifer Schilling says she is proud the credit union could return the bonus dividend to its member-owners.

"Empower Credit Union is successful because of our borrowers and savers, so we wanted to reward our member-owners. With gas and food prices going up so dramatically over the past few months, we know these funds will assist our members, no matter what stage of life they are in," said Schilling.

–[email protected]

Apple FCU Named

Helios Award Finalist

FAIRFAX, Va. — HR Consulting firm Helios HR in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management and SmartCEO magazine, has selected Apple Federal Credit Union as one of seven finalists for the 2008 Helios Apollo award, in the mid-size company category.

The Helios Apollo awards recognize Washington-area organizations that promote a value-added, on-going learning environment within their organization to benefit employees.

As an organization founded by educators Apple FCU was recognized for its regular pursuit of knowledge is an integral part of both its history and current corporate identity.

"Because of our organization's history of service to the education community, it was natural to make education through continuous learning an integral part of our organizational culture," said Apple FCU Human Resources/Organizational Development Senior Vice President Beth Yingling. "It promotes staff career development and retention, and provides us with a competitive advantage through increased organizational performance."

Kathy Albarado, president and CEO of Helios HR, categorizes the requirements for these awards as "quite stringent." Not only is the availability of opportunity considered, nominees are also required to indicate how programs are communicated, as well as how the impact of training and development is measured within the organization.

Winners were slated to be announced Friday, June 6, 2008, after press time, during a breakfast ceremony hosted by Helios HR at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Va.

–[email protected]