Last fall SEFCU Insurance Agency merged with Colonial Insurance Agency making it the sixth largest in the capital region.

Founded in 2001, Schoharie Valley Insurance Agency is a general independent insurance agency with a broad range of commercial and personal products.

Hullett Joins Coopera

DES MOINES, Iowa — Rose Mary Hullett is the latest addition to the Coopera Consulting team.

She has been hired as an emerging markets consultant.

Coopera Consulting, a subsidiary of the Iowa Credit Union League, partners with credit unions seeking to reach out to emerging markets as an opportunity to grow assets and membership.

Hullett transferred to Iowa as one of the first Hispanic bankers in the Des Moines market and educated both clients and area banks on the importance of establishing and building relationships with the growing Latino community.

She previously worked for ISED and Wells Fargo Bank and brings more than 11 years of experience in retail banking and community development to Coopera Consulting.

Bancography Releases List Of Most Powerful Brands

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bancography has released its 2008 brand value index, which ranks the strongest brands of both large and small credit unions.

Mountain American Credit Union in Utah was marked with the most powerful brand among credit unions with assets of at least $1 billion. Mountain America was followed by Arrowhead Credit Union, California, and JSC Credit Union, Texas. Rounding out the top 10 of the major credit union brands with assets of at least $1 billion was University of Wisconsin Credit Union; Police and Fire Federal Credit Union, Pennsylvania; GECU, Texas; Chevron Federal Credit Union, California; Tinker Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma; MidFlorida Federal Credit Union, Florida; and OnPoint Community Credit Union, Oregon.

ASI Federal Credit Union, Louisiana, Trona Valley Community Credit Union, Wyoming, and First Community Credit Union of Houston were the top ranking credit unions with assets less than $1 billion. White Sands Federal Credit Union, New Mexico; Pelican State Credit Union, Louisiana; Utah Central Credit Union, Water and Power Community Credit Union, California; Golden Plains Credit Union, Kansas; Midland Community Federal Credit Union, Texas; and Complex Community Federal Credit Union, Texas, made up the rest of the top 10 credit union brands with assets under $1 billion.

The brand value index includes categorical rankings by asset size, market area and institution type, and brands are ranked by the premium they contribute to each financial institution's underlying tangible value.

To calculate brand value, Bancography quantifies the proportion of each institution's long-term value that is attributable to the intangible factors that constitute an institution's brand. The factors include the institution's reputation, service quality, image and market awareness. The brand value index identifies institutions that produce financial results beyond what their capital base, market conditions and competitive environments would predict.

Fiserv Inks Five Clients

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Fiserv Inc. said it has signed five new credit union clients to core processing contracts that included additional services such as Internet banking, accounting tools, bill pay and audio response.

The new clients and their current core processor, according to the credit unions' 5300 Call Reports, are the $47 million POLAM FCU of Los Angeles (Open Solutions Inc.); the $32 million Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union of Lakewood, N.Y., (CompuSource Systems Inc.); the $8 million Synergy Eastex FCU of Longview, Texas, (Computer Marketing Corp.); the $5 million ACE CU of Mason City, Iowa, (Harland Financial Solutions); and Cooperativa de Ahorro Credito de Santa Isabel (CACSI) of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico.

POLAM FCU and Southern Chautauqua will convert to the Fiserv Premier system, Synergy Eastex to the OnCU platform, ACE CU to CubicsPlus and CACSI to the Reliance system, Fiserv said.

First Citizens' Appoints New President/CEO

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — First Citizens' Federal Credit Union announced the appointment of its new president/CEO.

Peter J. Muise will assume the role of president/CEO following the announcement of the retirement of longtime president/CEO Charles R. Simpson Jr. Muise started at First Citizens' in 1996 as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"It has been my great pleasure to have worked so closely with Peter Muise all these years," said Simpson. "Very few people can retire from a position knowing that the person who will succeed him is so fully qualified for the position. Peter is thoroughly prepared and experienced for this position, and I believe employees and members alike are all truly fortunate to have a person of such high integrity, character and competence to lead First Citizens' into the future."

Edward P. Shea has been selected to replace Muise as chief operating officer. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Previously, Shea served as global director of product strategy and management with FRS Global, an international software company based in Brussels. He is a member of the American Economics Association and the American Finance Association. He also served in active duty as a United States Navy Officer of the Line.

Student Choice Signs Three

WASHINGTON — Visions Federal Credit Union, Workers Credit Union and Directions Credit Union are the latest to join Credit Union Student Choice, a private student loan CUSO.

Since launching in May, more than 800 applications have been processed, resulting in nearly $10 million in approved loans, according to the CUSO. The three newest credit unions will join 12 others that are currently live.

The Credit Union Student Choice network enables credit unions to offer their own private student loan program without referring the economic and relationship values of these loans to third parties. Service partners include the Callahan Credit Union Financial Services LP CUSO, Callahan & Associates, PSCU Financial Services, Digital Dialogue, L9.com, Credit Union Direct Lending, CU*Answers, as well as student loan servicers.

Hartford FCU Expands FOM

HARTFORD, Conn. — NCUA has approved charter expansion for Hartford Federal Credit Union.

The new charter permits the credit union to serve all "persons who live, work, worship or attend school in and businesses, and other legal entities located in Hartford County, Middlesex County, or Tolland County."

Prior to this charter change, Hartford Federal's field of membership was limited to Hartford County.

Hartford FCU was originally chartered in 1961 by the employees of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center. The credit union has since grown into full service financial institution with four branches in South Windsor, West Simsbury, and Hartford.

"As we continue to grow, we are able to improve and expand the services we offer to our members," said Edward Danek Jr., president/CEO of Hartford Federal. "The quality financial products and member service once reserved for those in Hartford County is now available to Tolland and Middlesex County."

Incumbents Run Unopposed For AACUC Board Seats

SHREVEPORT, La. — There were no opponents running against the three incumbents for the African American Credit Union Coalition's board of directors.

As a result, Bert Hash, president/CEO of Municipal Employees CU Inc., Hubert Hoosman, president/CEO of Vantage CU and Lynda McDaniel, vice president of savings and membership at Navy FCU, will likely keep their seats. The AACUC nominating committee said it did not receive any other nominations by its June 6 deadline. The three incumbents will be recommended by the nominating committee to retain their seats.

Because the board members ran uncontested, absentee voting ballots will not be printed and sent out, the AACUC said.

The coalition is gearing up for its annual conference Aug. 6-10 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.