SEATTLE — Three NASCUS board members were re-elected to their positions and NASCUS Chairman George Reynolds appointed one new member at the group's recent annual meeting. Additionally, Sharon Whiddon was honored as NASCUS Pierre Jay award winner for outstanding service and achievement.

The three directors who were re-elected for three-year terms were Jim Forney, director of the Iowa Department of Commerce; Roger Little, deputy commissioner of the Michigan Office of Insurance and Regulation; and Orla Beth Peck, supervisor of credit unions for the Utah Department of Financial Institutions. Reynolds named Mary Hughes, financial institutions bureau chief of the Idaho Department of Finance, to a one-year term on the board.

The board elected Tom Candon, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration, to be chairman-elect and Suzanne Cowan, director of the Wisconsin Office of Credit Unions, as secretary/treasurer. Reynolds is beginning the second year of his two-year term.

Also at NASCUS' annual meeting, Sharon Whiddon, who recently retired as chief of the Florida Bureau of Credit Union Regulation, was given NASCUS' Pierre Jay award for outstanding service and achievement.

"Sharon has worked tirelessly to preserve dual chartering and actively defend states' rights and autonomy in financial regulation," Chairman Reynolds said in presenting the award.

Whiddon, who started state government service in 1972 as a bank examiner, has been active in NASCUS for many years and is a former chairman of the group. She retired this summer.

New CUSO Title Agency Makes Michigan Debut

ADA, Mich. — CUSO Development Company LLC has created Member Advantage Title, a title agency, to pair up with a mortgage subsidiary launched in 2007.

The CUSO said the new title agency will be able to offer a more efficient mortgage lending process by bringing title insurance functions such as ordering out-of-state title searches, writing and examining titles, setting up closings, ordering payoffs and customer service in house. Member Advantage Title will be headed up by agency manager Donna Stray, who has more than 20 years of experience in title insurance, according to CDC.

The new subsidiary will function alongside CDC's mortgage lending subsidiary, Member Advantage Mortgage, which made its debut in 2007.

"By working with a network of title companies, we are able match borrowers with the company that can best meet their needs in a cost-effective and timely manner," said Stray.

The title agency is aiming to reduce the amount of time it takes to secure title insurance by a full week, so borrowers who are eager to get into their new homes can close more quickly, said Cory Day, co-founder and president/CEO of CDC.

Launched in 2006, CDC is the parent company of the Member Advantage brand of companies. It currently has seven credit unions in its core ownership group including 1st Advantage Federal Credit Union, Bellwether Community CU, Belvoir FCU, CommonWealth One FCU, Community One FCU, Sun East FCU and Workers' CU.

FIS Signs MISER Users

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three financial institutions, including two credit unions, have decided to convert to the MISER core processing platform from Fidelity National Information Services, the company said.

They are $851 million Oregon Community CU of Eugene, $536 million Memphis Area Teachers' CU in Tennessee (see related story, page 20) and $550 million NJM Bank in West Trenton, N.J.

The MISER platform is available in an online, real-time, memo-post or hybrid environment and currently is in use at 17 credit unions. Another five have recently signed, the company said.

Jacksonville-based FIS also provides core processing on the Mercury platform to another 393 credit unions, the company said.

Oregon Community CU is currently running on a core system from Harland Financial Solutions, according to the credit union's 5300 Call Report at the NCUA, while MATCU is on a Fiserv Summit platform.

Cleveland, Tenn., CU Selects New CEO

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland/Bradley County Teachers Federal Credit Union has found a new CEO in Mary Johnson.

Johnson, who has been with the credit union for 18 years, replaced Brian Trotter who served as CEO for nine years. Trotter is headed back to school to acquire his degree in business and will serve as an executive vice president at a local company.

Over her years at the credit union, Johnson has served in positions ranging from member service representative and loan officer to office manager and certified financial counselor.

Born and raised in Polk County, Tenn., Johnson attended and graduated from Polk County High School. She attended the National School of Business and Cleveland State Community College and holds a certification in loan management.