RALEIGH, N.C. — Jim Blaine, the president/CEO of State Employees' Credit Union, Tuesday called on the industry, now liquid and in good shape, to avoid any appearance of seeking a handout from Congress.

“We have our problems, our situations in places like Florida and California, but I just hope credit unions can work together” and turn away from demanding special treatment, said Blaine, the influential head of the $17 billion Raleigh CU.

Blaine called on CUNA and NAFCU “to lead us” in conveying the right message that “we are not going to the government to solve our problems.” Those can be taken care of “by ourselves,” he said stressing the need for CUs to distinguish themselves, as they have already, of being above the fray “with a solid reputation.”

Asked for comment about the Wachovia Bank takeover by Citigroup, the State Employees CEO observed that “a lot of good people will be losing their jobs” and that its impact on North Carolina would obviously be significant, but he minimized the fallout on his own CU since their markets are so different.

Wachovia suffered from “one very bad deal,” the merger of a large California thrift that proved its undoing, he said.