Firming up conversion plans, the $4 billion Alaska USA FederalCredit Union said Monday it expects to complete the operational,marketing and tech makeover of the failed California-based HighDesert FCU within the next 90 to 120 days.

The NCUA-engineered purchase/assumption transaction for the $110million High Desert of Apple Valley, which took place last month,fits into Alaska USA's "long-term strategy of geographicdiversification," said William Eckhardt, president/CEO of theAnchorage credit union.

The NCUA offer to bid on High Desert, extended to Alaska USA andother unnamed CU bidders, presented Alaska USA "with a very goodopportunity to reach beyond Alaska with a limited population," saidEckhardt, who also noted that the state is subject to a boom/busteconomy.

The last Alaska USA foray outside of the state was in the early1980s when a military-based Washington State CU was merged, butthere are no plans now to explore other West Coast CUs for possiblemergers, said Eckhardt.