Credit union mobile banking debut of the week: The "on" switch for mobile banking was tapped Monday, April 2 at Brooklyn-based Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, the $1.5 billion institution with 75,000 members and branches in New York, New Jersey and Illinois. The key reason: "We are reaching out to a new, younger generation," said CEO Oskar Mielczarek who added that, especially in Illinois where members seem to spend more time in their cars, new members seem inclined to do more of their banking away from branches. "We are bringing our services to them," said Mielczarek.

Polish & Slavic is using a range of tools to promote the new mobile banking app to its membership: it's featured on the online banking site (presently used by 43% of members), there have been emails promoting it, and also heavy promotion at the credit union's Facebook page

Call the apps – available for iPhone, Android, Windows and BlackBerry – that just debuted version 1.0. Version 2.0 already is in the works. That next generation will feature mobile bill pay and will possibly also be available in Polish; it will be introduced "as soon as possible," said Mielczarek.