With some predicting it's only a matter of time before the nextstate league consolidation is announced, CEOs are focusing onemerging collaboration projects and launching new products andservices this year.

“Out of all the league consolidations, there hasn't been anon-contiguous state league merger, but eventually that is going tohappen,” Patrick LaPine, president/CEO of the League of SoutheasternCredit Unions and Affiliates in Tallahassee, Fla., said. “It mayhappen this year, who knows?”

In the meantime, however, league presidents say they plan todevelop collaboration efforts and launch new revenue-generatingproducts and services throughout the New Year that will enabletheir member credit unions to tackle marketplace challenges,streamline operations and tame the beast of compliance.