Commentary

We've just come off the biggest year ever for mortgage lending. The market should exceed $2 trillion when the final tabulations are made. It's hard to say exactly what dollar volume we as credit unions managed to garner, yet it's safe to say we passed our previous 1998 record of...

As financial institutions evaluate the service that they provide to the consumer there is increasing awareness of the complicated nature of the multi-channel delivery system that has evolved over recent years. Consumers want appropriate financial service when it is most convenient to them, and they expect the level of service...

This new year of 2002 couldn't have come soon enough. While it is likely we will never forget (nor should we) the catastrophe and assault on our liberty in 2001, a new year can and does give us hope that we can move forward. I'm very optimistic. Overall, I think...

"Zero zero" financing - the automobile industry's reaction to the potential drop off in car sales following September 11th - turned a lot of heads in the credit union community this fall. After all, auto loans are the bread and butter of most credit unions' lending programs, so to have...

Sometimes the best settlements are those that neither side likes, the idea being that the best resolution involves substantial compromises from both sides. The same can be said for the current debate surrounding predatory lending and the recent rules that the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) has issued addressing the problem....

Since this is the first issue of Credit Union Times for the new year, here are my credit union predictions for 2002. As the overall economy improves throughout the next 12 months, I predict that credit unions will produce some impressive numbers in all key areas. This includes substantial growth...

Have you had times when selling your credit union's card portfolio looks like a good idea? In fact, maybe on the surface it looks like a great idea? Sure, you may have reasoned, it will probably negatively impact your members, but the premium from the sale looks very tempting. You...

All things must change To something new, to something strange. - Longfellow As a state regulator, I have experienced the painful transition that comes with having to adapt to a changing economic environment. In North Carolina, our Division is entirely fee supported and by law, our fees are to be...