Kim Sponem, president of the $1.4 billion Summit Credit Union, Madison, Wis., has been named CEO-designate making her at 43 one of the youngest women slated to hold the top slot at a major CU.

It remains to be seen what impact, if any, the 230 credit unions served by LPL Financial Corp. will feel as the company recently filed with the SEC for an initial public stock offering.

A credit counseling organization has released a survey, which it said contradicts a prevailing image of large numbers of home owners walking away from their mortgages.

The economy is continuing to improve slightly and consumers are more willing to take on new credit when buying products and services.