Callahan study finds CUs to add 26% more branches

<p>WASHINGTON.- A Callahan & Associates’ study finds that credit unions will add 26% more branches in 2002-2003 than they did in 2000-2001. According to the 3rd Quarter Research & Data Report, at mid-year 2001, the total dollars invested in land and buildings by the nation’s 10,365 credit unions had reached an all-time high of $6.85 billion. Callahan & Associates President Charles A. Filson points to the sample in the Callahan study as a snapshot of what kinds of credit unions are branching out the most and the types of branches that are most popular. Key findings in the study include over 41% of CUs offering lending related growth incentive programs; storefront facilities increasing over the next two years; and credit unions with limited fields of membership increasing their number of branches at four times the rate of CUs with open FOMs. For more information regarding the branching study visit www.creditunions.com.</p>