<p>WASHINGTON – The Association of Corporate Credit Unions plans to have a firm selected by its October annual meeting to conduct the independent study on the future role of corporates. The independent study will be funded by a $100,000 grant from U.S. Central. The study is supposed to look at how corporates will fit in the credit union industry in the future. This may include looking at what products and services they should provide, as well as things like the number of corporates needed in the future. ACCU Executive Director Gigi Hyland stressed that the study is in no way going to be a blueprint for what corporates must do, but could provide some direction. "The purpose of the study is to look five years out and see what credit unions are going to need. It can be used as a planning tool for all corporates. Corporate boards can use it how they want," she said. Hyland said ACCU hopes to have the study finished by 2003.</p>