INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Four credit unions with exceptional lending programs received Excellence in Lending awards from CUNA Mutual Group at the CUNA Lending Council's conference last week. Awards in the consumer and mortgage lending categories were presented to: * (consumer, less than $250 million in assets) H-E-B FCU, San Antonio, Texas – With $108 million in assets and more than 24,000 members, H-E-B CU increased its consumer lending volume in 2002 by 13.7%, with a 47% increase in home equity loans and a 28% increase in credit cards. * (consumer, more than $250 million in assets) John Deere Community CU, Waterloo, Iowa – The $852 million credit union which serves 102,000 members, increased its loan volume by 19% in 2002 over the previous year. * (mortgage, less than $250 million in assets) Mayo Employees CU, Rochester, Minn. – The $191 million in assets, more than 24,000 member-credit union exceeded its income goal in 2002 by 455% by closing 231 loans, totaling $31.7 million. Going in to 2002, Mayo ECU had only been in first mortage lending for one month. It finished the year as Minnesota's ninth-largest CU first-mortgage lender. * (mortgage, more than $250 million in assets) United Nations FCU, New York – With $1.75 billion in assets and 59,000 members in 220 countries, UNFCU increased its mortgage-loan program by 19%. That included a 36% increase in mortgage closings and a 34% increase in mortgage applications. This marks the fourth time CMG has presented the awards.