"We are helping credit unions to survive during tough times. That is why we have begun offering strategic planning workshops to credit union management and are bringing in top outside experts," said Amy Rapp, a senior manager at Western Bridge Corporate Federal Credit Union. She is spearheading a new Western Bridge workshop program that, so far, has reached over 100 credit union executives in Hawaii, Washington, Idaho and, on Jan. 28, southern California, at Western Bridge's corporate offices in San Dimas.

Rapp acknowledged that there is an irony in Western Bridge (formerly Western Corporate Federal Credit Union), which serves as the poster boy for all that went wrong with credit unions in the past few years, offering pointers on credit union success. But she insisted that this nonetheless is a time when credit unions must dig deep into their balance sheets to better manage assets and minimize risks. The full-day Western Bridge seminars are just the ticket for small and mid-sized market credit unions, she added. The program is open both to Western Bridge customers and noncustomers. "This isn't about Western Bridge. It's about presenting ideas credit unions need to hear," said Rapp.

Key to the program is that it is built around top experts.