Bynum reported Hope has been growing steadily and has continued to push into parts of the mid-South and Mississippi Delta where bank branches have closed.

“There are more and more areas where there are no more brick and mortar financial institutions and where those other sorts of companies, the pay day lenders and such have grown up, so we are trying to reach into those areas,” Bynum said.

He reported that the credit union has been very pleased with its mobile app. Half of the members using the app are located in the most remote, underserved and impoverished areas where the credit union has no branch, he said.

“This proves the mobile app is doing just what we wanted it to do,” Bynum said. “Bringing banking services to the most unbanked.”

Bynum, who is vice-chairperson of the CFPB's Consumer Advisory Board, acknowledged that people outside the credit union industry might be more familiar with Hope than credit unions are. However, he denied that he avoids speaking out on credit union industry issues.

“It's a fair question,” Bynum said. “We are very focused on what we are doing with our members and in their communities, but we share the same regulatory restrictions as other credit unions. We just have had a pretty good working relationship with our regulators. When something comes up that we think its necessary to speak out about, then I do. I guess I am not someone who opposes regulation just because it's regulation. We view it as part of doing business.”