Some of that is due to the Luddite board or management focusing on the past. Don't look now, but the members that got you here are dying off. The members you may have in the future are different. Learning to serve them is key to survival. Focusing on our 19XX business plan is a sure way to be involved on the wrong side of a merger!

Gregg Stockdale

President/CEO

1st Valley Credit Union

San Bernardino, Calif.

Former Cops Sentenced in Credit Union Fraud Case

I am outraged and cannot believe these sentences for former police officers who committed fraud at their credit union – one month and time served. If this were other people (or possibly somewhere else) the sentences would have been several years!

Gene Auman

Student Loan Debt: 5 Things the Government is Doing

"The White House pointed out in a recent blog post that bachelor's degree recipients earn $1 million more in their lifetime … compared to their high school counterparts. Still, it's tough to amass thousands of dollars in debt with no clear path toward repayment."

Seems like a clear path to me. When done responsibly, a college degree is still one of the most empowering investments Americans can make in themselves. Credit unions have the opportunity to help members make more informed and responsible decisions with respect to education debt. And, at the same time [they can] foster strong relationships with college educated millennials. [It's] perhaps the most empowering form of credit that a credit union can make to a member from a long-term financial wellness perspective.

Scott

Colorado, Arizona OK Board Compensation

I served on the board of a credit union as an unpaid volunteer for 25 years, and I fully understand and appreciate the time and sacrifice that must be made to be an effective board member. However, if we pay board members, that moves us closer to what boards of directors of banks do. If we keep moving toward the banking world, at some point credit unions will have to give up their tax-free status. It is important for credit unions to be able to differentiate themselves from the bankers' world, and paying board members will be one thing that blurs the line between the banking and credit union worlds.

WVF