RENO, Nev. - Forget campaign cash, it's grassroots contact by credit union managers and employees with lawmakers that counts most in political action. The advice comes from a New Mexico legislator who has had plenty of dealings with banks and CUs and finds the personal visit whether at his office,...

HINEVILLE, Ga. - Underscoring the state's crackdown on identity theft, Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker has singled out a Hinesville credit union, Fort Stewart Georgia Federal Credit Union, for helping ID theft victims and urged other Georgia financial institutions to follow the CU's lead. "We really appreciate the support we've...

RENO, Nev.-By all accounts, CUNA's attempt to give "energy" and sparkle to exhibits at its annual Future Forum conference paid off. "I'd call it a home run," effused one rather biased CUNA executive heading up exhibit hall operations, Todd Spiczenski, assistant vice president. Many CU participants seemed to agree as...

RENO, Nev. - Pronouncing the industry in "excellent" health and ready to combat new banker challenges on taxes or business lending, CUNA President/CEO Dan Mica struck an upbeat theme in his annual message to the organization last week . "We can't let the bankers scare us," intoned Mica in describing...

SEATTLE - The high school branch-sometimes with actual credit union staffers on premise-seems to be winning converts among Washington State CUs eager to tap the youth market. The concept of opening makeshift or inexpensive facilities in a local high school with a goal of educating teenagers on CUs and encouraging...

MADISON, Wis. - CUNA has a message for vendors: not everyone can be "leading edge." Or even "state of the art." So on those descriptions CUNA management had to pick and choose among 165 vendors who would be permitted to display their wares in its "CUNA Future Branch," a splashy...

HARRISBURG, Pa. - With check cashers mushrooming across Pennsylvania in increasing numbers, the state's top financial regulator is appealing to credit unions to jump into the check cashing business through CUSOs or community charters. "This is a service that if done safely and the risks managed, it would be a...

BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho Credit Union League is getting out of the mortgage processing business and selling its brokerage unit to a New Jersey firm, LoriMac Corp. Citing member retention hurdles with its existing operation, the League said the New Jersey-based firm would provide improved marketing efficiencies to member...