Commentary

Managing loan portfolios has become increasingly complex in recent years, in part because of the growing number of bankruptcies. According to CUNA, loans subject to bankruptcies have increased 15 % and net charge-offs have risen 32% since 1996. These trends make it imperative that credit unions not only remain consistently...

CUSOs have emerged as an important organizational option for the credit union system over the past decade. The two primary kinds of CUSO's-wholly-owned by one credit union and multi-owned by credit unions and/or private firms-have continued to play major roles in credit union success. Or have they? Unlike other sectors...

Although I retired as president and CEO of Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union nearly eight years ago, I continue to follow developments in the credit union movement with interest and pride, but also on occasion, a sense of disappointment. As I continue to read stories reporting the sale of credit...

Times are changing, members are aging. Numerous industry sources discussing the future of credit unions have all stressed the importance of acquiring young members. But how do you get their attention? More importantly, how do you make a credit union a vital part of their life? An extreme paradigm shift...

We need additional tools that allow credit unions to get the capital they need to continue providing members services, to open branches and accept deposits, and which ensure that those who stand to make share-deposits have an additional layer of protection between themselves and that insurance. Capital is what stands...

Credit unions play an important role in our nation's financial marketplace. If current membership trends continue, more than 100 million Americans will soon be conducting their financial business with these not-for-profit financial cooperatives. While credit unions are in excellent financial condition, a number of limitations in federal law are preventing...

Recognizing the billions of dollars in taxpayer losses that resulted from the savings and loan collapses in the 1980s, the need for credit unions to join banks and thrifts with statutory Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) language was addressed by Congress as a part of the legislative give and take which...

Sometimes, it just comes down to "doing the right thing." NCUA's ongoing use of NCUSIF funds to subsidize federal credit union regulatory costs is a case in point. In just the last five years, the NCUA has allocated $343 million of NCUSIF earnings to the Operating Fund to cover "insurance...