Michael Bartlett

Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union says its hybrid carrot and stick "Member Benefits" program has added $155,023 to its bottom line since it was introduced six months ago.

Since May 1 rates have been rising, but John Worth is advising credit unions not to be "fooled" into inaction against interest rate risk.

The Northwest Credit Union Association has installed Kim Vu in a newly created position-VP of community investment and social impact.

Expect the second half of 2013 looks to bring a slow but steady increase in mortgage rates as the Fed begins to reduce the amount of mortgage-backed securities being purchased as Q3 winds down.

There are five steps credit unions can take to offset the regulatory pressures affecting fee income in two areas, according to a pair of analysts.

There is no quick fix when it comes to reducing expenses at credit unions, but "significant and sustainable" cost reductions can be realized through many small steps, according to one analyst.

There are many opportunities for CUs to cut expenses, from improving project management to greater efficiencies, according to Bob Parks.

Yet more regulatory fallout from the recession is a proposed rule from NCUA relating to liquidity risk-which two experts said is all about a credit union having enough "levers" to pull during a crisis.

A liquidity policy is different from a contingency funding plan, and should be part of every credit union's overall strategic planning, according to John Myers.

Credit unions are being cautioned to double-check the non-judicial foreclosure statutes in the states in which they do mortgages for notice requirements in the wake of a closely watched Nevada state court ruling.

After the "mess" of the recession, Andrew Bieno says some credit unions have become overly cautious with auto lending.

In the next five years, Lee Butke of Corporate One expects "a few" more mergers among the remaining corporate CUs.

Four years after a crisis among some corporate credit unions began, the corporate CU marketplace has been forever changed.

Corporate CUs have had to make a number of adjustments to their product mixes and the services they offer, especially as closure of U.S. Central leaves a void.

Credit Union Journal asked three corporate credit union CEOs, "What is the value proposition of your corporate?"

A new study said it has identified the two largest drivers of improvements to member satisfaction: branch staff and online banking.

Marvin Umholtz is dismissing critics of a study he conducted earlier this year that found the credit union tax exemption is no longer needed. Umholtz said criticism that his work lacked any "statistical analysis" was off-base.

At the recent CU Direct Lending Conference here, Credit Union Journal asked, "What loan promotion has been particularly successful for your CU?"

While the bank lobby has long argued credit unions are de facto operating as commercial banks and should be treated-and taxed-as such, a new study argues there is no evidence to support the claims.

It's a common concern of many credit unions: members who come aboard due to an indirect loan never become fully participating members. But that's a problem that is often self-inflicted by those same CUs, and can be resolved, according to one person.