Michael Bartlett

Although there still are risks to be accounted for, Wayne Tew believes this is a good time to be in the mortgage business. But it's also a good time, said Tew, president and CEO of $480.8-million Clark County Credit Union, to define "risk."

People overestimate how good looking they are, and how well they drive, but they do not overstate how "fascinating" they are.

Credit unions should look at the new mortgage rules being proposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with a mixture of relief and trepidation.

Shawn Achor, author of "The Happiness Advantage", believes optimism has strong repercussions for credit unions.

Any business that wants to succeed-including credit unions-must develop its workforce to drive growth and profitability.

Technology Credit Union has instituted a full-court press on its members in hopes of getting approval for its proposed charter conversion to a mutual savings bank later this year.

Ongoing polling of attendees at America's Credit Union Conference found tepid faith in a growing economy and little support for President Obama and Congress.

Credit unions have been "good" for decades, but Mike Mercer wonders if the movement suffers from a sense of complacency that prevents CUs from achieving greatness.

Many credit union CEOs plan to retire relatively soon, leaving CUs with a five-year window to develop a succession plan, says Scott Albraccio, executive benefits sales manager for CUNA Mutual Group.

The $1.6-billion Technology Credit Union is offering a number or prizes — including iPads and cash — to encourage members to cast their vote as part of its effort to convert to a bank.

The time is now to start building the credit union of the future, advised John Lass, SVP of strategy for CUNA Mutual Group, because the industry is at a strategic inflection point.

CUNA is readying a "credit union vision" it hopes will take the movement to $2.5 trillion in assets in 10 years. It's an audacious goal for credit unions, which just hit the $1 trillion in assets threshold after more than a century of operation.

America's First FCU has found a formula for producing some of the most effective and memorable TV spots of any CU in the country, attributing part of the success to the childhood of Paul Crawford, president of agency Scout Branding.

The San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union created a special loan product called the "1010 loan"-a nod to the police code for "be ready." It is a bridge loan that helps new officers purchase their uniforms, gun and other equipment until they are reimbursed.

The $2.2-billion Mission Federal Credit Union may have transitioned to a community charter, but it hasn't strayed from its roots.

Of Navy Federal Credit Union's 220 branches worldwide, 15 are in San Diego County and more are planned.

John Tippets helps turn around the fortunes of North Island Credit Union, dubbed "The Island".

As president and CEO of the largest locally-based credit union here, $5.7-million San Diego County CU's Teresa Halleck said the biggest challenge is standing out in the crowd.

Although James Harris sees banks as the main competition for $742-million USE Credit Union, he acknowledges the nature of the hyper-competitive San Diego market means other CUs must also be reckoned with.

While credit unions in other citeis might object to San Diego claiming the title of most competitive market, there's little debate that a market home to eight credit unions of more than $1 billion in assets and 17 branches operated by Navy Federal can put a strain on cooperation.