COLUMBUS, Ohio-Credit unions across Ohio have learned since the economy collapsed in 2008 that it's not a bad thing to be called conservative, said Becky Hart, SVP of advocacy for the Ohio CU League.
"More and more I have been hearing them say it's OK to be considered conservative in their communities. It's not that I am hearing credit unions say they are being overly conservative, and building capital to 25% and 30%. Just being careful about the way they do business."
Hart admits that message likely did not strike a chord with consumers during the days of strong economic growth and wide-open bank lending policies.
She also noted she has yet to see credit unions emphasizing their conservative business practices in advertising, saying, "'Come to us, we are conservative.' I am not sure how that would go over. But I am just seeing credit unions' conservative nature, doing things smart and not taking risks with their members' money, reflected in their overall operations. And, I am sure, this comes up a lot more during conversations with members."
