Service CU Sponsors Team
PORTSMOUTH-Service Credit Union has become the sole sponsor for the Civic Engagement Team of City Year New Hampshire. A member of the non-profit AmeriCorps network, City Year New Hampshire strives to help communities through citizen service, civic engagement, leadership development, and social entrepreneurship. The program's main program is for 17- to 24-year-olds to perform 10 months of full-time community service.
The Civic Engagement Team works to plan, organize, and lead youth, corporate employees and citizens of all ages in a variety of urban projects. In addition to managing service initiatives, the civic team endeavors to educate and promote volunteerism through state-wide workshops and trainings.
Ent FCU Listed Among Top 25
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-Ent FCU was recognized by Mortgage Technology Magazine as being in the top 25 of tech-savvy mortgage lenders. The magazine honored lenders that are at the forefront in using technology in their daily operations. Ent's use of the Dexma Loan Origination Center enabled the CU to handle a 400% increase in FHA loan volume over the last 15 months, the CU said.
Student Loan Is CompletEd
MADISON, Wis.-The first student loan to be made through CUNA Mutual Group's new CompleteEd program has now been funded.
The loan through CompleteEd, which is private-labeled through the participating credit union, was made by Great Wisconsin Credit Union to Tamara Sanner, a Spanish major at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Sanner said she learned of the program through an Internet search for private student loans. Qualifying members are eligible to receive a 0.25% interest rate discount. To help CUs attract new members, those who join a credit union can also earn the same discount.
MCUA Pledges $100K For iBelong
JACKSON, Miss.-The Mississippi Credit Union Association (MSCUA) has initially pledged $100,000 for a statewide media effort and signed a licensing agreement to air the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association's (PCUA) iBelong campaign in Mississippi. "The consistent iBelong campaign messages of credit unions are for everyone, better rates and fees, and credit unions care‚ will increase awareness of credit unions and the credit union difference in Mississippi," said MCUA CEO Charles Elliott. The iBelong campaign launched on TV and radio stations throughout Pennsylvania in July 2006 and was licensed by the Illinois Credit Union League in 2008.
CUES Unveils New Study
MADISON, Wis.-The Credit Union Executives Society has released a new executive briefing, "Social Media-Blogs & Beyond," available free as a benefit of CUES membership, that presents an overview of social media tools such as blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Flickr, and illustrates how credit unions can use them to build online communities with existing and potential members.
It was written by Trey Reeme, director of channel integration at Texas Dow Employees CU, and offers a look at: the opportunities and threats that exist in using social media; the tools that comprise Web 2.0; How CUs can participate in social media; and examples of CUs using Web 2.0.
For info: www.cues.org/socialmediabriefing/ or join CUES for access to the entire briefing.
11 Earn Security Certification
MADISON, Wis.-Eleven CU professionals earned Security Fraud Expert credentials through CUNA's new Security Certification School.
Graduates include: William Barrett, First Commonwealth FCU in Lehigh Valley, Pa.; Linda Baughman, Commonwealth CU Inc. in Frankfort, Ken.; Barbara Bethea, Fort Campbell FCU in Clarksville, Tenn.; Melissa Catlow, Verity CU in Seattle; Leland Cramer, Finance Center FCU in Indianapolis; Douglas Gonzalez, Massachusetts State Employees CU in Boston; Richard Klefsky, Suffolk FCU in Medford, N.Y.; Cindy MacDonald, PSECU in Harrisburg, Pa.; Michael McMillan, Rocky Mountain CU in Helena, Mont.; Michele Motter, PSECU in Harrisburg, Pa., and Don Whitler, Randolph-Brooks FCU in Universal City, Texas.
Louisiana League Plants Trees
HARAHAN, La.-Approximately one-in-five attendees at the Louisiana League's recent annual meeting here opted to receive all the information at the conference on a compact disc rather than in printed form as part of a broader effort by the league to "go green."
For those who chose to receive the education handouts on CD, the league committed to plant a tree through the Arbor Day Foundation in their behalf.
Some 322 people attended the conference. The 100 trees were planted in America's National Forests through the Trees for America program.
NAFCU Takes To The Airwaves
ARLINGTON, Va.-NAFCU President Fred Becker is featured talking about the safety and soundness of credit unions and the value of the CU deposit insurance fund through a radio news release that was distributed to 150 stations nationwide, including major networks.
NAFCU said the audio news release is one part of a multi-pronged effort to reassure consumers that credit union shares are protected by government-backed insurance and to educate the public about changes in the law that increased coverage amounts.
For info: www.nafcu.org.
