Grant To Fund Training For Disabled At CUs
WEST ORANGE, N.J.-The non-profit Kessler Foundation last week awarded a $484,452 Signature Employment Grant to the National Disability Institute in Washington, D.C., to fund a program that will train disabled people to work in credit unions. The two-year program plans to train and place 72 individuals with disabilities in New York CUs, with plans to replicate it nationwide. The project is titled BEST Employees N.Y., with BEST an acronym for Building Economic Strength Together. BEST Employees N.Y. is a collaborative effort of NDI, Federation of CDCUs, the CU Association of New York, a number of government agencies, and Syracuse University's Burton Blatt Institute.
PCUA's McCormack Plans To Retire At End of 2013
HARRISBURG., Penn.--At the end of 2013 Pennsylvania CU Association President and CEO Jim McCormack will retire after 32 years with the league, 42 in the CU movement.
McCormack said last week that when he retires Dec. 31 he'll look back on a career in which he's seen CUs accomplish much. "I think one of the most important things credit unions have done is become better marketers," offered McCormack. "This will be important to the future of credit unions. Marketing is what banks do best. Credit unions have a great story to tell."
McCormack thanked the PCUA staff and board for their dedication and cooperation over the years, saying, "They made me better at my role. My time at the league has been very rewarding."
Board Chairman Michael Kaczenski called McCormack a visionary whose commitment to cooperation, advocacy, and growth of credit unions around the state and country made the movement stronger. McCormack will remain as a consultant to the PCUA board through November 2014. A nationwide search for a successor is being conducted by Dollar Associates, Birmingham, Ala.
McCormack began his credit union career in 1971. Prior to joining the association, he held various positions with CUNA Mutual Group, both in Pittsburgh and its corporate headquarters in Madison, Wis. McCormack is a native of Scranton, Penn.
Franklin To Retire From CUNA
MADISON, Wis.-John Franklin, EVP/COO with CUNA, said he will retire on March 29. Franklin has nearly 40 years in credit unions, including eight years as president of the South Carolina league prior to joining CUNA.
CO-OP OFficially Intro's 'Sprig'
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.-CO-OP Financial Services last week officially rolled out "CO-OP Sprig," which it called a multi-institution "virtual credit union branch" that gives members the ability to make person-to-person (P2P) payments and aggregate their accounts in a single portal. CU Sprig has already had a soft rollout and has been implemented by a number of CUs. The CUSO said CO-OP Sprig is the first phase in its multi-phase plan to expand the product's P2P features and network range into a true digital wallet.
Biz Kid$ Grants Available
MADISON, Wis.-CU organizations are being urged to apply for new Biz Kid$ Financial Education Grants from the National CU Foundation through March 31. Info and an app can be found here at www.ncuf.coop/home/programs/bizkids_grants.
ESL, PFCU Pay Dividends
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-ESL FCU last week said it was paying a bonus dividend of $7.25 million to qualified members, about two-thirds of its 199,999 members, the 17th consecutive year it has paid such a dividend. In Greensboro, N.C., Premier FCU returned $230,000 to members.
Affinity Plus FCU Acquires Branch
ST. PAUL, Minn.-In an unusual transaction, Affinity Plus has agreed to acquire the local branch and 4,300 member accounts of Illinois-based Oak Trust CU. Oak Trust has two branches, one in Illinois and the other in the Twin Cities suburb of Eagan, Minn., and its Minnesota members fit into Affinity Plus's broad FOM.
