3 More CUs Announce Annual Dividends
DEARBORN, Mich.-Three more credit unions have joined the wave of CUs announcing year-end bonuses including:
*DFCU Financial FCU, here, issued a $17-million annual bonus dividend.
*Clark County CU, Las Vegas, issued a $2.9 million payout.
*Abilene Teachers FCU, Abilene, Texas, paid out a 7.5% interest rebate totaling about $500,000.
The special year-end bonuses have long been a differentiator for credit unions (see related story this page).
Wisconsin Boasts Its Own CU House In State Capital
MADISON, Wis.-Wisconsin's credit unions have opened a Credit Union House in the state's capital. Located on Capitol Square, the facility is being called an "advocacy command center" by the Wisconsin Credit Union League, and will offer meeting space for credit unions and members of the state's government. "Credit Union House is a place where credit union people come to cultivate their ongoing partnership with state agencies and public officials, celebrate their role in strengthening Wisconsin's economy, and tout their success in returning millions of dollars to their member-owners each year," said WCUL president Brett Thompson. The facility is owned by the league, has approximately 2,500-square-feet and will be home to approximately seven WCUL employees.
SIU Launches Facebook Campaign
CARBONDALE, Ill.-SIU CU is partnering with young members to introduce a page on social networking website Facebook.
The credit union recently launched its Smart Young Investors program in partnership with Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate business students in an outreach effort at Gen Yers.
Students in the University's College of Business promotional strategy and management marketing course created a Web-based social networking campaign featuring the "Smart Young Investors" Facebook fan page. It's an interactive page with information about smart investing, wise spending, current economic trends and much more. There's a discussion board and details about upcoming events, too.
Students worked with the credit union and its marketing director to implement the Facebook promotion. New "fan" page participants earned automatic entry into a drawing that day for two $100 prizes, six $50 prizes and five $20 prizes.
'Zombie Bandit' Rises Again
SAN RAFAEL, Calif.-A former educator who spent time in prison for a 1990s series of bank robberies in the Midwest is being sought for a new series of hold-ups in the northwest, including last month's heist at Redwood CU here.
Police have identified the robber, once known as the Zombie bandit, from surveillance videos taken at recent hold-ups from Palo Alto to Oregon. Sixty-two-year-old Alan Hurwitz, a one-time teacher and advisor on school violence, got his name from his mumbling and blank stare and the wounded limp he employed during his robberies.
Hurwitz, who robbed as many as 18 banks and credit unions in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio in the early 199's, served 12 years in prison before being released in May 2004. At the time of his conviction he told authorities he robbed banks and credit unions to pay for his crack cocaine habit.
First City Names Parsons CEO
LOS ANGELES, Calif.-John Parsons has been named CEO of the $350-million First City Credit Union. A 30-year veteran of financial services, Parsons has held management positions at Technology FCU, the Connecticut league, and most recently at Mission Federal Credit Union. He has also acted as a consultant for credit unions throughout the United States.
