GREENSBORO, N.C.-Living through the recession has taught credit unions the importance of liquidity management.
"This recession has been different from others in the past because it was part of an overall global crisis," said Fred Eisel, SVP/chief investment officer at First Carolina Corporate CU. "Credit unions really saw what it was like when consumers basically just stepped away from everything."
That's made for a challenging environment, but it's also made for a smarter consumer, he suggested.
"They're saving more money, they're driving that car a little longer or buying a used car instead of new, they're paying down debt," he said. "We've learned we've to live within our means."
For credit unions, that means higher liquidity due to lower loan demand. "We really need to learn more about liquidity management."
