Growth strategies

PONTIAC, Mich. – Affinity Group CU, a partnership of five area credit unions, yesterday said St. Cletus CU, a $15-million Warren credit union, is joining the conglomerate.

It's unlikely any credit union community has gone from non-existent to progressive market-leaders as quickly as have credit unions in Poland.

A Groupon-like offering from SaveAround is now available for credit unions to pitch to its members.

For as much as credit unions preach the virtues of collaboration, Sundie Seefried, CEO at Partner Colorado CU, worries that the pressures of business are preventing that from actually happening.

WALTHAM, Mass. – RTN FCU said it will get two new branches, in Brookline and Dorchester, with the recently approved merger of Medical Area FCU in Brookline.

Grzegorz Bierecki, president and CEO of Poland's National Association of Cooperative Savings & Credit Unions (NACSCU), offers his thoughts on how Poland's CUs have matured so quickly and how the unique model works.

LIVONIA, Mich. – The Michigan CU League said this morning it has struck a deal with Gas Station TV to sell video ads to local credit unions across the country on-screen at the gas pumps.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The League of Southeastern CUs has rolled out the second run of on air and Internet spots for its $1.2-million advertising campaign, built around the tagline “Credit Unions: we’re giving banking a better name.”

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Tropical Financial CU picked five members from a cast of 100 who auditioned on camera to appear in broadcast, electronic and print media as the faces of the $600-million credit union.

RICHMOND, Va. – Entrust Financial CU is introducing a “Banking With a Higher Purpose” campaign today over local TV and radio to emphasize a personal touch that will provide all new accountholders with their own member service rep for the first 90 days.

CUNA is readying a "credit union vision" it hopes will take the movement to $2.5 trillion in assets in 10 years. It's an audacious goal for credit unions, which just hit the $1 trillion in assets threshold after more than a century of operation.

LIVONIA, Mich. – The Michigan CU League announced a deal this morning between its CU Solutions Group CUSO and Gas Station TV that will allow credit unions to advertise at the pump at local gas stations near their branches.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Credit unions are teaming up with local businesses to boost foot traffic with spontaneous calls invitations to invade a small business and spend money, a practice becoming known as “cash mobs.”

OAK RIDGE. Tenn. – ORNL FCU announced it contracted with INVEST Financial to provide its members with brokerage and investment services.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – The Abundant Living Family Church, one of

MADISON, Wis. – Summit CU has chosen four local families to compete for a $10,000 prize in its fourth annual Project Money savings contest.

A focus on cross-selling has helped Community Credit Union move from negative loan growth in 2010 (-1.5%) to 4.5% in 2011.

Not all small credit unions in the Golden State are struggling to attract new members, as STAR Community Credit Union and San Luis Obispo-based SLO CU are welcoming new faces.

Eric Bruen, CEO of Desert Valleys FCU, has seen little empirical data that shows small CUs have experienced little growth in 2012, but he argues that may not be such a bad thing.

All those stories about consumers flocking from banks to credit unions are just that-stories. Or at least that's the case for two small CUs in the Golden State.