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BREMERTON, Wash. – Kitsap CU will pick up two new branches with a deal to acquire Quimper Community FCU, a $47 million credit union in nearby Port Townsend.

OVERTON, Nev. – Utah’s America First CU said it has been approved to acquire Moapa Valley CU, a one-time $76 million credit union with less than 3% net worth and $1.6 million of losses for the first quarter of 2012.

RIVERWOODS, Ill. – Discover Financial Services, the third biggest credit card brand, said net income for its second quarter ended May 31 declined 10% to $537 million as the parent of PULSE EFT network set aside more reserves and expressed growing concern about Visa’s pricing actions.

While credit unions in the ultra-competitive San Diego market struggle with their own competitive challenges, banks elsewhere across the country are struggling with their own challenges.

What caused GTE FCU to slip into a financial tailspin and lose $74.7 million from 2008 through 2010 and how they worked diligently to overcome in the last few years to return to profitability.

The San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union created a special loan product called the "1010 loan"-a nod to the police code for "be ready." It is a bridge loan that helps new officers purchase their uniforms, gun and other equipment until they are reimbursed.

Marla Shepard saw the future back in 2008, when, fittingly, she was president and CEO of the then $944-million First Future Credit Union-the need to bulk up to better compete with the big banks.

The $2.2-billion Mission Federal Credit Union may have transitioned to a community charter, but it hasn't strayed from its roots.

Of Navy Federal Credit Union's 220 branches worldwide, 15 are in San Diego County and more are planned.

John Tippets helps turn around the fortunes of North Island Credit Union, dubbed "The Island".

As president and CEO of the largest locally-based credit union here, $5.7-million San Diego County CU's Teresa Halleck said the biggest challenge is standing out in the crowd.

Although James Harris sees banks as the main competition for $742-million USE Credit Union, he acknowledges the nature of the hyper-competitive San Diego market means other CUs must also be reckoned with.

While credit unions in other citeis might object to San Diego claiming the title of most competitive market, there's little debate that a market home to eight credit unions of more than $1 billion in assets and 17 branches operated by Navy Federal can put a strain on cooperation.

NEW YORK -- Christ the Rock International, a 17-year-old, 400-member church in Brooklyn, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Friday, the latest church borrower of California’s Evangelical Christian CU to file for bankruptcy.

WASHINGTON – The FDIC seized three more banks on Friday, one each in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, making a total of 31 failures for the year.

BENNINGTON, Vt. -- Heritage Family CU has merged with the Central Vermont Public Service Employees CU, the one-time $20 million Rutland credit union that has reported losses for the past four years.

RENO, Nev. – Members of Sparks City Employees FCU approved the merger of their ailing one-time $16 million credit union into Great Basin FCU, the state’s eighth-largest credit union.

Credit unions need to get over their reluctance to segment accounts if they want to survive.

CFOs were urged to consider a new risk matrix model for examining threats to their organizations and to meet regulatory demands.

It's a simple problem with enormous consequences; yet similarly simple steps can resolve it. In this case, "it" is poor sales and service cultures within credit unions, along with the related issue of staff turnover.