Corporate governance

DURHAM, N.C. – The City Council approved a project by Self-Help CU that will bring a cooperative grocery and other businesses to the underserved neighborhood of West Chapel Hill Street.

The same week Miley Cyrus was causing a stir at the MTV Video Music Awards, some Vegas locals were complaining about a word they did not even hear or see. So forgive Greg Barnes for thinking critics of One Nevada Credit Union's new marketing campaign are chasing the wrong target.

Kinecta FCU, looking for ways to increase engagement on its Facebook page, launched "Stache & Save," an online slot machine that rotates through three different mustaches when users pull the digital handle.

MADISON,, Wis. – The Filene Research Institute received a $700,000, 30-month grant from the Ford Foundation to develop and implement an accessible financial services incubator. The incubator will test, package and scale innovative, viable financial products that benefit low-and-moderate-income consumers, according to Filene.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Drivers who arrive at the BP station at 2815 University Drive here this morning between 9-11 a.m. will receive $20 in free gas.

NOTRE DAME, Indiana – Students arriving on Notre Dame’s campus are being greeted by a “grumpy” message from Notre Dame FCU.

WAXHAW, N.C. – Both banks and credit unions are placing greater emphasis on investment services programs, according to a new report from Kehrer Saltzman & Associates.

MADISON, Wis. – CUNA Mutual Group said it has lined up a “powerful lineup of speakers” for a one-day, complimentary Symposium on credit union member centricity to be held Sept. 24 in Tampa, Fla.

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Members Credit Union has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts.

LAS VEGAS – One Nevada Credit Union is running a marketing campaign promoting its suite of checking products called BACON – an acronym for Bad A$$ Checking from One Nevada.

WARMINSTER, Penn. – The $600-million Freedom Credit Union said it is reintroducing its most popular member benefit, the $25-$25 Refer-A-Member offer.

MANSFIELD, Texas – Texas Trust Credit Union has entered into a partnership with Dolphin Debit Access that it said will establish a branded-ATM presence in high-traffic areas.

HOUSTON – First Community CU aired a new TV ad campaign with a commercial featuring All-Pro NFL linebacker Brian Cushing, who is one of its members, during the Houston Texans’ first preseason game.

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- Dupaco Community CU will pick up four branches with a proposed merger of Iowa Community CU, an $85 million credit union in Cedar Falls.

LIVONIA, Mich. – Co-op Services CU will pick up four branches, including one-drive-thru, with the proposed combination of Rivers Edge Community CU, creating a $500 million credit union with 12 branches and 61,000 members in metro Detroit, the two credit unions announced this morning.

A new study indicates a big opportunity exists for credit unions to cross-sell new members, and that CUs have a great deal of room to improve profitability and performance in many operational areas.

The new report from Cornerstone Advisors has also discovered a great divide in CUs when it comes to IT.

The Mountain West CU Association is in the process of assembling a small credit union task force, making it the latest state league to revamp its programs aimed at assisting small CUs.

Credit union: know thyself. That is the message from Tony Ferris, managing partner for Rochdale Group, who said that as the 2014 strategic planning season nears, the CUs that are "truly making progress" in current market conditions are those that are taking a "hard look" at their own capabilities.

A cooperative business model brings CUs competitive advantages over banks when it comes to setting strategic direction, according to the Institute for Strategic Learning.