Corporate governance

BATTLE CREEK, Mich.-OMNI Community CU here said traffic increased only slightly on Bank Transfer Day, with new accounts up by just three over the same period one year earlier. OCCU did report a spike in call volume to its call center.

BETHPAGE, N.Y.-Bethpage FCU said it opened a record 1,471 new checking accounts opened during its one-week Bank Transfer Day promotion, up significantly from the 383 new accounts opened during the same week last year. Of the 1,471 new accounts, 672 were opened on Saturday, Nov. 5th, Bank Transfer Day. In addition, Bethpage has seen a $100-million increase in deposits since Sept. 29, 2011, a 149% increase from the same period the year prior.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The NCUA Board next week will vote on a proposed community expansion for Finance Center FCU to cover about 1.8 million residents of metropolitan Indianapolis, which would be one of the biggest community charters in recent years.

BREA, Calif. – Credit Union of Southern California, in the process of integrating Pomona’s Inland Empire CU after this summer’s acquisition of the $40-million credit union, has applied to state regulators to add North Orange County CU.

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Credit unions around the country are reporting their best one-day membership gains for Saturday’s Bank Transfer Day, with hopes the momentum will continue building in the coming weeks and months.

WARMINSTER, Penn.-The $490-million Freedom Credit Union is rolling out a Fall schedule of advertising for its "I Choose Freedom" campaign.

ST. LOUIS – St. Bernadette CU was approved by the Division of CUs to serve all 1 million residents of surrounding St. Louis County.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Horizon CU is acquiring $63-million Montana First CU to create a $480-million inter-state credit union.

HARRISBURG, Penn. – Other credit unions also reported strong increases in traffic and interest, although at least one called Bank Transfer Day a “bust.” Separately, Credit Union Journal has uploaded a number of photos related to Bank Transfer Day on its Facebook page.

WALL STREET – The month-long Occupy Wall Street demonstration continued to bear fruit for local credit unions, with representatives from four nearby community development credit unions on hand at the Zuccoti Park protests Saturday helping participants and passersby join a credit union.

SEATTLE – Thousands of consumers lined up waiting for a credit union to open Saturday morning, prompting hundreds of credit unions to stage special weekend hours as the most fertile month of member recruitment culminated in Bank Transfer Day.

BELOIT, Wis. – First Community CU has agreed to merge into it Rock County Employees CU, a $2-million credit union in nearby Janesville.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. – Honor CU has agreed to merge into it Kalamazoo-based Allegis CU, creating a $400-million credit union.

MANSFIELD, Texas – Texas Trust CU is offering a cure for what it is calling the FEE Syndrome associated with large banks: a $155 payment when consumers open a Free & Flexible checking account.

COLUMBIA, Md. – The Maryland & DC CU Association this week launched a new, five-week advertising and marketing campaign featuring radio, digital outdoor banners and online spots.

TOTOWA, N.J.-North Jersey FCU here has grown its share of business accounts after holding its first-ever small business summit, with at least one sizeable loan in the pipeline as a result.

BOULDER, Colo.-Not every credit union sees the need to have a formal "switch kit." Dennis Paul, AVP with the $966-million Elevations Credit Union, here, noted that what ECU lacks in such a kit, it makes up for with a well-established procedure when a bank customer comes in and wants to join.

PARCHMENT, Mich.-First Community FCU said it will return an estimated $200,000 to members as part of a three-month debit card campaign called "Skip the Fee, Swipe for FREE."

CHATSWORTH, Calif.-Matadors Community CU views its switch kit as a marketing tool, especially in light of the fees big banks are levying on their customers.

TUMWATER, Wash.-O Bee Credit Union is tapping into consumer discontent with banks by making them laugh, and then having a switch kit at the ready.