Corporate governance

HONOLULU – Hickam FCU was approved by NCUA to expand outside its core military field of membership and the local community to serve all 950,000 residents of the island of Oahu.

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Bethpage FCU introduced Bethpage Investment Strategies, a financial services division that offers members an increased product line and more services.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – State regulators approved the conversion of Buffalo Service CU to a state charter, allowing the $41 million credit union to serve the 900,000 residents of Erie County, N.Y.

ENDICOTT, N.J. – The $2.6-billion Visions FCU is expanding into southern New York, northern Pennsylvania and New Jersey with a merger with $330-million Paragon FCU.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Postal Federal Community CU here has changed its name to BluCurrent Credit Union.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-One credit union is planning to return $200,000 more to members each month and significantly expand its call center to take advantage of the effects of the new interchange rules.

GLASGOW, Scotland-Trust in credit unions is great, but it's not enough to be successful. Being a big credit union is great, as long the CU avoids becoming a small bank. Talk of collaboration is great, but for one group of co-ops it didn't work.

MIAMI – It may be time for credit union to build plans to expand their auto leasing programs, according to one company that is forecasting lease penetration rates will double by 2020, averaging around 42% across most vehicle brands and segments.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pentagon FCU said it has become the “exclusive, preferred financial services provider for credit cards, vehicle loans and mortgages” for the Navy League of the United States.

OMAHA, Neb.-One way to increase loan volume is to get members to take out two loans at a time. That's the strategy behind Centris FCU's BOGO (buy-one-get one) loan program, which helped it pick up volume right when loans began to tail off, explained Seth Swier, AVP of financial services.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-The best way to address fraud is to ensure you have dedicated fraud resources within the CU and make fraud prevention a strategic priority.

CINCINNATI-Credit unions don't need to do anything special when it comes to planning for 2012, according to one executive, as long as they keep their focus on what has made credit unions unique and engendered member loyalty.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.-When it comes to strategic planning for 2012, one supplier says that understanding a vendor's product offerings is crucially important-but more important, she said, is understanding that product's value and, in some cases, lack thereof to a member.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The $40.7-million Buffalo Service Credit Union has applied to the New York State Banking Department to expand its charter to serve all of Erie County.

MADISON, Wis. – Given the threat of increasing deposits as consumers seek CU safety as stocks fluctuate wildly, Dave Colby is offering some advice on how to keep the loan-to-share ratio from slipping further south.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – CU awareness will be flying high here this weekend during the Service Credit Union Boston-Portsmouth Air Show at Pease International Airport.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – How did one credit union improve service, cut its costs and automate its processes? Credit Union Journal will highlight how Affinity Plus FCU did just that in a free, one hour webinar to be held Aug. 23 at 11 a.m. ET.

WASHINGTON – Post Durbin, the focus must be on building relationships to enhance profitability, and financial institutions will drive that online as much as in-branch, at least one analyst is stressing.

MADISON, Wis. – Unique to cooperatives and especially to credit unions, a new study examining so-called “Patronage Refunds” has been released by the Filene Research Institute.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – How did one credit union improve service, cut its costs and automate its processes? Credit Union Journal will highlight how Affinity Plus FCU did just that in a free, one hour webinar to be held Aug. 23 at 11 a.m. ET.