Corporate governance

LOMBARD, Ill.-In the "post-free" era, credit unions will have to institute relationship pricing to substantially grow in 2011, according to one analyst.

HOUSTON-From one analyst's perspecitve, 2011 is the year in which CUs must accept the fact they will have to start charging more fees to remain profitable and grow-but they must do so while also giving members something in return for the extra costs.

ONTARIO, Calif.-As mobile phones have gotten "smarter," so must credit unions in providing services via those phones, said one person.

DES MOINES, Iowa-Credit unions looking to grow in 2011 need to be focused on transformational change, including addressing inactive accounts.

MADISON, Wis.-Two trends evident in 2010 are likely to continue to be felt by CU managers in 2011, as well.

MONETT, Mo.-With credit unions' income prospects limited due to economic and regulatory factors, ProfitStars said mergers are an "obvious growth opportunity" in 2011.

MONETT, Mo. — Symitar is projecting 2011 to be a good year for credit unions overall. That's the word from Ted Bilke, the company's president, who pointed to the theme of Callahan & Associates' most recent quarterly TrendWatch, "Make Big Plans for 2011."

MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Bancorp no longer plans to bide its time as competitors figure out how to recoup fee income regulated away by the Durbin amendment.

NEWARK, N.J. — Last year was a record year for life insurance sales among financial institutions, according to Prudential, which insists insurance is a product not affected by the economy.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU has launched an Estate Planning Essentials Pilot Program for basic estate planning and will preparation, which initially will be available to the 3,000 volunteers of the $21 billion credit union.

ROCKVILLE, Md. – The National Institutes of Health FCU, the nation’s largest credit union serving the biomedical industry, has announced the launch of a new partnership with Women in Bio, a 10-year-old group serving women in the bioscience industry, many of whom have formerly worked or currently work at NIH.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Valley FCU of Montana has agreed to acquire Cody (Wyo.) Schools FCU, expanding its field of membership through all of Park County, Wyo., including Yellowstone National Park.

DENVER – State regulators last week approved a request from Westerra CU to add 700,000 residents in two new counties, Adams and Douglas to its field of membership.

PARCHMENT, Mich. – First Community FCU has applied to state regulators to acquire Michigan Services CU in Southfield, its second merger of the past six months.

LENEXA, Kan. – Mainstreet CU, the product of three recent mergers, said it completed its fifth deal with the combination of Wyandotte CU, a $13 million Kansas City credit union.

Credit Union Journal caught up with David Adcock, the CEO of America's First FCU, who announced he would be retiring in March after 38 years with the credit union.

PITTSBURGH - Riverset CU has introduced a workplace banking program, with special offers to employees and employers, to gain a stronger foothold in a market where many banks are doing the same thing.

MASSENA, N.Y.-The same, simple business philosophy in place 38-years ago, when 10 GM workers each threw $5 into a toolbox to form what would eventually become SeaComm FCU, is behind SFCU's outstanding performance today.

DALLAS - Those select employee groups (SEGs) credit unions have been so eager to shed as they expand to community charters have started to look pretty enticing-to banks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-JM Associates FCU has introduced a smart-chip payment system it expects will pay several dividends.