Corporate governance

CHANTILLY, Va.-After a hard day at the office or in the field, Justice FCU doesn't want its members fretting over financial decisions.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Employees CU can finally serve students at the university after merging into larger Personal Care CU, based in nearby Trumbull, Conn.

VIENNA, Va. – With Navy FCU’s agreement to merge with San Diego’s USA FCU, the world’s largest credit union will acquire 19 new branches, 11 of them overseas, in the biggest credit union deal yet for international branches.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.-The only way many small CUs will generate enough ROA to stay in business is to increase unrelated business income, according to one small credit union CEO.

EMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Power Financial CU is the latest credit union to expand into the underserved Florida Keys, a 160-mile long string of islands south of Miami connected by a single causeway.

WORCESTER, Mass. – Webster First FCU recently opened a branch in the Compare Foods neighborhood supermarket to serve residents of the city’s burgeoning Hispanic population.

WASHINGTON – Capital-area credit unions kick off the fall phase of their cooperative advertising campaign Sept. 20 with a multi-faceted online effort aimed at young adults.

BROOMALL, Penn. – Franklin Mint FCU, which has branches in nine area hospitals, will extend its reach into the region’s hospitals with a deal to acquire Main Line Health Employees FCU, a $52 million credit union which serves employees at three local hospitals.

LAS VEGAS – Utah credit union giant America First CU said Friday it has converted all five branches of Community One FCU, about one year after assuming operations of the one-time $180 million credit union failure.

CHICAGO – Alliant CU, a one-time credit union for United Airlines, flew into new markets in Arizona, Texas and Southern California with an agreement to acquire ailing Continental FCU, the credit union for Continental Airlines and US Airways.

At a time when most financial institutions are tightening credit standards, Sally Boyer is taking more chances on members who stop by her Michigan State University FCU branch for a loan.

SCHINNEN, The Netherlands — Running an overseas branch of Andrews FCU has advantages over heading an AFCU office stateside — you don't have much competition.

The recession has shown Debbie Lawson, branch manager for the east Tampa location of the $5.3-billion Suncoast Schools FCU, the resiliency of members-as well as their shortcomings.

A simple truth sometimes overlooked by branch managers is that leaders are only as good as their teams. In his 10 years managing a branch at the $1-billion State Department FCU, Jesse Bell has learned that it's the most important principle a successful branch manager can adhere to.

Running an effective branch today requires staying on top of the competition, stressed Doris Nabors, who's been at the helm of her America's First Trussville location for 13 years.

For Betty O'Brien, who has managed branches of the $325-million Florida Commerce CU for the last 11 and a half years, a key job of the branch manager is to make sure staff never prejudge members.

When "guests" of a shared branch don't perceive a difference between their own CU and the host credit union, the branch manager is running operations effectively.

When aliens ride past the front lobby in a golf cart and the cast from "Grey's Anatomy" drop by to make a deposit, it's safe to assume that running a branch at First Entertainment CU may be a little different.

What members ask for, and what they need to improve their financial condition, are often two different things. Those who work the front line can attest to that, including Dawn Everton, who runs the Newport News location of the $500-million 1st Advantage FCU.

SAN DIMAS, Calif.-Effective shared branches are run by managers who see the big picture and practice "tough love." Sarah Canepa Bang, president of Financial Service Centers Cooperative (FSCC), told Credit Union Journal that while the branch must educate non-proprietary members on properly using a shared branch, these members have to approach the teller line prepared to do business.