Credit unions

In the wake of the decisions to roll back affirmative action provisions within college admissions, many executives are looking for ways to continue championing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Visa wants to expand in-car payments tech; Citizens Financial installs president to oversee growing California market; undergrads win banking competition and more in the weekly banking news roundup.

The average credit union member had saved $286 less in March compared to a year earlier. That was the largest per-member drop in credit union history, fueled by rising costs of living and more aggressive competition.

The Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action in higher education has opened the door to challenges of diversity initiatives in the financial services sector, legal experts say. Internship programs for minority students could face scrutiny, as could efforts to increase workforce diversity.

Deborah Donnelly, senior program manager of talent and performance at BECU in Washington state, has prioritized training the next generation of professionals in each position she's held.

Leigh Brady recently took over as chief executive of SECU, the second-largest credit union in the U.S. Don't look for any mergers under her leadership, Brady said, but she will focus on branch expansion and improving SECU's use of technology.

The $4 billion-asset United Federal Credit Union partnered with the Nevada Housing Division to offer first-time homebuyers access to down-payment assistance.

Twenty lenders from across the country are participating in Underwriting for Racial Justice, a collaborative effort to develop new criteria that will enable marginalized borrowers to gain access to credit.

A recent breakthrough transaction demonstrates the promise of credit union sub-debt offerings for investors looking to enter the ESG space.