WASHINGTON -- When he is not getting grilled by lawmakers, speaking at conferences or crafting sweeping rules for the financial services industry, ever wonder what Richard Cordray does in his spare time?

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Members of New Mexico Educators FCU last week learned the value of a deeper relationship with the CU when NMEFCU paid out a $5 million year-end dividend.

First Choice FCU has filed a class action lawsuit against Target Corp. over costs associated with the giant retailer's holiday data breach, and more CUs are expected to join the suit.

A selection of images featuring credit unions' efforts in their communities.

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Nicholas Mayhew has been named president and CEO of GPO FCU, taking over his new role Feb. 3.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- NCUA issued prohibition orders against five individuals in January, all of whom pleaded guilty to crimes.

KEY WEST, Fla. -- Keys Federal Credit Union, which is operating under NCUA conservatorship, scratched out $307,672 in net income in 2013 while its net worth ratio gained 37 basis points to 4.07%.

WASHINGTON -- More credit unions will be negatively affected by the new risk-based capital rule than the National Credit Union Administration has indicated, say the two main CU trade groups.

With terrorist attacks, shootings in schools, partisan gridlock in Washington and natural disasters worldwide all vying for headline space, it is difficult to select "the most serious" problems confronting us. But there is no question that the financial abuse of elders belongs on the list.

If the recent holiday shopping season is any indication, consumers may be setting aside their caution with credit card spending and are back to consuming through debt.

CLEVELAND -- Small credit unions such as the $2 million NoteWorthy FCU in Ohio offer the basics in consumer lending such as car loans and Visa cards.

Whether it's loan origination management, member relationship building, loan retention or offering refinancing on existing loans, most credit unions -- regardless of size -- face customer relationship management obstacles.

ELGIN, Ill. -- Credit unions can differentiate themselves from banks, improve their loan yields and save their members from paying the punishing interest rates charged by payday lenders by looking past the top credit tiers.

PHOENIX -- For $1.4 billion Arizona State Credit Union, a poor economy for an extended period of time meant pent-up demand for auto loans -- once it let its members know these loans were available.

While most observers say that nearly any credit union can find success with signature lending -- closed-end, unsecured loans -- some of those that have the most success are CUs that tailor them to a specific niche.

We applaud the NCUA for affirmatively voting to allow derivative use within the credit union movement.

MADISON, Wis. -- Although CUNA Mutual Group has spun off its CMG Mortgage Insurance Company to Arch Mortgage Insurance Company, the sales team that will be distributing the mortgage insurance product to credit unions will remain employees of CUNA Mutual Group under the acquisition deal that was finalized Thursday.

For those who know the history of postal banking in the United States, the firestorm that erupted last week when it was suggested that the Post Office should offer financial services sounded quite familiar.

The National Credit Union Administration's new risk-based capital rule has some credit unions saying it's time to consider switching to a bank charter while others applaud the agency's effort.

Scientists spend gigantic dollars searching for proof of the smallest of theories. Physicists on the Large Hadron Collider to find the Higgs particle. Meteorologists on sophisticated computer models to measure the butterfly effect. And yet all of them could save money and time proving how small changes can have large repercussions by looking no further than credit unions.