SAN JOSE, Calif. – Meriwest CU announced this morning longtime CEO Christopher Owens is retiring and will be succeeded by Julie Kirsch, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the $1.8 billion credit union, the latest IBM employees’ credit union to see new leadership.

A new economic analysis being released today says the data shows "no evidence that state and federal tax policies give credit unions unfair competitive advantages over banks."

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Eight individuals were charged this morning in a scheme orchestrated by a state prison inmate with a federal income tax fraud that deposited U.S. Treasury checks in accounts at Redstone FCU and Regions Bank, then disbursed the proceeds to conspirators from the credit union account.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Golden 1 CU said it has signed a contract extension with The Members Group to process card transactions.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska USA FCU on Thursday said it has selected Alaska Option, of which it is part owner, as its processor for Visa debit signature transactions.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Michigan Schools and Government CU has introduced the AskAuto smart phone car-buying application to its members.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – CFI Group, a customer satisfaction technology and analytics firm, said it has identified four drivers of member satisfaction, and concluded these should be a focus area for the industry.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – Rhode Island Credit Union became just the eighth CU participating in CO-OP Shared Branching in the state of Rhode Island when it simultaneously joined CO-OP Shared Branching and CO-OP Network.

WASHINGTON – Long-term mortgage rates climbed higher for the fifth week in a row amid concerns that the Federal Reserve may slow its bond purchases and signs of a strengthening economy, according to Freddie Mac.

BALTIMORE – The National Federation of CDCUs said it is accepting applications until June 15 for a pilot program to cultivate future leaders of the credit union movement.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – NCUA is reviewing a charter application for a new community development credit union that would serve about 450,000 residents in Greenville County, near the home of two of the nation’s biggest payday lenders, which would be the first new credit union to be created in South Carolina in more than a decade.

ROCKVILLE, Md. – National Institutes of Health FCU CEO Juli Anne Callis has resigned and is set to leave the $585-million credit union by the end of July.

BALTIMORE – The Treasury Department is expected to issue as much as $500 million in a pilot CDFI Bond Guarantee program, providing a vast new source of funding for community development credit unions and other CDFIs, according to the head of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA told consumer advocates concerned with credit unions offering high-priced payday loans it’s hands are tied because the credit union regulator has no legal authority over a payday lending CUSO.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Community Choice CU introduced a new member rewards program this morning that will pay out as much as $1 million to members who make the credit union their primary financial institution.

BALTIMORE – NCUA will begin accepting applications June 17 for this year’s round of small credit union grants and the agency plans to award $1.2 million in grants up to $24,000.

The National Federation of Community Development CUs kicked off its new technology initiative this morning with a $250,000 grant from Citigroup to study the feasibility of its own shared branching network.

LIVONIA, Mich. – CU Solutions Group announced its partner, SaveUp, is one of 11 finalists competing for the Annual Core Innovators Mega Challenge from Core Innovation Capital and the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI).

LAKE MARY, Fla. – CFE FCU has signed with CU Realty Services to implement the company’s real estate services program.

CHATSWORTH, Calif. – Premier America CU has renewed its card processing contract with The Members Group.