Credit union executives called on Congress last week to get the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to exercise existing powers to exempt credit unions from a growing list of new regulations being issued by the fledgling agency, or at least allow NCUA to override some of the new CFPB rules.

LAKELAND, Fla.-World eating champion Joey Chestnut devoured a new world record 11 1/2 pints (almost 1 1/2 gallons) of vanilla ice cream in six minutes Saturday during the Magnify Credit Union World Championship Ice Cream Eating Contest at the 1st Annual Florida Ice Cream Eating Festival.

METAIRIE, La.-Louisiana Corporate CU last week said it will receive a $600,000 settlement from Credit Suisse-the last remaining defendant in a 10-year-old National Century Financial Enterprises asset-backed securities fraud case.

One statement production company says it has developed a new platform that will allow credit unions to more efficiently manage and target their marketing efforts, while saving money on postage and paper.

CAMEO Award Winners Announced

Innovations FCU, Panama City, Fla., named Paul Strappel indirect lending manager.

In the absence of a standard that determines when someone is impaired by marijuana, employers are often left to rely on reasonable suspicion when attempting to prove an employee is under the influence of the drug and it is affecting their work.

When establishing workplace policies for drug and alcohol issues, an important step is staff communication, experts say.

As the number of states that approve medical marijuana use rises, so does CUs' risk for employment battles-and possible member service issues-from staff using the drug.

The Coalition for Credit Union Access, a group of credit unions that is advocating for access to supplemental capital, last week released a new infographic aimed at showing how such access would spur economic growth.

One person says that CUNA's "Unite for Good" campaign has already achieved some of what it set out to do, as three Washington state CUs have joined together to assist members effected by the federal sequester.

STOCKTON, Calif.-Premier Community CU is piloting a new ATM developed by Diebold and CO-OP Financial Services that provides members with access to other CU accounts or subaccounts, such as CDs and IRAs, as well as checking and savings.

The ability to effectively interface with busy members on the run has made mobile chat an increasingly popular feature with members of San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU).

Pioneer Muslim Adds Imaging

Deere Employees Credit Union has discovered that gaming is not just for kids. In fact, members of all ages are having fun engaging with interactive web and tablet retirement planning applications.

Fiserv has introduced a new mobile app that allows users to call up their account balance in about five seconds with a simple swipe of their finger and without logging into their accounts.

Frankenmuth Credit Union CEO Vickie Schmitzer is continually focused on implementing industry innovations to attract members of all ages, but especially Millenials.

The United Nations may have declared with much fanfare that 2012 was the International Year of the Cooperative, but U.S. CUs seem not to have gotten the memo until 2013.

Michael Moebs, CEO and Economist of Moebs $ervices, asks "why are banks taxed?"

M. Troy Freedman, an attorney with Richard M. Squire & Associates, LLC, explains how to be proactive and be prepared in dealing with foreclosures.