RICHMOND, Ind. – Natco CU plans to open a community center to provide assistance and resources designed to help area consumers achieve economic empowerment.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Electel Cooperative FCU’s two-day St. Patrick’s Day “Lucky Loan” promotion, held Friday, March 15 and Monday, March 18, offered personal loans for 12 months at 1.9% or 24 months at 2.9%.

SAN DIEGO – San Diego County CU has implemented LivePerson’s mobile chat solution to engage with its growing volume of mobile members in real time, wherever they are.

BOSTON – The most prolific cards hacker in history has asked a federal appeals court to invalidate a plea agreement that sent him to prison for 20 years and vacate his sentence, even though he agreed not to appeal as part of the deal.

BOSTON—A former financial advisor for Corning (New York) CU was fined $10,000 and suspended ten days for loading up a computer flash drive with member information when he left the credit union to take a new job with Wachovia Securities, now a unit of Wells Fargo.

SAN DIEGO – Mission FCU has implemented Shastic’s social loan calculator for Facebook, known as Calcubot.

WYOMISSING, Penn. – Utilities Employees CU has introduced an enhanced Health Savings Account that offers a no-fee Visa rewards check card and free ATM access for qualifying medical purchases.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The former executive vice president of Chaffey FCU was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for a fraud scheme that drained almost $1.1 million from the $100 million credit union.

DAYTON, Ohio – Mid USA CU has provided a $2.35-million loan to finance acquisition of a 111-unit apartment building in nearby Trotwood.

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio – Montgomery County CU, which reported a $200,000 loss on $30 million of assets for 2012, said its CEO, Lori Tieman, has left and its Chief Operating Officer Sylvia Minnifield has been appointed acting CEO.

WOODBURY, Minn. – Postal CU has signed with CU Realty Services LLC to use the CUSO’s turnkey, Web-based active lead channel.

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – TDECU Real Estate is adding two new offices, giving it a total of four.

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. – Scott CU is offering to pay for a lucky person’s housing costs for 12 months as part of its “We’ll Pay Your Mortgage or Rent for a Year!” sweepstakes.

PHILADELPHIA – Freedom CU has adopted Financial Management Solutions, Inc.’s, Teller Management System.

NOVI, Mich. – Telcom CU, a one-time telephone workers credit union, has changed its name to Vibe CU, incorporating a modern version of the credit union’s historical roots in telecommunications.

PORTLAND, Maine – A federal judge here dealt victims of a 2007 cards breach at Hannaford Bros. a major defeat last week when he refused to certify the group for class action status in their civil suit against the New England supermarket chain.

WASHINGTON – Credit unions added more than 7,300 employees last year, both full-time and part-time, as hiring picked up to pre-financial crisis levels.

WASHINGTON – Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson of South Dakota, a strong credit union supporter, will retire when his current term expires in 2014.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A federal court here Friday agreed to dismiss a discrimination suit brought against Founders FCU by a former assistant vice president in charge of Hispanic outreach who was fired over conflicts with the credit union’s loan policies.

CUNA has asked the Financial Accounting Standards Board to delay its proposals for changes in the accounting for credit losses and loan impairments.