NORCROSS, Ga.-These are boom times for Associated CU here. The entire month surrounding Bank Transfer Day saw a 50% increase in new share accounts over the previous year, and the credit union is getting 80% penetration on new checking accounts and debit cards.

MISSOULA, Mont.-If a big box retailer can open early near the Thanksgiving holiday to draw a crowd, why not a credit union?

AUSTIN, Texas-What began as a push to improve internal communication resulted in an increase in one credit union's Net Promoter Score, along with increased loan growth and employee retention.

NORCROSS, Ga.-What it describes as a "very credit union-ey" product has helped members with weak credit scores here to get a vehicle.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.-Digital FCU (DCU) here has boosted its mobile deposit numbers to the point where nearly 50% of all remote deposits come via mobile channels, earning it a Credit Union Journal "Best Practice" award in the Mobile Deposit category.

RALEIGH, N.C.-With approximately 7,500 North Carolina state employees facing layoffs as a result of a $2.7-billion budget deficit, State Employees' CU sprang into action.

HOBART, Ind.-Many credit unions rely on shared branching networks to make banking more convenient for their members, and often that means simple transactions.

LEESBURG, Va.-When it opened a new branch in a dense residential area with little commercial development, Northwest FCU turned to direct marketing to get the word out-very direct marketing.

SPOKANE, Wash.-Spokane Teachers Credit Union here has implemented a number of changes it credits for helping it to add more than 900 new members per month-and that was before the recent Bank Transfer Day effort.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-When one CU decided to hire in-house counsel to improve its efforts around collection items referred for litigation, it knew it was a good idea-it just didn't know how good.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-It's been 30 days since credit unions benefited from the biggest-ever increase in membership and awareness in history, culminating in Bank Transfer Day on Nov. 5.

NEW ORLEANS-Tired of losing member loans to local dealer financing, Cabrillo Credit Union has stepped into the used car business and is now doubling loan volume over 2011 projections.

WASHINGTON-Credit unions may soon getter a better handle on potential additional compliance demands as the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has begun accepting consumer complaints related to home mortgages.

Wright Patt CU, Gulf Winds

ATLANTA-Total consumer debt has nearly returned to pre-recession levels, including a 32% growth among credit card originations, according to the newly released Equifax National Credit Trends Report. But home equity lending continues to slide.

PHOENIX-Arizona Central CU here is making a renewed push to grow its health savings account business.

HAMPDEN, Maine-After walking more than 700 miles and driving another 1,300, Brenda Davis arrived at Maine Savings FCU here last week for a special ceremony, having raised more than $30,000 to help fight hunger in this state.

YORK, Penn.-Seeking to maintain the momentum of Bank Transfer Day, First Capital FCU turned to a kissing booth.

NEW BERLIN, Wis.-Landmark Credit Union here last week was in the process of merging four more credit unions, leapfrogging Summit CU as Wisconsin's biggest credit union.

NEW ORLEANS-The opportunity in credit cards is going to get bigger, and so is the competition. That's why CUs need to devise strategies to get more members using the credit union's card and battle the big banks that are stepping up their offers, insisted PSCU EVP Chuck Fagan.