WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department announced today that 25 credit union organizations received more than $25 million in funding under this year’s round of the Community Development Financial Institutions program.

NCUA OFFICIALLY CLOSES

AAFCU Cuts Overdraft Fees

SAN FRANCISCO-No credit union heads into an exam with enthusiasm, but one person is offering an eight-step process for making the process much easier.

WILMINGTON, N.C.-Two weeks following the Fed's final interchange ruling, CU attitudes toward the future of debit could be changing, shedding some of the doom and gloom predictions and now working to leverage what some believe could be one of the biggest opportunities to win new members in years.

BELLEVUE, Wash.-From shifting members to signature from PIN, to cutting rewards, or adding enhancements to attract new members, no clear-cut strategies are emerging as CUs make decisions to address debit programs post-Durbin.

FAIRHAVEN, Mass.-One CU believes that moving more debit transactions from PIN to signature will drive greater interchange revenue and has introduced a cash giveaway to get members to change their behavior.

ALBANY, N.Y.-SEFCU has experienced double-digit member growth over the last two years and credits its presence on college campuses for much of the succsess. So when a local bank recently gave up its office at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the credit union moved to scoop it up.

LOS ANGELES-In the latest punch-up between credit unions over naming rights, Schools FCU last week filed suit in federal court against SchoolsFirst FCU for service mark infringement and unfair competition in the nearby credit union giant's 2008 change from Orange County Teachers FCU.

MANCHESTER, N.H.-St. Mary's Bank has launched a pilot program to help prospective business owners take their first steps.

WASHINGTON-A federal judge last week said NCUA's closure of Vensure FCU was predicted by the April 15 regulatory takeover, hours after federal indictments against international gambling figures and the freezing of their assets cut off all sources of income for the Mesa, Ariz., CU.

CLAREMONT, Calif.-A sizeable crowd will gather this week to honor the 50th graduating class from Western CUNA Management School, the alma mater of any number of influential credit union leaders in its 52 years of operations.

LOS ANGELES-A federal judge last week dismissed key charges in NCUA's suit against officers and directors of WesCorp FCU, but allowed several other charges to remain, making it increasingly likely there will be a trial in the failure of the one-time $34-billion corporate credit union.

$40K Raised For Flood Victims

LEWISTON, Idaho-Bigger has proven better for Potlatch No. 1 FCU here, which has averaged 11.69% average annual growth over the past five years.

CU Members Mrtg Extends EducationDALLAS-CU Members Mortgage said it has committed to educating its credit union partners-along with other interested industry representatives-to keep staff prepared for change. Topics it provides for its client partners include: SAFE Act, including Loan Officer compensation and NMLS requirements; Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM), secondary marketing; FHA Origination; Fannie Mae LQI, and; maximizing income while minimizing risk in mortgage lending.For info: www.cumembers.comSynergent, MVFCU To PartnerPORTLAND, Maine-Merrimack Valley FCU has signed an agreement to join Synergent Card Services Debit/ATM card processing. The $431-million CU currently partners with Synergent Technology Services and the Episys core processing solution.For info: www.synergentcorp.comCUES Partners With BVS PerformanceMADISON, Wis.-The Credit Union Executives Society and Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based BVS Performance Systems have signed an agreement to offer online education to credit unions.For info: www.cues.orgLPL Financial Recognizes MACU SALT LAKE CITY-The investment services program offered at Mountain America CU has been named LPL Financial's 2011 Program of the Year.For info: www.lpl.comS1 Corp Combining With FundtechATLANTA-Online services provider S1 Corp. said it is combining with Fundtech Ltd., a Jersey City-based provider of software and services, in a stock-swap merger of equals. The combined company will be based at S1's headquarters in Atlanta and will be called Fundtech.For info: www.s1.comNSCU Names Cathedral As PartnerROME, N.Y.-Cathedral Corp. has been selected by NAFCU Services Corp. as its Preferred Partner for printed and electronic financial communication programs, personalized direct mail and e-marketing services.For info: www.nafcu.org/nafcuservicesWesterra CU Chooses CO-OPRANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.-The $1.2-billion Westerra CU, Denver, has chosen CO-OP Financial Services for credit card transaction processing as part of a program to increase member use of its cards and drive efficiencies. For info: www.co-opfs.orgMember Referral Program LaunchedCLARK, N.J.-CU Student Lending, marketer of the cuStudentLoans private student loan program, has rolled out a member referral program that allows credit unions outside of the CU Student Lending network to offer loans to members. For info: www.custudentloans.org

Sooper Wins Q2 Marketing AwardDALLAS-CU Members Mortgage gave a 2011 Q2 Marketing Achievement Award to the $242-million Sooper CU, Arvada, Colo., for its use of new marketing tools to increase loans with its Gen Y membership.For info: www.cumembers.comRGCU Joins Branching NetworkLAKEWOOD, Colo.-CU Service Network said Rio Grande CU, Albuquerque, N.M., has joined its shared branching network.For info: www.cusn.comAlaska Option Expands Debit ProgramANCHORAGE, Alaska-Alaska Option Services Corporation, an ATM/POS debit network, said it is expanding its product offerings to include pass-through credit and debit signature processing services.For info: www.alaskaoption.comEmpower FCU Selects VSoft ATLANTA-VSoft Corp. reported that Syracuse, N.Y.-based Empower FCU has chosen its suite of item capture solutions, including merchant remote deposit capture and branch back-counter capture.For info: www.vsoftcorp.comConference Focuses On CommunityGRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-Being part of the community was the focus of CU*Answers' recent Leadership Conference. Randy Karnes, the CUSO's CEO, challenged CUs to consider what represents a community and who CUs should be talking about within today's communities. Attendees donated money to five community-related charities.For info: www.cuanswers.comNSC Names 2011 Innovation AwardsSAN FRANCISCO-NAFCU Services Corp: announced the winners of its 2011 Innovation Awards: Affinion Group for its Flex Checking, a program that addresses the question of free versus fee checking; Allied Solutions for its CenterPoint Client Portal, a one-stop shop of integrated applications and partnerships for end-to-end collateral management, and Insuritas for its online, private-label insurance agency portal that enables direct purchase of insurance products on its website.For info: www.nafcu.org/nafcuservicesConn. CUL In Marketing Agreement LIVONIA, Mich.-The CU League of Connecticut and CU Solutions Group (CUSG) have announced a new marketing agreement to offer solutions in the areas of marketing, technology, membership enhancements, and human resources to Connecticut CUs.For info: www.cusolutionsgroup.com or www.culct.coopVantiv Signs Two CUsCINCINNATI-Vantiv said two CUs have signed contracts ATM and debit card transaction processing, ATM driving, card production, and network gateway access: $130-million General Electric Employees FCU, Milford, Conn., and $33-million Wemelco CU Springfield, Mass.For info: www.vantiv.com

SAN FRANCISCO-As merchants in the United States continue to resist replacing magnetic stripe plastic cards with modern chip and PIN models, one fraud expert believes the "EMV" solution will never gain critical mass in this country.

GLASTONBURRY, Conn.-One vendor is predicting that numerous corporates will not be able to keep pace with competitors' item processing technology, and will eventually lose credit union customers.

Michael Steinberger has been named dean of the Western CUNA Management School. James Likens-the school's CEO, who has served as both president and dean-will retain his title as president. Both will continue working together to direct the school's operations.