OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-Look for smaller credit unions to move to faster, cheaper core processing now that Tinker Federal Credit Union here and Symitar have proven an $18,000 server does the job just as well as a $1-million standard option.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.- Not satisfied with the lightning-fast core processing delivered by the credit union's new blade server, Tinker FCU took BladeCenter processing one step further, according to Steve Mooney, VP of information-systems operations.

Xtend Extends To Record Number

ANTIGO, Wis.-Some employees at CoVantage CU here apparently love to play Minecraft, the online monsters-meet-construction game.

WESTBURY, N.Y.-When two members from NEFCU here recently logged in to their online accounts from Germany, Texas and Illinois, the CU sat up and took notice-only to discover that the log-ins actually were by criminals who could have committed $65,000 of identity fraud.

WESTBURY, N.Y.-Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery made it possible for NEFCU here to go live with behavior analytics software in less than four weeks-and deployment could have been even faster had the CU been familiar with the format of its online banking reports, said John De leso, CIO.

SCRANTON, Penn.-Credit unions are gathering in small groups across the country to talk about technology game plans, part of a series of free Road Shows sponsored by Wescom Resources Group (WRG).

MECHANICSBURG, Penn.-Credit unions walk away from WRG Road Shows with "real-world" solutions, according to Thomas Ha, VP-IT, at AmeriChoice FCU here.

PLEASANTON, Calif.-SafeAmerica CU here couldn't say "no" to a new, state-of-the-art Internet telephone suite-after all, it's hard to beat the cost.

AUSTIN, Texas-As members begin to use powerful new "Do Not Track" privacy tools at Internet banking sites, not everyone is perfectly clear on how credit unions will verify member identity.

PHILADELPHIA-VINtek, a direct auto financing company based here, is preparing to make another major push into the credit union market, this time with direct-to-consumer lending.

CANTON, Ohio-First Ohio Community FCU is focused on credit cards this year to drive lending, and its 3.99% APR Visa balance transfer promo has been a great start-setting a record for the annual campaign.

MORTGAGE BORROWERS TO HAVE MORE SKIN IN THE GAME

Two-tiers, ATM exemptions, unbundling value-added services, Fed neutrality, Congressional ambivalence, Odd-Fellow lawsuits, and a host of Chickens Little squawking about their piece of the sky falling on everyone's head. Does anyone wonder why this Great Interchange Debate is so confusing?

From the What Goes Around Comes Around Department: In case you missed it, there was an interesting insight shared in the Feb. 28 issue by Steve Goldberg, exeutive director of the CUNA Mutual Foundation.

In response to Edwin Mierzwinski of U.S. Public Interest Group and his statement that the Durbin Amendment will have a beneficial impact on consumers, what this gentleman does not understand fully is that credit unions in general have not raised other fees in many years, and that we live on a much smaller income than the giant credit card issuers.

The ability to successfully implement a multi-channel marketing communication strategy will most likely be the single biggest challenge-and opportunity-for credit unions over the next few years.

LINDEN, N.J. – Integrated Media Management, the maker of the popular TotaleAtlas suite of document automation services, announced this morning it has acquired DocuStep, an Edgewater, N.J.-based company specializing in the automation of electronic and paper-based workflow processes. IMM said it will immediately add the functionality afforded by DocuStep’s FormSpeed product, a Web-based workflow productivity tool for credit unions and banks that collects information and effectively routes forms through their proper channel to assure that the document process is completed correctly. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. IMM will market FormSpeed independently as a standalone add-on product, with plans to also integrate its functionality into the DocQ feature of TotaleAtlas, the company’s proprietary browser-based document presentment application. FormSpeed electronically streamlines financial institutions’ document workflow, which has historically been manual and paper-based, to minimize data entry errors, enforce data population and validate data integrity. The intelligent Wizard-based screens also help remove operational bottlenecks and missed steps in a given process. Merging this workflow into DocQ will enable TotaleAtlas users to benefit from the same efficiencies and be assured that each phase of the document process is fulfilled.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Three teenagers were arrested last week in connection with a robbery and shooting at a South Carolina FCU ATM that critically wounded a credit union member.

HONOLULU – Hawaii State FCU will award 15 $2,000 scholarships to qualifying members and their dependents attending an accredited university, college or trade/vocational school.