SAN ANSELMO, Calif.-A new report from Market Rates Insight shows that unemployment and deposit rates have a strong correlation. The survey concluded that rates drop 49 basis points for every 1% increase in national unemployment. In Jan. 20005, unemployment sat at 5.2% and the national deposit rate was 2.63% and when unemployment improved to 4.2% in Mar. 2007, the deposit rate soared to 4.25%. But when unemployment skyrocketed to 9.8% in Sept. 2009, deposits dropped like a stone to 1.55%.

LOMBARD, Ill.-Other "sexy" issues like healthcare, jobs and terrorism are likely to put consumer protection legislation on the backburner once again, according to Bill Handel VP-Product Development at Raddon Financial Group, who believes a bill with significant changes to overdraft practices will not be seen in 2010, if at all.

BROOKFIELD, Wis.-Fiserv recently released Relationship Advance, a new product that allows credit unions to provide a short-term, open-end line of credit linked to members' checking accounts.

WILMINGTON, N.C.-Changes to Reg. E and future overdraft reform are beneficial for credit unions, according to Robert C. Giltner, a consulting partner at Velocity Solutions.

WASHINGTON-The credit union lobby was calculating last week what affects the pending retirements of two Democratic senators, Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd and long-time credit union ally Byron Dorgan, will have on legislation to reform the financial services markets.

SECU Intro's 'NSF-Fee Free Days' Overdraft Program

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.-Langley FCU is helping consumers vent their frustrations over all the rising financial fees.

MADISON, Wis.-The year 2009 will close as the lowest lending by CUs since World War II, according to a CUNA analysis.

Tool IDs Hispanic Potential Members

Steve Delfin found himself on his way out just about the same time that much of what he had preached has been finding its way in.

There is a management religion among credit union leaders today. Our faith lies in the numbers. When a decision is needed, to the financials we turn. Ratios, trends, analyses: accounting numbers rule the day.

A Human Resources vice president asked about strategies for re-educating the new "me" generation coming into the workplace.

NCUA's proper role in this suit should be as defendant. Their lack of oversight (despite being on site at WesCorp) clearly evidenced their lack of attentiveness to the activities of the management of the Corporate.

SEATTLE – A local auto dealer last week was sentenced to 41 months in prison for recruiting others to help him defraud four credit unions of hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he used to prop up his automobile dealership and take an extravagant trip to Las Vegas.

HEMPFIELD, Penn. – A teller was hospitalized Friday after she was shot in the stomach during a robbery.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – A man arrested last week in connection with an armed robbery at Rent-A-Center also admitted to holding up 10 area credit unions and banks.

PUEBLO, Colo. – Minnequa Works CU has named Jim Barber, its chief financial officer since 1992, as the new president and CEO of the $160 million credit union.

NEWARK, N.J. – Sperry Associates FCU became the fourth credit union to sue CUMIS Insurance Society seeking to block the credit union’s efforts to prevent bond coverage in the $140 million U.S. Mortgage/CU National Mortgage fraud.

AUGUSTA, Maine – This state’s credit unions began their 2010 awareness campaign a few days early, launching a new series of television ads on Dec. 28.

FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Financial Plus FCU is encouraging area high school students to step behind the camera to shoot a video that can teach others about financial literacy.