FOREST GROVE, Ore.-Merger Solutions Group President David Bartoo shares this merger advice for credit unions looking to acquire another via merger.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has announced a new $1.2-billion statewide mortgage program to help more than 11,000 homebuyers with affordable loans. The initiative is part of a partnership between the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the U.S. Treasury, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac.

WILMINGTON, N.C.-As the clock ticks down before credit unions must comply with the new overdraft opt-in rules on July 1, one vendor has stepped forward with a solution to help CUs respond and comply with changes to Regulation E.

MOLINE, Ill.-For a credit union to get more business from its members, it has to get more out of its employees first.

WASHINGTON-Too few credit union executives know what is in NCUA's proposed corporate CU rule changes, so Department of Commerce FCU CEO Evan Clark is trying to start the conversation.

Streifel Re-elected To CUNA Board

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-With many issuers raising APRs and fees on credit cards in advance of federal legislation, one large CU here is changing its entire card program and slashing rates for about 80% of its cardholders.

PORTLAND, Ore.-Some 84% of member business loan delinquencies and 91% of MBL charge-offs reside in the portfolios of just 100 credit unions, according to analysis of NCUA data by CU Business Group.

January 2010

WASHINGTON-With the health care legislation debate over, credit unions may get an opening for member business lending reform when the House of Representatives and Senate re-convene here later this month.

MADISON, Wis.-Should credit unions succeed in 2010 in getting Congress to lift the cap on member business loans, there is no doubt commercial loan portfolios will increase. And so, too, will business loan delinquencies.

MADISON, Wis.-The new CU Lending Council white paper on business loan collections offers the following red flags that a business is facing problems.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.-The head of a business services CUSO here is forecasting some opportunities in the year ahead.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.-Scott Burger, president of Members Business Services, has this forecast for 2010.

MINNEAPOLIS-Credit unions should brace for increased compliance challenges in the new year.

WALLINGFORD, Conn.-"The regulatory burden will become more onerous, which is unfortunate. It is already for all size CUs," noted Tony Emerson, president of the Credit Union League of Connecticut.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-The circumstances surrounding overdraft protection are particularly tricky. Rick Wargo, EVP/General Counsel at the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, said CUs could face "tough sledding" on the programming side as they get ready for the Fed's July 2010 deadline.

ARLINGTON, Va.-NAFCU Director of Regulatory Compliance Anthony Demangone anticipates a "seismic shift" in compliance and a "general attack on non-interest income," though he refused to predict what 2010 could bring.

VIENNA, Va.-Navy Federal Credit Union plans to add more than 1,000 new employees in 2010 as it staffs up a call center and branch locations.

AUSTIN, Texas-Two traditional sources of fee income-ATM and NSF fees-are unlikely to return to previous levels in the coming year.