WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Daily data-and employee incentives-helped $81-million Texoma Community Credit Union here grow new checking accounts by nearly 25% in 18 months.

The following are members of Credit Union Journal's Technology Panel.

Andrews Builds On Social Media

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — MCIF and CRM data can pinpoint the next best product for an individual member at Texoma Community CU here-but the data also help identify existing products the member isn't using.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama Telco CU here shared metrics with Credit Union Journal that demonstrate the results of its marketing strategy and Harland Touché Analyzer MCIF technologies.

ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — What employees do-and how long it takes them to do it-is much clearer, thanks to two technologies Community CU of Florida here recently built: a "new and improved" version of a lobby management system and a homegrown virtual "Job Jar."

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Recession? Deposit and loan balances are up by more than 20% at Alabama Telco CU here, thanks to a strategy of getting to better know members, and then stay in contact.

WABASH, Ind. — Open Solutions' client CUs are sharing successes and solving problems with their peers at a new, private social network, believed to be the industry's first client community portal.

ERWIN, Tenn. — Clinchfield FCU here has to shut down on a weekday every time its data processing vendor releases a critical upgrade.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Don't underestimate Facebook and Twitter: more than half of all CU members use social media, according to a survey of about 11,000 members across 10 CUs, released by Callahan & Associates' Internet Strategy Consortium.

Solution Helps CUs Track Pending Legislation

PALO ALTO, Calif. — The fact that credit unions are "not immune" to economic downturns surprised Stu Fisher, SVP of eCommerce at Addison Avenue FCU. He called his assumption that CUs would be able to easily ride out anything the economy threw at them to be his biggest turkey of 2009.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Penn. — For years Decision Strategies International Senior Consultant Dr. Franck Schuurmans was certain that the credit union movement was over-capitalized, and the rule of thumb of 9% capital professed by former NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar was too conservative.

TACOMA, Wash. — With all of the bad economic news, Sound Credit Union CEO Rick Brandsma anticipated an even faster flurry of forced mergers and hastily arranged marriages in 2009.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Even in a bad economy, FORUM Credit Union expected to see a solid response to its charitable giving programs. Unfortunately, with the state's unemployment rate hovering near the national average of just over 10%, those expectations failed to come to fruition for the $1 billion CU.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Asking for anonymity, one credit union shared this turkey from 2009 after learning words can have multiple interpretations.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — Steve Winninger, CEO of the $840-million NuUnion CU here, noted, "Our turkey assumption is based on real estate loans that go into foreclosure. The assumption is that we will want to take the house back and try to sell it. This year has changed that."

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Financial problems faced by one bank in this state played right into the hand of Royal Credit Union, which has acquired 11 branches from troubled AnchorBank.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — One CU, asking not to be identified, has identified three different turkey assumptions.

CHICAGO — Not all turkey ideas start at the top — some get their start in the old employee suggestion box.