PHOENIX — After applauding CUNA and NAFCU for a "significant step forward" in forming the joint task force on corporates, the Arizona CU League's Pat Bodnar said, "ACUL feels that it is premature to form an opinion at this time regarding the potential impact of the recommendations outlined in the task force report. It is essential to communicate with our member credit unions about any important issues impacting the credit union movement. We have asked that our member credit unions provide comment on NCUA's Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Each credit unions' individual situation is unique, influencing their comments. A statewide collective opinion has not been determined, however we are reaching out to our credit unions to gather their thoughts and reactions in order to support them in the best way possible."

BOULDER, Colo.-Premier Members FCU plans to absorb the $72-million Colorado United CU via a merger pending approval by the latter's members. Once completed, the merged institution will have $400-million in assets, 11 branches and serve 40,000 members. Colorado United's CEO, Branda D. Abbott will remain with the organization as president and chief operating officer. Colorado United CU began its life as Adams County School District's CU in 1952.

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. -Driven by consumer demand, banks have begun adding more short-term deposit products over the past 60 days, according to a new analysis from Market Rates Insight, a research firm that tracks rates for deposits, loans, and fees for financial institutions.

MADISON, Wis. - CUNA Mutual Group has reached agreement with Amarillo, Texas-based Producers Ag Insurance Group (ProAg) to become sole owner of the multi-peril crop insurer, serving farmers and agricultural producers nationwide. ProAg will operate as a standalone subsidiary of CUNA Mutual, the companies said.

LARGO, Md.-Almost 40 employees of Money One FCU helped assemble prosthetic hands during their professional development program as part of the CU Helping Hands program. The program builds functional prosthetic hands for global victims of land mines and other atrocities.

MADISON, Wis.-That members and consumers don't always act rationally when it comes to their finances is well-known to any credit union executive. Recognizing that, the Filene Research Institute has published online a new study, "Committed to Savings: Using Behavioral Economics to Motivate Members," that it says seeks to explain how the field can be used to motivate consumers.

Southwest Selects Rosetta Tech DALLAS-Southwest Corporate FCU has chosen Tampa, Fla.-based Rosetta Technologies to offer its IRD Express Pack to CUs using Southwest Corporate's deposit return solution. The IRD Express Pack is an off-the-shelf solution including MICR IRD printer, software, and consumables-everything a CU needs to begin printing return-IRDs locally using Southwest's check image exchange system.

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — PSCU Financial Services is using a software program to eliminate a great deal of manual data processing work.

AUSTIN — Kasasa's unique program that combines the products and services from credit unions and community banks across the country under one umbrella can be a bit confusing, so here's how it works:

FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Despite all of the talk and focus on mergers within the credit union community, 2009 is shaping up to be the fourth straight year in which the number of CU mergers actually declined.

Prime Alliance, Pentagon FCU Team Up

AUSTIN, Texas — Credit unions and community banks are teaming up to take on the big boys by pooling their resources to promote communally branded products. Financial services provider BancVue crafted the initiative, called Kasasa, by getting a number of its 600 financial institution partners to agree to put their marketing budgets for their checking, savings and other accounts into one pot and having BancVue take care of the marketing efforts.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Golden 1 Credit Union just recently decided to take advantage of the upswing of demand and became a FHA lender in early August. "In May, over 40% of all homes purchased in the Sacramento County area were FHA financed," noted CFO Donna Bland.

CINCINNATI — August wasn't a clunker for auto loan volume, according to credit unions that havea strong ties with car dealers.

BOSTON — Another of the lessons from the mortgage boom and bust? Employees at financial institutions need to be even more vigilant about mortgage fraud.

MADISON, Wis. — Even in housing markets performing well above the national average "[Members] can't just put the house on the market and pay it off, because by the time they pay their Realtor's commission, they've lost a lot of money," explained Tracy Ashfield, EVP with Strategic Mortgage Solutions.

BOSTON, Mass. — Credit unions continue to push regulators for more latitude in making new mortgages and helping members struggling with existing loans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation's housing market continues to break records, but not ones consumers and lenders alike would want to see. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the seasonally adjusted delinquency rate rose to 9.24% in Q2, up 12 basis points from the then record-setting Q1, and more than 2.8% from last year. Foreclosures continued their march higher as well, up 45 basis points over the previous quarter to 4.3%. The combined delinquency and foreclosure rate of 13.16% is also the highest ever recorded by the MBA.

LAS VEGAS — Credit unions' growing mortgage marketshare is pushing new debate on what they should do with these new assets.

SEATTLE — Promoting CUs' willingness to help young members, getting involved with Realtors, and dangling a tax credit is not enough to drive better marketshare over the long run, stresses one person.