OAKLAND, Calif. – The Treasury Department approved Oakland Municipal CU last week as an approved servicer in its Home Price Decline Protection component of the mortgage refinance Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP, the sixth credit union approved for the program.

TUKWILA, Wash. – BECU said last week it has closed three branches inside Safeway supermarkets and consolidated them into a new branch.

MUNCIE, Ind. – A convicted felon wanted in the May 27 robbery at Industrial Centre FCU turned himself in to authorities last week and pleaded innocent to charges related to the $250,000 heist.

WASHINGTON – Bank regulators shuttered two banks in Florida and one in Oregon Friday to make a total of 72 bank failures so far this year.

HONOLULU – As part of the launch of its new brand, Hawaii Central CU is holding the state’s first-ever Fastest Text Messaging Contest.

As credit unions across the country gear up for the traditional strategic planning season, CU Journal talked wth more than 20 experts to get a preview for what next year's most critical issues will be during those planning sessions. Click here for experts' tips and advice on how to make the most of your strategic planning for the year ahead.

WASHINGTON – The Senate easily confirmed Deborah Matz as chairman of the NCUA Board this morning, marking the first time an NCUA Board member has returned to the panel.

WASHINGTON – The Senate easily confirmed Deborah Matz as chairman of the NCUA Board this morning, marking the first time an NCUA Board member will return to the panel.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA announced it is pulling the funds for the Central Liquidity Facility, the industry's $40-billion emergency loan fund, from deposits at troubled U.S. Central FCU and will invest them instead in U.S. Treasury securities.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-Now that a temporary budget is in place in Pennsylvania to allow state workers to get paid, CU members affected by the recent budget impasse are thanking their credit unions for bridging the income gap created by payless paydays.

MADISON, Wis.-UW CU has agreed to purchase a 14,00-square-foot building in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa from AMCORE Bank, which the credit union will turn into its third branch in Milwaukee.

WASHINGTON-In the latest salvo of a two-decade battle with credit unions, the Internal Revenue Service has issued a ruling declaring that revenues from shared branching, among other things, are taxable under the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT).

University of Hawai'i FCU, Honolulu, promoted Ron Aoki to director of finance/compliance and Paula Sumimoto-Matsushima to training and compliance team leader.

DES MOINES, Iowa-A new program, called Collateralized Advancement Program, or CAP, offers credit unions an alternative to selling off their card portfolio.

CUNA Mutual Offers Mortgage Fraud Coverage

SAN DIEGO-Will the credit union's core system lead it into the future or hold it back?

AUSTIN, Tex.-Credit unions looking to boost lending portfolios should consider adding "merchant lending" to their loan mix.

SAN ANTONIO-Strengthening the credit union's relationships with local auto dealers should be a 2010 strategic priority, insists one industry expert, who is forecasting an auto loan boon for CUs when the economy recovers.

LOMBARD, Ill.-Before the credit union considers what should comprise its 2010 strategic plan, it should first examine the process for how it develops those annual goals.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-When credit unions meet to talk about next year's strategies, one discussion that should not be on the table is leveraging cost control as a primary means to pull the CU out of an economic tailspin.