ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Several more large credit unions were cleared to acquire troubled smaller ones, NCUA reported Friday, continuing a trend.

TAMPA, Fla.-Last year's American League Rookie of the Year is taking the field on behalf of GTE Federal Credit Union as Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria is the spokesman for the CU giant's new U22 product; an account designed specifically for 12 to 22 year-olds.

CUSN Survey Explores Offering Convenience Via Shared Branching

WARRENVILLE, Ill. — Members United Corporate FCU, which reported a $511- million loss last month, said Friday it is embarking on its second round of lay-offs, eliminating 39 full-time positions and closing its Minnesota office.

WARRENVILLE, Ill. — Members United Corporate FCU, which reported a $511- million loss last month, said Friday it is embarking on its second round of lay-offs, eliminating 39 full-time positions and closing its Minnesota office.

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. — As stagnant membership growth continues to plague the movement, one CUSO is working with one of its client CUs to tackle that very problem.

CU Settles Strike And Reopens Shuttered Branch

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — What does Q3 and Q4 hold? Apparently, more mergers.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The points of pain have many CUs turning to point of sale.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The next six months will keep credit unions focused on cost-cutting and efficiency improvements, which elevates the importance of using strong benchmarks before making adjustments, suggests Cornerstone Advisors.

ONTARIO, Calif. — Despite two of the Big 3 automakers having filed for bankruptcy, Credit Union Direct Lending predicts that CU auto loan volume will remain level for the rest of the year and increase significantly in 2010.

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — Delaying IT purchases, especially those that spur growth or drive efficiencies, could lead credit unions to experience a downturn longer than what's delivered by the economy, suggests one person.

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Corporate CU Stabilization Plan is breathing life into 2010 marketing budgets, according to one person.

VISTA, Calif. — Corporate credit unions' problems are expected to drive greater demand for in-house item processing in the remainder of 2009.

ST. LOUIS. Mo. — Forecasting that the recession will continue through Q3 and Q4, Enterprise Car Sales says that outlook is good for credit unions' used car loan portfolios.

AUSTIN, Texas — With credit union loans flat and deposits up, how to effectively manage a growing investment portfolio is the issue Amherst Securities Group expects CUs to wrestle with for at least another year.

LOS ANGELES — If CUs seek to cut executive benefits to cope with an economy one analyst predicts will not recover this year, they should pay attention to a certain section of the IRS code.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.-The credit union leagues of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island donated $180,000 to Homes For Our Troops.

MADISON, Wis.-The CUNA Lending Council more than doubled its commitment to the education of lending professionals, raising its scholarship budget from $55,000 to $125,000 for the year.

CINCINNATI — A slowly improving economy will not open the branch expansion floodgates this year, but more CUs will begin planning today for new locations in 2010.