AURORA, Ill.-The universal rewards cards that offer the most bang for the buck are American Express Co.'s Blue and Green, JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Freedom, Wells Fargo & Co.'s Visa with Enhanced Rewards, and HSBC Holdings PLC's Ecosmart, according to a report by Corporate Insight Inc. The five cards offer a 1% rate of return on a $50 rewards redemption, according to the report. When considering a variety of factors that determine the rates of return on rewards cards, including annual fees and introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates, the return on Bank of America Corp.'s Accelerated Rewards Amex card is 0.96%, the report said.

DES MOINES-TMG has rewarded 10 credit union tellers and five CU branches with top gift card-sales honors stemming from the company's third annual ATIRAgiftSM holiday sales competition.

WASHINGTON — When it comes to proposed new rules for plastic cards, the devil will lie in the details, especially when it comes to pricing cardholders according to risk.

WASHINGTON — At least one credit card analyst confident Congress and the White House will push through new consumer protection legislation.

WASHINGTON — Credit unions are being urged to beware politicians who have "better answers" for the credit card business.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As credit card issuers across the country slap on fees and raise interest rates — to the point the president of the United States felt he needed to step in — one credit union CEO decided to make a "statement."

WASHINGTON — Despite the absence of currently pending legislation on interchange fees, some analysts are warning that will change as early as 2010.

WASHINGTON-Determining how a credit union stands relative to its peers in terms of returning value to its members is a complex issue. Callahan & Associates, Washington, has attempted to do just that with its Return of the Member (ROM) ranking system.

CUs Go On Tour With Sen. Murray To Tout Financial Literacy Efforts

WILWAUKEE-Metavante Technologies, the back-office service provider for credit unions and banks preparing to be acquired by Fidelity National Services, reported that first quarter earnings rose 15% to $40.3 million, while revenues advanced by 1% to $426.9 million.

DALLAS — Resource One Credit Union here selected Jared Guynes as its first MyLifeMyMoney spokesperson.

BOSTON — Celent estimates global information technology spending by financial services institutions will reach $353.3 billion in 2009, representing a decline of 1.3% over 2008, when IT spending totaled $358 billion.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Cal Ripken Jr. was the kind of baseball player any credit union would like to have as an employee: 17 years without a sick day.

VIRGINIA BEACH-The former finance manager at a subprime auto dealer was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in a $1.1 million indirect loan scheme.

ATTLEBORO, Mass.-Two suspects charged in last week's robbery at Goldmark FCU are believed to have been involved in the prior week's hold-up at Navigant FCU.

LENEXA, Kan.-A man charged with last month's armed robbery at the Credit Union of Johnson County was indicted on additional charges of attempting to kill a witness to the hold-up as he made his getaway.

Meetings

Alabama Telco CU, Birmingham, named Robby Clark manager of its Southeast Alabama Medical Center branch.

WASHINGTON-The FDIC seized four more banks - in Georgia, Michigan, California and Idaho - making a total of 29 bank failures so far in 2009.

WASHINGTON-Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter announced he is defecting from the Republican Party, giving the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.