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

LAKE CHARLES, La.-A small CU here escaped unscathed from Hurricane Ike by perfecting its recipe for disaster recovery: one laptop wired to the Internet, two cell phones, the online branch, an answering machine-and a secure data backup and recovery solution.

SALT LAKE CITY-Loans are up by 30% at a small credit union here, while another small credit union has doubled the number of loan applications it can process, thanks to "all-in-one" account opening-selling-lending software.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-The Red Flag regulations are 125-pages long, and identity thieves number in the tens-of-thousands, so credit unions are turning to technology to decipher the rules and deter the thieves.

LATHRUP VILLAGE, Mich.-Red Flag technology is locked and loaded at Michigan First Credit Union here, in readiness for the Nov. 1 compliance deadline set by the "Red Flag" fraud and identity theft laws.

GREENSBORO, N.C.-After discovering how few citizens in this state know that credit unions are federally insured, the North Carolina Credit Union League is trying to hammer home that message.

WASHINGTON-With last week's actions, the government has extended itself so far into every corner of financial services-investing directly in banks, buying unlimited amounts of commercial paper; and guaranteeing bank debt, interbank funding, and all noninterest-bearing deposits-that many observers said any eventual unwinding of the interventions would be so complex that some parts may never go away.

LA HABRA, Calif.-American First CU has tightened up its underwriting but is still trying to get out the message that the credit union does have money to lend in the midst of the ongoing credit crunch.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.-When Purdue Employees FCU President Bob Falk decided to host a public "town hall" meeting to address the financial crisis, he knew he'd field some tough questions-like one from a member who asked if his credit union could handle a run on deposits.

In the midst of the financial crisis, credit unions should do more than simply deliver a message about credit union safety. Credit unions should also promote that they are trusted financial partners, stresses the Michigan Credit Union League, which is expanding its $1.5-million statewide "CU Difference" cooperative advertising campaign by $700,000 over the next six weeks to emphasize that very point.

TOLEDO, OHIO-Directions Credit Union here hasn't made any specific changes in light of the current economy, but is continuing to do its regular reviews of rates and offerings in the market, and continuing to make sure its pricing is in the best interest of its members.

NAPERVILLE, Ill.-DuPage Credit Union here hopes that high gas prices will translate into more Visa credit and check card business for the CU.

Today, more members are closing accounts because they "need the money" or want to consolidate funds at their primary financial institution for convenience. Perhaps reflective of the economy, the trend is of some concern, but credit unions that understand the drivers behind the attrition they are experiencing can take action to reverse it. It's always easier to retain and grow business from within than to attract new members.

Our credit unions get less than a fair shake by denying us access to the same lending rates as our "troubled banking brothers" enjoy everyday. Our capital is at 18.0% vs. banks' capital at 30.0%-plus.

LANCASTER, Penn.-LANCO FCU announced it has formed a new CUSO to offer member business services to other credit unions.

BROCKTON, Mass.-HarborOne CU was awarded a $100,000 grant from the National CU Foundation to help develop its recently launched multicultural banking center, the Foundation announced.

LOS ANGELES-Some of the biggest credit union participants in the failed Centrix Financial subprime auto loan program filed suit in state court against Lyndon Property Insurance recently claiming the insurer has stopped paying millions of dollars in claims on defaulted subprime auto loans.