BOSTON - Telephone Workers CU received permission from state regulators to move its headquarters out of the downtown financial district to suburban Braintree, Mass. The move will facilitate expansion of the $530-million credit union, which converted two years ago to a community charter. It serves all of Boston, the South Shore and the Route 128 corridor. The new facility will provide 24,000-square feet of space, including 5,000 square feet for a new branch, compared to 10,000 square feet at the old location. The 91-year-old credit union grew its assets by $13-million and reported $3.1 million in net income in 2007. It plans to move its downtown branch from the financial district’s High Street to South Station. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - Kellogg Community FCU has named the four winners of its “Teen Financially Made Contest.” Shelby Schueman, Brittany Schultz, Marissa Morgan and Aaron Betts were selected as the winners after submitting a 250-word essay illustrating why they should be “Made” into financially savvy consumers and identifying a short-term financial goal. At the end of the savings phase KCFCU will match up to $250 in the student’s savings account for the contest and short term goal.

MERRIFIELD, Va. - Despite the fact credit unions largely didn’t get trapped in the mortgage morass that has dragged down so many other lenders, they are having to reach out to members who are now in financial trouble due to loans they have somewhere else.

FLANDREAU, S.D. - NCUA Vice Chairman Rodney Hood met with representatives of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (FSST) and Mid America Credit Union Association at a special town hall meeting here at the Royal River Casino and Hotel. The meeting concerned the possibility of a credit union charter to serve the FSST reservation. Hood expressed his hopes of assisting the FSST in obtaining a charter on their reservation within the year. During his visit Hood observed,” Credit unions are not the problem, but can be a part of the solution. We can make a difference by displaying the People Helping People philosophy.” (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

ROCKVILLE, Md. - With loan delinquencies on the rise, many credit unions are considering ramping up their collections activities both in-house and outsourced.

DENVER – First Data Corp., taken private in a huge takeover last year, this week said it plans to lay off about 90 employees at its Daytona Beach, Fla., call center, as it moves toward shutting down the operation.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – St. Anne’s CU yesterday said Ross Upton, its chief financial officer for the past 15 years, will succeed John Ledwidge as president and CEO.

CHULA VISTA, Calif. – An unkempt robber who held up the Mission FCU branch here Wednesday is believed to be the same man who hit three other credit unions and as many as five area banks over the last 10 months.

McLEAN, Va. – Long-term mortgage rates continued to climb this week, according to Freddie Mac.

WASHINGTON – The Senate yesterday voted to eliminate a controversial provision from the pending mortgage rescue bill which would have allowed bankruptcy judges to restructure the terms of mortgages.

DALLAS – The confidence level among credit union executives continued to plummet in the first quarter, according to the quarterly survey of credit union CEOs by Southwest Corporate FCU.

SAN FRANCISCO – Hundreds of credit unions this week were cashing their checks from the Visa initial public offering of two weeks ago, promising to make April one of their best months of the year.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-- Pentagon FCU said yesterday it cut rates on both used and new auto loans to just 4.25%

BOULDER, Colo. – BME FCU announced yesterday it has established a free wireless Internet network that spans parts of the city's downtown, including blocks of the Pearl Street Mall, businesses surrounding Central Park, and the city’s Public Transit Center.

WASHINGTON – Representatives from three of the biggest student lenders among credit unions are scheduled to meet with key lawmakers next week in an effort to claim a place in last year’s carve-out for non-profits from the major cuts in federal student loan subsidies.

First Future Credit Union and California Coast Credit Union have agreed to merge in a deal that would create the second-largest credit union in San Diego, with more than $1.8 billion of assets and 130,000 members.

SALT LAKE CITY – A former employee of Utah First CU was charged with siphoning more than $60,000 from members’ accounts by taking cash from the till, then forging 70 different members’ signatures on withdrawal slips.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregonians CU yesterday said it promoted Chuck Garner, its executive vice president since 2005, to be its new CEO.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Metro CU said the conversion to a multi-factor authentication system to enhance its online security ironically created a glitch exposing some member accounts to other members.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Security FCU said it has agreed to install Integrated Media Management’s teller item capture.