RANDOLPH, Mass. - An alert 80-year-old member of HarborOne CU helped foil an attempt by one or more identity thieves to tap into the elderly woman’s credit union account.

COLUMBIA, Md. - Former NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar will share his perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing America’s credit unions at this year’s Maryland & District of Columbia Credit Union Association’s annual meeting and convention. As a former regulator, legislator and credit union CEO, Dollar is expected to offer a vision of where credit unions could be in the 2020 marketplace, while also challenging the audience with the difficult choices and decisions necessary to achieve that vision. The theme for this year’s annual meeting from June 11–14, is “Credit Unions in Action…Opportunities & Obligations.”

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) board of directors adopted new mission and core values statements at its December 2007 board meeting. The revision came as part of the Board’s goals to reexamine, refine and refresh MnCUN’s overall direction.

MADISON, Wis. - A new line of “quick read” lobby brochures was recently introduced by CUNA to complement its statement stuffer line. The new brochures are printed on heavier paper stock and designed for a coordinated credit union lobby display, but they are also sized to fit in an envelope.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Stacey Walker and Noma Carter were selected as the recipients of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions’ (NAFCU) 2008 Cornerstone Awards.

WASHINGTON - Pay better rates or offer lower loan APRs than your competitors? A nationwide program is planned to help credit unions back up that boast.

HARRISBURG, Penn. - Criminals have put a new twist on an old scam by bilking people who sign up to be “secret shoppers” at financial institutions.

NASCAR Legend Thanks NC CUs

FAIRBORN, Ohio - Wright-Patt CU Inc. has has taken an idea generated by the Filene Research Institute’s i3 group and implemented it–dubbed “What’s The Big Idea” at the CU.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - It is difficult to rattle the communications and marketing manager for the California Credit Union League–mostly because any “stress” or “tension” the CU movement can dish out pales in comparison to the reality of combat patrols in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - “It’s a great pleasure to be here today,” former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a standing-room-only crowd at CUNA’s GAC. “But I have to be honest, at this point in my career, it’s a great pleasure to be anywhere.”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A fledgling NCUA workgroup may help bridge the “digital divide” that continues to isolate a good number of small credit unions, according to the Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives (OSCUI) here.

HIGHTSTOWN, N.J. - The New Jersey CU League Board of Directors voted unanimously to support and provide the initial $30,000 investment to jumpstart the small CU initiative.

CUJ Hosts Technology Blog

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

CUISPA Tackles Vendor Risk

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia CU here is completely sold on server virtualization–a technology that is “breaking the tech triangle” of expense, speed and security, according to Rich Barlow, systems architect and engineering manager at the $1.5-billion CU.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Lisa R. Minor used to spend so much time sifting through the volumes of spam at GHS FCU here that she often didn’t have time to read legitimate e-mails.

HOLYOKE, Mass. - Holyoke CU here dodged delinquencies by weeding out bad loans originated by automobile dealers–and later quickly pulling out of the subprime auto loan market–thanks to instant reports generated by a business intelligence (BI) tool.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - uMonitor has teamed with Equifax Inc. to help credit unions improve existing account opening practices and expand online channels.