Over the past several months, the global fixed-income markets have experienced substantial dislocation. While it began with the domestic mortgage sector–and, most especially, the subprime-mortgage market–the disruption has spread to virtually every non-Treasury sector, as well. Take, for example, the debentures of U.S. government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), which are now trading significantly higher-yield premiums than at any time since 1998.

WAYNESBORO, Penn. - Frick FCU has changed its name to Neighbors 1st FCU. Founded in 1968, Neighbors 1st FCU was granted a community charter for Franklin County, Penn. In 2003. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal court has dismissed a suit by 13 credit unions against CUNA Mutual Group, which claimed the bond issued by the credit union insurer should have covered the more than $4 million they lost when a mortgage company they lent through, LoriMac, went bankrupt last year.

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. - When two laptops were stolen off of employee desks at E1 Financial Credit Union here last summer, technology managers had murder on their minds.

PSCU-FS Ready For A Change

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Belco Community CU is putting its money where its member service is–offering to pay members when their service reps violate the credit union’s new Gold Star Service Pledge.

PARMA, Ohio - St. Charles Borromeo Federal Credit Union has announced its name change to Unity Catholic Federal Credit Union and the opening of its third branch office.

BROOKFIELD, Wis. - USERS Inc., a business unit of Fiserv Inc. announced that it has been assessed at Capability Maturity Model® Integration (CMMI) Level II. CMMI is a model for process improvement that is unique to the software industry and used worldwide to help organizations develop the highest quality software.

The New York Credit Union Foundation, Albany, elected to its board: Nancy Kasprazak-Whitmore, chair; John Savelli, vice chair; Brian Clarke, treasurer/secretary.

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Recent activity profile audits conducted by MessageGate, an e-mail governance solutions provider, have identified seven myths commonly associated with corporate e-mail controls.

COLUMBIA, Md. - The seasonally adjusted Credit Manager’s Index (CMI) fell for the fourth consecutive month in December.

LINDEN, N.J. - Integrated Media Management (IMM) announced that Naperville, Ill.-based HealthCare Associates CU has rolled out IMM’s EZNotice software for all of its notice requirements.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A former U.S. Marine was charged with identity theft and fraud for allegedly draining the accounts at Pacific Marine CU of 15 Marines stationed in Iraq.

QUEENS, N.Y. - Queens Community House is launching a new credit union. The goal, according to organizers, is to provide immigrants and low-income residents with financial services. Queens Community House and others have been discussing the launch of a CU for the past three years, and that 845 of 1,000 people surveyed indicated they would be interested in a CU. About 25% of respondents said they have no financial institution relationship. Assemblyman Jose Peralta has been assisting with the project. NCUA has already provided preliminary approval. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

WASHINGTON - Anthony Cuozzo’s been working for almost as many decades as Bob Hope worked in showbiz. As a child, he worked at his father’s grocery store running errands before and after school. He continued helping out at the store in later years even when he held a full time job. In 1930, he landed a job as an auditing clerk for the American Oil Company (later known as Amoco and now BP) collecting money from area gas stations and taking them to the bank for deposit.

BROOKFIELD, Wis. - Fiserv Inc. announced the availability of a new marketing program for its Paytraxx electronic bill payment solution.

MADISON, Wis. - CUES is reporting that nearly 80% of participants in its CEO Institute report significant improvements in their leadership skills following completion of the three-part program, with 21% saying they received a career promotion since completing the program.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Ohio Credit Union League (OCUL) has launched a financial education initiative called MoneyAndStuff. The release follows a league-commissioned survey that found 23% of Ohioans make any effort to encourage financial literacy in their families, and that just 5% were taught about personal finance when they were young. OCUL’s research showed that people feel stuck in their current financial situations, with little they can do to help themselves or their children. MoneyAndStuff will: promote the MoneyAndStuff.info website as a financial education resource and offer financial lessons, tips for parents and educational games; emphasize credit concepts and how to manage borrowing, and more. In 2006, the Ohio General Assembly required all public high schools teach personal financial education starting in 2010. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

ORLANDO, Fla.–The Credit Union Journal has unveiled the formal agenda for a conference dedicated solely to the No. 1 issue in front of credit unions: Growth.