TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — If Mike Kloiber forgets to turn forward his watch crown on Sunday, March 11 to get an early start on daylight-saving time this year, the world probably won't stop spinning for the Tinker Federal Credit Union CEO.

Online Registration Now Open For CUNA Mutual's Discovery Conference

WASHINGTON - With a somewhat homogenous field of membership, Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Federal Credit Union (PAHO/WHO FCU), doesn't have to be all things to all people-but it does have to be just about everywhere in the world.

SYLVANIA, Ohio - Toledo Area Community CU CEO Patrick J. McGrady, a former three-term CUNA board member, has retired after 34 years of service. Barry Shaner has succeeded him as CEO.

With the recent increase in postal rates, some credit unions may be considering migrating to electronic documents and delivery channels, even though reports show that an overwhelming majority (between 85% to 90%) of consumers still prefer to receive their statements in the mail and pay bills with a paper check.

An open letter to credit union leaders:

A robust financial system should have a variety of financial institution charter options, by type-such as a commercial bank, thrift, credit union; chartering jurisdiction-state or federal; and organizational form- stock corporation or mutual.

APPLETON, Wis. - In mid 2005, Prospera Credit Union and Goodwill Industries of North Center Wisconsin became partners in an effort to turn "bad money" into "GoodMoney" by helping consumers break free of their financial dependence on area payday lenders.

SANTA FE, N.M. - More than 50 credit union representatives from cities across New Mexico met here to raise awareness of CUs and get an update on legislation affecting credit unions on state and national levels, organizers said.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - How do voters define the term "modest means?" According to one survey, as "working people."

WASHINGTON - Beginning in 2008 credit unions visiting Washington for CUNA's GAC will have to find new haunts, hangouts and traditions.

MADISON - Forced financial counseling is a fool's errand for any income or educational level. This was a lesson learned during my early days at CUNA, when it was a small trade association located at Filene House on Madison's East side. Vera, an employee of CUNA Credit Union, would visit Filene House twice a week to take deposits and provide withdrawals. Vera and her briefcase were the credit union to the employees, just like those found in the movement's early history.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Credit Union Economics Group is predicting that although 2007 will prove to be a slow-growth year for credit unions, a number of healthy signposts point to modest gains in 2008.

WASHINGTON - Attempts by credit unions to convert to bank charters have raised a new question: can members in otherwise good standing be expelled for participating in anti-conversion efforts or even questioning the conversion plan itself?

LAS VEGAS - Citing reduced inventory of existing homes as a good sign for the real estate market, David A. Lereah, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the National Association of Realtors will bring his optimistic message to the ACUMA Spring Annual Conference as keynote speaker.

MADISON, Wis. - As part of the World Council of Credit Unions' Cooperative Development Program, 27 CU reps from the Mwalimu SACCO completed a 10-day intensive training program on HIV/AIDS prevention in Nairobi, Kenya.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - The mortgage lending industry must change to meet new challenges, specifically the hundreds of thousands of families flocking to the U.S. who have money and have good jobs, but do not speak English and do not understand the American financial system, so they rent when they could buy, according to one expert.

IOWA CITY - A group of members of University of Iowa Community CU won a reprieve when its petition demanding a revote on a planned name change was accepted by the board of directors.

DALLAS - Just weeks after raising $60 million to help it pursue bigger cards deals, TNB Card Services has acquired the $16-million credit card portfolio of A+ FCU, of Austin, Texas, which includes more than 9,000 accounts.

FAIRBORN, Ohio - Wright-Patt CU's Stretch Pay Program is an example of one credit union that understands the trifecta strategy (see story, page 25). Doug Fecher, CEO of the $1.1-billion WPCU, noted that credit unions, including his, were turning down applicants for small loans and that members were using payday lenders. The credit union formed a CUSO that offers a payday loan alternative, "Stretch Pay Program," in 2001.