TAMPA, Fla. — In an effort to encourage physical fitness among its membership and local community, GTE Financial CU has offered a cash incentive for individuals who exercise, lose weight and shed belly-fat.

SEATTLE — Verity Credit Union, a $432-million federally-insured state-charter, launched a program last year to further encourage the local popularity of bicycle riding.

WASHINGTON — End-of-year lists are all about the show-stoppers, and nothing stopped the show like NCUA's proposed rule on risk-based capital.

In 2014, "Enough is enough" was NAFCU's rallying cry for the overwhelming regulatory burden on credit unions. NAFCU steadfastly advanced that message from Capitol Hill to the White House and beyond, yielding victories in many areas.

In this, our annual "Year In Review" edition of Credit Union Journal, it's a time of reflection and retrospection, and so I harken back to opening my very first savings account.

It's the most wonderful time of the year — unless you're paying with plastic, in which case this holiday season might be a little scarier than in years past.

Here's what your colleagues had to say on some of the hottest topics this week.

WASHINGTON — One day a mobile phone giant, the next day a furniture store catering to military service members.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's lawsuit against Sprint Corp. is likely to be a test case for whether it has the power to oversee telecommunications firms.

A compilation of special announcements from credit unions nationwide.

LANSING, Mich. — Six men have been arrested in connection with a string of credit union robberies here, and police are seeking information on a seventh person who may have been involved.

President Obama's surprise decision to restore economic ties with Cuba will reverberate throughout the U.S. financial services industry, as Cuban-Americans send more money to their relatives back home and American companies start to conduct more business in the island nation.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — NCUA had a perfect track record when it came to data breaches — until now.

WASHINGTON — A top White House adviser said President Obama will not allow any further amendments to be made to the Dodd-Frank Act through spending packages.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law legislation allowing state-chartered credit unions to combine select employer groups, associational and community groups into a single field of membership at the same time, according to the New York Credit Union Association (NYCUA).

MADISON, Wis.—CUNA has named Jill Tomalin deputy chief of staff. In her newly created role, Tomalin will be responsible for advising CUNA's president and overseeing the association's operations.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NCUA is encouraging low-income credit unions to apply for the agency's latest round of technical assistance grants.

WASHINGTON — Tracie Kenyon has been named chairman of the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL), succeeding Wendell Lyons, who stepped down from the post on Monday. Kenyon formerly served as AACUL's vice chairman.

Small banks and credit unions are looking to a lab hosted by NCR's Digital Insight to try out new tech like biometrics and beacons in an effort to keep up with their larger competitors.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NCUA said it has filed suit in federal court against U.S. Bank N.A. and Bank of America N.A., alleging these institutions violated state and federal laws by failing to fulfill their duties as trustees for 99 residential mortgage-backed securities trusts.