ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For the third year in a row, employees of various credit unions across the nation spent 24 straight hours brainstorming the next great financial technology offering.

Apple's long-anticipated move into mobile payments seemed to cover all the bases — Apple Pay will launch with the support of major financial institutions, card networks and retailers. But there were several things that didn't make it into the first version of its mobile wallet.

SJB Federal Credit Union has merged into Southern Mass Credit Union here creating an institution with approximately $207 million in assets and serving 13,500 members.

MEDLEY, Fla. — With almost no public transportation in its service area, Compass Financial FCU realized it needed to do more than just give its members an auto loan. The CU also needed to help members keep their cars on the road.

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio — Though the refinance boom is over and several mortgage giants are reeling as originations decline, some credit unions are thriving as they tap into a new source — first-time home buyers.

It's been almost a year and a half since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its bulletin explaining how certain lenders offering indirect auto loans through dealers would be held responsible for unlawful, discriminatory pricing practices.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) was adopted years ago to promote equal access to mortgage credit.

Michael Bartlett's June 30 Credit Union Journal article, "Tales from the Wild (Mortgage) Side," nicely highlights credit unions and their mortgage strategies in low-inventory, high-priced housing markets.

With all the recent events unfolding in the American business, economic and political sectors, perhaps the most concerning isn't so much the competency of leadership, but rather its values and ethics.

BEAVERTON, Ore. — From coast to coast, credit union and state league executives hailed the selection of Jim Nussle as the new leader of CUNA — with two people independently using the word "excellent" to describe the hire.

See all the good things credit unions have been up in this first look at next week's photo slideshow.

National Credit Union Administration board member Rick Metsger said a Federal Housing Finance Agency proposal to restrict Federal Home Loan Bank membership could give banks an unfair advantage over some smaller credit unions.

The financial services executives involved don't want to talk about it. But listen closely and read between the lines, and you can see why they might be willing to sacrifice some fees to participate in Apple's mobile payment platform.

A new survey found that credit unions continue to rank higher than traditional banks when it comes to consumer trust levels.

WASHINGTON — NCUA Board Member Rick Metsger said Wednesday he favors doubling the implementation period, which would create a de-facto second comment period on the agency's controversial risk-based capital rule.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Federally insured credit unions saw an increased median rate of loan growth in the year ending June 30, according to analysis of state-level data released Tuesday by NCUA.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Continuing its trend of red-letter-day loan promotions, ElecTel Cooperative FCU here is set to hold a limited time loan campaign tied to "International Talk Like A Pirate Day."

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Credit Union National Association announced Tuesday it has picked Jim Nussle, a former eight-term congressman and director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, as the trade group's new president and CEO.

GREENFIELD, Mass. — A former head teller for $509 million Freedom Credit Union pleaded guilty to stealing more than $90,000 from a membersm accounts.

WASHINGTON — Credit unions and community bankers are launching a last-ditch effort to push the Senate this year to pass more than a dozen bipartisan regulatory relief bills that have already cleared the House with support from both parties.