Field of membership

Last-minute arguments from the American Bankers Association have put the National Credit Union Administration on the back foot in advance of an appeal hearing more than a year in the works.

A federal court this week will hear arguments in NCUA's appeal of a a judge's split decision on its 2016 field of membership rule while the new NCUA board meets later in the week.

The Illinois-based credit union, which recently announced an expanded field of membership, saw loans rise by nearly 7% in 2018.

The Jacksonville-based credit union kicked off 2019 by buying a bank and expanding into Georgia, but VyStar's moves may hold lessons for CUs far beyond the southeast.

A new outreach effort will target parts of New York City to help boost membership at several African-American credit unions.

Credit unions clinging to an outdated name that no longer reflects the institution's current field of membership could be doing themselves more harm than good, experts say. But it's a fine line between honoring the past and preparing for tomorrow.

The Saginaw, Mich.-based institution has yet to reveal the new name, though management indicated that it won't include a religious reference.

J. Mark McWatters, chairman of NCUA, and Rick Metsger, a board member, also said that Congress should give the agency more authority over field of membership for underserved areas.

The trade association met with the Justice Department to reiterate credit union concerns about how the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites.

The Illinois-based credit union has broadened its field of membership to include two Missouri counties and issued another dividend.