Top 10 Stories of 2009

Visitors to creditunionmagazine.com were most interested in regulations, corporate stabilization, and the recession during 2009.

The most-read stories on creditunionmagazine.com during 2009 were:

10) Strange-But-True CU Crimes 

Did you hear about the arrest police made in a 26-year-old credit union embezzlement case? Or about the member who deposited her meth stash into an ATM?

There might not be many criminals in the Mensa ranks. But what crooks lack in wits, they often compensate for with poor planning.

9) Special Report: Indirect Auto Lending Roundtable

Indirect auto lending can significantly increase auto loan volume—but it also subjects credit unions to credit quality issues and other risks.

Two seasoned credit union indirect auto lenders explain how they differentiate their programs from other lenders, how the recession has affected credit quality—and what they’re doing about it—how to turn indirect members into active credit union members, and how to create beneficial relationships with auto dealers.

8) Special Report: NCUA’s Corporate Stabilization Plan

President Obama signed into law S. 896, the housing bill that contains the provisions credit unions have supported and worked for to mitigate the cost of the National Credit Union Administration’s (NCUA) corporate stabilization actions.

As a result of this legislation, what would have been a 99 basis-point-of-insured-shares cost to credit unions this year will likely be reduced to something in the range of 10 to 15 basis points. CUNA will pursue proper implementation of the legislation with NCUA, and it expects guidance in the near future from the agency on this.

7) Re-energize Your Burned Out Workforce 

The recession hasn’t just affected bank accounts and bottom lines—it’s also had a big impact on the morale and attitudes of the American workforce, says Jon Gordon, author of “The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change.”

To make sure negativity and burnout don’t cause your team to mentally check out, Gordon suggests taking nine steps to boost employee morale and engagement.

6) Raise the Bar on Member Service: 6 Steps

Implementing six minimum service standards has created a strong member service culture at $400 million asset Air Academy Federal Credit Union, Colorado Springs, Colo.—and has had some unexpected benefits as well.

Next: The Top 5

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