Volunteers

Daniel A. Mica The CU movement definitely faces a monster of a problem. Veteran comedian Bob Newhart had a famous routine that may describe best what credit unions have been experiencing during the past months. It goes something like this: It’s a security guard’s first night on the job at... READ MORE

Kathleen Thompson Take note of IRS Form 990’s new Part VI on nonprofit governance. A new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirement has focused attention on credit unions’ need for conflict of interest policies and annual disclosure processes for board members and senior staff to report possible conflicts. Review a sample... READ MORE

CUs sense a renewed urgency to invest in their communities. READ MORE

Steve Rick The Fed’s ‘quantitative easing’ is necessary but insufficient. The only certainty of the 2009 business environment is it holds the greatest uncertainty most credit union leaders ever will experience. The reasons include uncertainty over the degree, duration, and dispersion of the recession; government policy responses; and the financial... READ MORE

James Collins Some growth strategies stymie even the most dedicated CUs. Here are two numbers to think about:    0.88% —annual U.S. population growth, according to cia.gov, which it claims is “as accurate as anything else we’ve done over the past eight years.”   2% —annualized growth of credit union... READ MORE

Mark Sievewright The best vision and mission statements are mantras for action. I’ve had the privilege of helping many credit unions, leagues, and trade associations with their strategic plans. Although it may seem early in the year to think about plans and budgets, the market environment dictates it’s time for... READ MORE

John Franklin The same philosophy that created the CU movement is alive and well today. This U.S. Credit Union System celebrates some historic milestones. In June, during the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) America’s Credit Union Conference & Expo, participants will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first U.S. credit... READ MORE

Daniel A. Mica The CU ‘understanding gap’ is nothing new. Last month I wrote about the parallels between now and 75 years ago—when the Federal Credit Union Act was signed into law and when, not coincidentally, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) was founded. I beg your indulgence to continue... READ MORE

David Klavitter The approach to advancing the CU legislative agenda may never be the same. Last November's election gave Democrats control of the White House and widened the party’s margins in both chambers of Congress. This alone is enough to alter the direction and tempo of Washington, D.C. But in... READ MORE

Ann Hayes Peterson What keeps governance experts up at night? During the BoardSource Leadership Forum last fall in Washington, D.C., Dick Chait and Nell Minow discussed governance challenges facing for-profit and nonprofit boards. Chait is a research professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Mass. A consultant to... READ MORE