membership - Louisiana Credit Union League

3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
membership
@work
In this issue...
CU Economic Impact Study
2016 CUNA GAC Info
CU Staff Salary: Data Available
Louisiana Credit Unions at Work
Nussle Marks 1st Year with Exciting Changes!
Marking his one year anniversary in
September, CUNA President/CEO Jim
Nussle announced several changes
designed to make the CUNA/League
system more accessible, collaborative,
innovative and successful.
need to continue to make CUNA leaner
and more agile, and to calculate dues
in a way that celebrates and rewards
credit union success and asset growth.
Reallocation of Resources: CUNA
has been taking steps to streamline
its management and operations. By
late September, CUNA had already
saved $1.4 million in expenses from its
budget.
Expanded membership: Nussle has
proposed creating two new nonvoting membership classes, one for
professionals and volunteers and one
for system partners and vendors. The
goal is to encourage greater individual
advocacy at all levels of the CUNA/
League System.
Dues reduction: CUNA is reducing
member dues for 2016. Total dues
income for CUNA will be less than
2015! The reduction recognizes the
CUNA/League interdependence: This
is the heart of CUNA’s value proposition.
It is an unmatched credit union
advocacy force that delivers results.
CUNA and the Leagues have committed
to a new level of cooperation in service
to credit unions.
Nussle noted that he’s been listening
and learning from the membership
and that future credit union needs
demand that CUNA raise the bar much
higher so that it and the Leagues
are best-positioned to advance the
advocacy interests of credit unions.
In his membership announcement he
said that the changes outlined above
– well-planned and well-executed –
will continue to transform CUNA into
a leaner, strategically-focused and
efficient organization.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
1
Message from League President
CU Economic Impact Study
As a Louisiana Credit Union League (LCUL) member, you
are part of a nationwide credit union community with more
than 100 million members. Louisiana’s credit union industry
includes nearly 200 individual credit unions statewide, with
over 1.2 million people entrusting their finances to credit
unions. We are proud to serve on your behalf to enhance
your ability to successfully meet your members’ needs.
On behalf of LCUL, noted economist Dr. Loren Scott recently
conducted an analysis of Louisiana credit unions’ impact
on the state economy, and discovered that Louisiana credit
union assets surpassed $10 billion for the first time in state
history this past year.
This study shows that the credit
union movement is continuing
to fulfill the role for which it was
created: to provide world-class
financial services and protect the
financial futures of families and
businesses.
and social impact that you can share with your credit union
professional staff, to enhance their knowledge of the industry
they work in every day, as well as provide information for
them to share with current and future members.
So why invest in this study? Economic impact studies can
help us improve our messaging about the movement in
Louisiana in different capacities, including:
• New information generated by a third-party source that is
credible to the media, our members and to the public. In this
case, Dr. Scott has a well-noted reputation and connections
to Louisiana State University. This
gives us more credibility when we
communicate the results of the study.
• With this information, the League
and credit unions can pitch and secure
a number of media interviews. As we
highlight the importance of credit
unions to the communities of the
state, we can also utilize the findings
of the report.
Dr. Scott’s analysis found that:
• Supplementing our arguments at
the Legislature - Banks get away with
acting large because they have the
numbers to prove it. We can establish
our own visibility and/or improve
the relationships we have at the
Legislature by providing information
about how many people are employed
at credit unions, how many assets
we oversee and the activities we are
involved in.
• $6.3 billion of total credit union
assets are attributed to member
loans, with the average Louisianian
receiving a consumer loan for an
item, such as a car or appliance, of
$10,340.
• The credit union industry is also
a significant economic driver,
employing more than 3,600 workers
across the state.
• Additionally, credit union professionals now earn 26.5
percent more than the average Louisiana worker, compared
to 5 percent more than 24 years ago.
I urge you to share these findings with your members—both
current and future. Communicating this analysis to your
membership will maximize member engagement, as it offers
members a more comprehensive understanding of how their
local credit union is always working to serve their family’s best
interests. This information will also attract new members by
educating future members on the benefits of credit unions.
For your convenience, the following resources are available
on our website at www.lcul.com:
• An outline for discussing the analysis.
• A digital booklet summarizing credit unions’ economic
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
• Credit unions have the opportunity to share the information
found in the study, along with the League supplemental
matierials, with people and organizations that are important
to them.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Thank you for being part of LCUL and strengthening the
families, communities, and economic foundation of Louisiana.
Sincerely,
Anne Cochran
LCUL President/CEO
membership@work | www.lcul.com 2
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
CUNA Engages
With State
Lawmakers
At this year’s Legislative Summit of
the National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL) in Seattle, August
3-6, CUNA and League staff were
on the ground advancing an array of
credit union priorities including dual
chartering, transportation network
company insurance regulations, payday
lending oversight and data security.
The Northwest Credit Union Association
led an effort with CUNA, the American
Association of Credit Union Leagues
(AACUL), CUNA Mutual Group,
Washington credit unions and other
Leagues to raise awareness of credit
unions in the greater Seattle area
during the meeting through marketing
and local media outreach. Credit
unions made a lasting impression. In
one measure of success, the consumer
website aSmarterChoice.org was
promoted during the conference and
saw a significant increase in traffic.
More than 900 state legislators,
representing all 50 states, attended the
conference. Nearly 200 state lawmakers
stopped at the America’s Credit Unions
booth to speak with CUNA and League
staff. Many praised the effectiveness of
the message.
CUNA advocacy team members Ryan
Donovan, Shelton Roulhac and Lynn
Coard participated in meetings and
sessions with NCSL’s Communications,
Financial Services, and Interstate
Commerce committees, as well as the
Task Force on State and Local Taxation.
CUNA’s focus on the states is important
because the road to leadership in
Washington often begins in the states.
Fifty percent of the current members
of Congress, and five of the past six
U.S. Presidents were previously state
lawmakers. Unlike any other credit union
organization, the CUNA/League structure
has the advantage of having a credit union
league represent every state. League staff
spend years working on state campaigns,
developing political relationships and
building awareness with state lawmakers –
before they move to Washington.
Great Congressional
Visits During Hike
the Hill
Massachusetts credit union delegation
meeting with Congressman McGovern. Fall is traditionally a busy time of
the year for CUNA and the Leagues
because many come to Washington for
their annual Hike the Hill. In September
alone, 19 Leagues representing 26
states brought over 250 credit union
advocates to lobby their respective
Members of Congress. Additionally,
some Leagues held meetings with the
CFPB and the NCUA. If you would
like more information on Hike the Hill,
please contact Angela Gervais, Director
of Governmental Affairs, at
agervais@lcul.com
CU Leaders in Southwest LA Meet
With Congressman Boustany
Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr MD (R3rd District) stopped by CSE FCU to visit
with nearly twenty credit union leaders and
volunteers from seven credit unions in the
Southwest Louisiana area. Together, they
participated in casual conversation through
the direction of Connie Major, LCUL CFO/
EVP.
During their time together, credit union
advocates shed light on the pressing issues
the movement is facing, such as recent
data breaches and liability issues small
credit unions face, upcoming regulatory
reviews, and local growth coming to the
Southwest LA area. One item agreed
upon was the need to review roadway
conditions with the influx of traffic due to
numerous growth projects within the area,
especially since the Congressman has “skin
in the game”.
“Congressman Boustany has always been
a friend to credit unions. He is ready
and willing to listen to our suggestions
and concerns. We look forward to more
open dialogue and a continued working
relationship with him,” commented Major.
In attendance: CSE FCU, Access of Louisiana FCU,
Lafayette Schools FCU, Section 705 FCU, Lake
Charles Municipal FCU, and First Pioneers FCU.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
3
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
Housing, Registration
Open for 2016 CUNA
Governmental Affairs
Conference (GAC)
The Credit Union National Association
(CUNA) and the Louisiana Credit Union
League (LCUL) invite you to take part
in the credit union movement’s premier
event, the CUNA Governmental Affairs
Conference (GAC) in Washington, D.C.
The 2016 GAC is open to book your
hotel room and to register for the
conference. CUNA GAC begins on
Sunday afternoon, February 21 and
concludes with the reception on
Wednesday evening.
LCUL has secured a block of rooms at
The Grand Hyatt Hotel and is open to
accept your online reservations. In order
to ensure that our rooms are only booked
by Louisiana credit unions, the link is
password protected. Contact Angela
Gervais (agervais@lcul.com) to obtain the
link & password. Credit unions entering
in their own reservation in the housing
system will be prompted to enter in
their card information to secure their
reservation. Cancellations can be made
through January 13, 2016.
As always, LCUL will have a Louisianaspecific agenda for attendees including
dinner arrangements, activities/tours, and
hospitality suite hours.
Please visit gac.cuna.org today for
more information on the conferenc or
contact Angela Gervais, Director of
Governmental Affairs, at
agervais@lcul.com.
CUNA Partners with
World Council in Denver
More than 3,100 credit union
advocates, representing 61 countries,
gathered in Denver for CUNA and
World Council of Credit Unions’ joint
conference in July. The America’s
Credit Union Conference/World Credit
Union Conference was a huge success
and the credit union movement is
already excited about the 2016 ACUC
conference in Seattle, June 26-29.
During the conference, attendees
participated in breakout sessions
with topics that included attracting
millennials, competing with new players
and operating small credit unions.
Attendees were also inspired by the
keynote speakers and had time to
network in the exhibition hall full of
vendor booths.
Jim Nussle outlined CUNA’s plan
to refresh the association’s value
proposition, focus on advocacy and
challenge member credit unions to
be even stronger. Success, he said,
means that credit unions continue to
grow so they have the opportunity
to provide all Americans access to
their exceptional cooperative financial
services. This effort depends on
engagement not only with credit
union CEOs, board members and
employees—but also with the 103
million credit union members across
the country. To learn more about the
speech, and the critical role everyone
shares in the credit union advocacy
effort, please read the full story in
News Now.
Nussle also shared his vision for
removing barriers, fostering service
excellence and creating awareness in
op-eds in CU Journal, CU Times, and
CUInsight during the conference.
Additional Denver highlights include:
• The election of Anne Cochran,
President/CEO of the Louisiana Credit
Union League, as World Council’s first
female chairman.
• Inspiring keynote speakers: Alan
Mulally, former Ford Motor Co.
President/CEO; Luke Williams,
executive director of New York
University’s Stearn School of Business;
and Navi Radjou, internationally known
innovation expert.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
4
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
LCUL’s New Website:
Just the Beginning of
Enhanced Communications
LCUL launched a redesigned website
boasting improved resources for the trade
association’s member credit unions. With
improved navigation and functionality
throughout, the new website will
serve as one of LCUL’s primary tools to
communicate with and serve its members.
Some new features of the website include:
a responsive design compatible with
mobile devices, online registration portal,
extensive compliance content, and an
enhanced vendor page. Enhancements
to previous areas include: information
on LCUL’s legislative lobbying efforts,
latest Louisiana CU news, professional
development and education opportunities,
and a complete listing of job openings.
“Our new site is more than just a face-lift.
We focused on how the average credit
union professional, pressed for time, would
search for information,” commented Cami
Crouchet, EVP of Strategic Services.
This is a result of listening to credit unions
and gaining valuable feedback. We want
to keep the conversation going. Should
you have any questions or wish to provide
feedback on LCUL’s new website, please
email website@lcul.com.
Mortgage Disclosure Rule:
While CUNA and the Leagues successfully pushed the implementation date of the
TILA-RESPA requirement from August to October, the work to ensure credit unions
have adequate time to prepare endures. CUNA and the Leagues continue to push
for a safe harbor period through the end of the year.
In July, Jim Nussle also requested the CFPB clear up an ambiguity surrounding the
definition of “small creditor” as it relates to the new rules. Nearly 700 credit unions
would have been exempt based on the definition of “small creditor” from the
bureau’s September 2014 Small Entity Compliance Guide. However the Small Entity
Compliance Guide was updated this spring and it makes clear that these credit
unions are not exempt.
In preparation of the implementation date, CUNA’s Compliance team released
checklists, CompNotes, and Podcasts to help you and your credit union prepare for
the upcoming changes. Please visit: CUNA.org/compliance for more information.
ComplianceLagniappe
Elder Abuse: Louisiana CUs Should Know the Law
Did you know that Louisiana Law (R.S.
15:1504) requires the reporting of abuse,
neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable
adults? Failure to report is a crime, with
the law granting immunity to any citizen
who reports in good faith.
• Bruises, burns, welts, or cuts
• Member seems confused or disoriented
• Unclean, smelly, dirty clothes
• Out of the blue requests for the
addition of joint owners to accounts
Over 7,300 cases of abuse involving older
and vulnerable adults are reported in
Louisiana each year. This is estimated
to be only a fraction of the thousands of
cases that occur in our state. As financial
first responders, credit unions can detect
warning signs that indicate an elderly
member is being abused or exploited:
• Overbearing family member, an
individual speaks for member, or won’t
leave member’s side during visits to the
branch
• Weight loss, appears hungry, begging,
or searching for food
• Withdrawal of money in large amounts
• Unusual account activity that doesn’t
match the elderly member’s previous
spending patterns
How to Report Suspected Abuse:
The Office of Aging and Adult Services
(OAAS), a division of the LA Dept. of
Health and Hospitals handles reports
and can be contacted by phone at (800)
898-4910. OAAS staffers suggest that
CU employees not hesitate to report
suspicious circumstances, even if the
member is not exhibiting a wide range of
warning signs.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
5
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
Creating Awareness:
LCUL’s Digital Awareness Campaign
The Louisiana Credit Union League recently launched a two-week digital
advertising campaign designed to increase consumer awareness across
the state about the direct benefits of credit unions, as well as encouraging
consumers to join one for their financial needs. Online ads began on October
1 and ran through International Credit Union Day on Thursday, October 15.
The campaign’s goal was simple: we wanted to inform consumers of the
purpose, importance and benefits of banking at not-for-profit credit unions.
Online ads and posts were featured across a variety of social media networks,
including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
“Residents across Louisiana continue to discover the credit union difference
for their families and businesses. Louisiana credit unions exceeded $10 billion
in total assets for the first time this year, signifying the accomplishments and
hard work of credit unions to provide the best services possible. We look
forward to seeing our industry continue to grow throughout the state,” said
LCUL President and CEO Anne Cochran.
The ads, developed by LCUL, direct consumers to CUNA’s aSmarterChoice.
org site to learn more about the credit union movement and to search for a
credit union near them.
Additionally, an infographic was launched on Oct. 15, appearing on local,
micro-niche blogs based in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette and
Shreveport, Louisiana. The infographic includes statistical information from
a recent economic impact study conducted on behalf of LCUL by noted
economist Dr. Loren Scott, which analyzed the impact of Louisiana credit
unions on the state economy.
The Results Are In...
Thanks to Online Optimism, the
digital marketing agency responsible
for the campaign, LCUL’s digital
marketing campaign led to more
than 1.4 million views of social media
channel content with double digit
percentage gains in followers. LCUL
content was also seen on a wide
variety of local Louisiana blogs.
Over the course of the campaign...
While Online Optimism does not
have analytics for ASmarterChoice.
org website, they are confident
that this campaign led to a massive
amount of brand promotion for
credit unions across Louisiana.
LCUL’s content on LinkedIn was:
LCUL’s content on Facebook was:
• Seen 1,279,723 times
• Reached 446,803 people
LCUL’s content on Twitter was:
• Seen 82,300 times
• Engaged with 888 times
• Seen 130,912 times
• Engaged with 176 times
A more in depth report will be
distributed to Louisiana credit
unions.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
6
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
CU Staff Salary Data Available
For more than 30 years credit unions have relied on CUNA’s Staff Salary
Report to make important decisions about their most valuable asset:
staff. The 2015 report includes data from more than 1,300 credit unions
on 100 job titles, allowing credit unions to set competitive compensation
packages and build and retain top-performing teams.
Additionally, the newly released Compensation Analytics interactive tool
puts the computing power into credit unions’ hands so they can stay
ahead of the curve for 2016 compensation budgeting.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
CU COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYMENT PLANS*
SALARIES
/////////
75% to 85%
of CUs have provided or plan to
provide salary/wage increases to at
least some of their employees.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Salary increases range from
2.5% to 2.9%.
////////////////////////
Less than 10%
VARIABLE PAY
///////////
of CUs plan to implement
any sort of salary/
72%
wage freeze.
EMPLOYMENT
///////////
95%
*
of CUs offer bonuses
and/or incentives
to FTEs.**
HIRING
/////////
of CUs
have at least
one FTE.
Nearly
one-third
of CUs plan to add an average of 4.1 FTEs.
///////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////
77%
of CUs have
part-time staff.
Almost
one-quarter
plan to add an average of 1.8 part-timers.
*Limited to CUs with $1 million or more in assets and at least one full-time employee
**FTE = full-time employee
Source: CUNA’s 2015-2016 Staff Salary Report (cuna.org/compensation)
cuna.org/compensaton
Be a CU HERO
LCUL Partners with CDFI Firm to Expand Successful
CDFI CU Programs Throughout Louisiana to Better
Serve Low-income Residents
CU Strategic Planning has
partnered with LCUL to
provide one branch worth
of complimentary HERO
licenses to every leagueaffiliated credit union with more than one branch.
Credit unions with one branch will be provided one
free license for every five employees.
What is HERO? Through training, testing and
certification, HERO allows your staff to:
• Better understand the financial pressures facing low
to moderate income, “working class” consumers;
• Better serve members by providing solutions to
their financial problems; and
• Safely increase lending beyond A and B borrowers,
driving up your ROA.
While other financial counseling programs focus on
investments and asset building, this program focuses
on lending to people that need loans. HERO allows
your CU to “invent” its own qualified borrowers by
coaching members to become credit worthy.
HERO can help position your credit union to win
grants because integrated results tracking that helps
demonstrate the credit union’s outreach effectiveness.
There are just three simple steps to receiving your
FREE licenses:
Step #1 – Tell us how many licenses to issue your
credit union.
Step #2 – Give us the name of your HERO
administrator. Your administrator can access
information on your staff’s progress toward
certification and will also be able to run reports.
Step #3 – We’ll send you
a subscription
agreement
Insert
League
to help track your licenses internally. But don’t worry,
photo here
they’re still free!
To learn more, visit www.HEROCounseling.org
or contact CU Strategic Planning at ContactUs@
creditunionstrategicplanning.com.
We want to make sure there’s a HERO in every
Louisiana credit union!
membership@work | www.lcul.com 7
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
October 1
Just a Stop Along the Way to EMV Compliance
There has been much discussion
about the October 1 deadline for EMV
compliance. Set by MasterCard, Visa,
Discover and American Express, this is
the date when the least EMV-compliant
entity (either merchant or card issuer) will
assume liability for counterfeit card fraud
during U.S. card-present transactions.
While this liability shift will ultimately
alter the way counterfeit card fraud is
addressed, the question remains: What
changes can we expect and what do
these changes mean for CUs?
Expect Business As Usual
“October 1 will come and go with
very little impact on the way CUs do
business,” said Michelle Thornton,
director of product development for COOP Financial Services. “Even though the
vast majority of merchants are not ready
for EMV, credit card issuers are, and
many of the nation’s largest merchants
will be in compliance as well. Where
EMV becomes a near-term issue for
CUs is with smaller merchants that see
migrating to the technology as either
unrealistic or cost prohibitive within this
time frame.”
In fact, a recent PaymentSource.com
article cites projections by Javelin
Strategy & Research that up to 75% of
all merchants, primarily small businesses,
will not implement EMV technology by
the deadline. While statistically speaking
that is a big number, Thornton advises
CUs to keep the data in perspective.
“If you look at your overall transaction
volume and then examine where fraud
is occurring, you will find that roughly
half of your fraud today occurs in cardon-file or online payments as opposed
to in-store,” she said. “Given that most
brand-name merchants are expected
to migrate to the technology by the
end of this year, we are talking
about a relatively small number
of transactions over which CUs
could potentially shift some
liability to a merchant.”
EMV for Debit Could Take
Years
According to Thornton, the
nation’s migration to EMV for
debit will take much longer
than for credit due to regulatory
complexities. “The Durbin
Amendment has dramatically delayed
the adoption of EMV for debit here in
the U.S.,” she said. “This is because the
technology only supported transaction
routing to a single network, and Durbin
stipulates that debit cards, regardless
of their method of authentication, must
allow transactions to be routed to more
than one network. A solution for this
issue was only agreed upon last year. For
many merchants, moving the technology
is a complex task that may take years to
complete.”
Thornton maintains that, given these
realities, the October 1 deadline should
be viewed as more of an incentive
to migrate to EMV than a mandate.
“Remember that if you become the last
CU to implement EMV security, at some
point fraudsters will find your BIN and
create false cards.”
New Point-of-Sale Procedures
For consumers, EMV will present some
changes at the checkout counter. “When
consumers use an EMV card at an EMV
terminal, they are required to insert the
card instead of swiping it – even if it
has a magnetic stripe. Once the card
is inserted, communication takes place
between the terminal and chip.”
Ultimately, Thornton thinks that EMV
adoption will considerably reduce
counterfeit card fraud, but not all fraud.
“The nature of EMV technology makes
it virtually impossible for fraudsters to
produce counterfeit cards. However, we
are cautioning CUs to pay close attention
to online transactions going forward. We
expect fraudsters to shift their focus to
online simply because duplicating EMV
cards is so incredibly difficult to do.”
She continued, “EMV delivers benefits
to U.S. financial institutions, merchants
and consumers. In addition to preventing
many instances of fraud, it will encourage
merchants to upgrade their systems to
support other emerging technologies,
such as near field communication (NFC)
used in the new mobile wallets. However,
it is important to remember that in most
parts of the world the transition to EMV
took about ten years. Here in the U.S.,
we are trying to migrate to EMV in just
two or three years. As a credit union, you
need to become EMV compliant as soon
as possible, you shouldn’t panic if you
are not there by October 1.”
Want more info? Contact the League’s
EFT Department at eft@lcul.com.
See more at: http://blog.co-opfs.org/october-1-justa-stop-along-the-way-to-emv-compliance/#sthash.
Z0iAVv1n.K0QMuYBB.dpuf
membership@work | www.lcul.com
8
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
Louisiana’s Own
Professional Crasher
Spence LaCroix with Jefferson Financial CU has CRASHED not one,
but THREE events in 2015. If you’re hesitating (or procrastinating)
to CRASH an event, take a listen to Spence’s personal experiences:
LCUL’s 2015 Governmental
Affairs Conference
(Baton Rouge, LA)
CRASH the Louisiana
GAC 2015 was my first
crash event. “Turning
members into advocates”
was a coined term I heard
throughout the conference
that resonated with me.
So much that I returned to
my office, wrote it on a post-it, and stuck
it on my monitor. It’s a daily reminder
to stress to members how important it
is that they understand our movement
and join our efforts in the political realm.
By turning our members into advocates,
we could have one of the largest voices
on Capitol Hill. Jeff Rendel shared
the best way to get in the door with a
government official. Rather than going
directly to the official, a surefire way for
us to get in is to start at the bottom. Get
to know the scheduler, the legislative
aide, then the Chief of Staff. I thought
that was very helpful information!
Through this experience, I was able to
learn more about what the League does
for our movement. It motivated me not
only to support the League’s intiatives
but to be an advocate for movement.
WOCCU & AMERICA’S CU
CONFERENCE 2015
(Denver, CO)
WOCCU & America’s
Credit Union
Conference in Denver
was my second
CRASH event, but
first through The
Cooperative Trust. Crashers had the
pleasure of meeting James Marshall of
Filene Research Institute, who facilitated
the experience. There was little to no
sleep for us between the crash sessions.
We worked on our credit union business
models, joined attendees during actual
conference sessions, and participated
in the networking events. James really
made it a point to find out where the
“important people” were and got us
there to network. This, in my opinion, far
exceeds any session. Networking was
a major part of my crash experience,
allowing me to have a two way
conversation and ask questions.
James brought
us along to crash
one of the World
Council of Young
CU Professionals
(WYCUP) session.
In this exchange,
I was able to network with people from
around the world. Not many people
can say that! An interesting experience
that happened to me: imagine yourself
rushed to find a seat at a table to work
on a project and then realize after it
started you’re at a Spanish speaking
table. Yes it happened and I freaked out.
Luckily there was an interpreter to assist
me in communicating. Afterwards, I
realized it happened to me for a reason.
I would have never been able to “speak
another language” and get ideas from
another young CU professional from
across the globe. Being at the WYCUP
program with interpreters gave me
the ability to network in a setting that
otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to.
Since my return, I have reached out to
multiple peers to brainstorm different
strategies my credit union wants to
implement. We can learn from one
another and being able to network is
vital to the future of credit unions.
LCUL’s 2015 ANNUAL
MEETING & CONVENTION
(New Orleans, LA)
LCUL’s CRASH the Annual
Meeting & Convention was
my second crash event in
Louisiana and third overall.
This event was especially
awesome because it gave
me a chance to catch up
with old friends and find out what/how
they are doing at their credit unions.
It also allowed me to meet a new
group of professionals that share my
enthusiasm for what we do. The crash
program provides us with a platform
where we can all come together to
discuss challenges we are all facing. It
also gives us the ability to hear from
others who have faced a challenge but
worked through it in a comfortable
and confidential setting. As young
professionals, we should all find a
mentor through someone who has more
experience than we do in our profession
but I think it is also a good idea to be
mentored by someone that’s on our
playing field. I think the crash program
give you the chance to find both types
of mentors! Undoubtedly, I think if you
ever have a chance to CRASH anything
– DO IT!
Be on the lookout for your next chance
to CRASH our next credit union event!
membership@work | www.lcul.com
9
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
Neighbors FCU CEO Kathi Gill
Announces Retirement
ANECA Federal’s
#theANECAway Campaign
After 34 plus years,
Neighbors FCU
announced that
Kathi Gill is retiring
as President/CEO
as of December 31.
Working her way
through the ranks,
Kathi became CEO
in 2008. Since that time, Neighbors has
more than doubled in asset size to over
$735 million, she has presided over
three mergers, added six new branches,
mortgage lending, business services,
school branches, and new mobile
technology.
At ANECA Federal, employees want to
encourage everyone to pay it forward
and do something nice for someone
every day. With #theANECAway
campaign, the credit union hopes to
spark this way of thinking in the local
community and promote doing acts of
kindness for others.
“Kathi has been a strong leader and
dedicated role model for the Neighbors
team and the community,” says Grady
Hazel, Board Chair. “Her years of
service and dedication have guided
the credit union through remarkable
growth and market transition. With this
foundation, Neighbors will continue to
move forward, embracing technology
and innovation in financial services.”
She has overseen the creation of
the Neighbors FCU financial literacy
program, Neighbors Foundation and
been involved in numerous community
outreach organizations serving as the
Board of Directors Vice President for
Alzheimer’s Services and STAR Center.
Other board positions include the
Metropolitan YMCA, the Business
Alliance Financial Services, Louisiana
CU League, Louisiana CU Foundation
and Women’s Leadership Council.
As a 2011 Business Report’s Influential
Women in Business and one of this
year’s LSU Foundation Espirit de
Femme award recipients, Gill credits
her success to her team and promotes
civic responsibility as a means to give
back to the community that has helped
build the success of Neighbors.
Over the past few months, the credit
union has been randomly showing
up at local businesses and paying for
customer’s services. As they pay, they
give the customer a small card that
says, “Compliments of ANECA…Pay
it Forward #theANECAway,” as well
as a suggestion for a way for them to
pay it forward, such as “Send someone
a hand-written thank you note,” “Put
money in someone else’s parking
meter,” “Open a door for a stranger,”
or “Pick up lunch for a busy coworker.”
They encouraged customers to use
the campaign slogan and social media
hashtag, #theANECAway. One social
media post from Laura Seymour Schlidt
said, “An amazing thing happened. I
ordered coffee and went to pay, but
was told it was paid for. I’m not often
left speechless but when I discovered
it was a credit union doing it, and
why, I was most impressed. Thank
you ANECA for starting Monday off
with a kick and reminding us of the
importance to be nice! ”
To keep the ball rolling, ANECA
plans on showing up again in random
locations to pay it forward with another
act of kindness.
NASJRB CU Sponsors Special
Event to Honor Mothers of
Fallen Soldiers
NAS JRB CU had the honor and privilege to sponsor the Gold Star Mother’s
Day to remember, respect and honor
mothers, families and those killed
while in service. Gold Star Mothers
was formed shortly after World War I
to provide support for mothers who
lost sons or daughters in the war. The
name came from the custom of families
of servicemen hanging a banner called
a Service Flag in the window of their
homes. The Service Flag had a star
for each family member in the United
States Armed Forces, living servicemen
represented by a blue star and those
who had lost their live represented by
a gold star. “We spend our days at
the credit union servicing the men and
women that so selflessly sacrifice their
own freedoms to protect ours. This
event was a reminder of the ultimate
sacrifice that was given. Our hearts are
full of gratitude to be asked to sponsor
such an event,” commented Heather
Price, Community Relations Officer.
Gold Star Mother’s Day is observed in
the United States on the last Sunday of
September each year.
Condolences
Cora Pania
Iberville FCU
Ms. Cora Pania, CEO of Iberville FCU in
Plaquemine, passed away this past
September. Prior to her role at Iberville
FCU, Cora served as President/CEO of Saif
FCU. In 2010, she was inducted into the
Louisiana Credit Union Hall of Fame.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
10
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
71 Louisiana CU Professionals
Earn Certified Financial
Counselor Designation
LCUL was proud to once again offer
a training program to build Financial
Counseling Programs for Louisiana’s
Credit Unions. Individuals who successfully
completed the program and a series of eight
exams earn their Credit Union Certified
Financial Counselor (CCUFC) designation.
Since 2013, Louisiana now has 176 Certified
Financial Counselors. Congratulations to our
2015 graduates:
Barksdale FCU: Jeremy Albrite, Dione
Brown, Andrea Dicarlo, Adam Ellison,
Rebecca Havis, Tina Phillips, Tina Ryan,
Amanda Seavey, Nicki Taylor
CSE FCU: Peggy Busby, Cheryl Newman
First Pioneers FCU: Shelley Coleman,
Kristen Cradeur, Danielle Erbe
Jefferson Financial CU: Trudy Harris, Jim
Knoth, Kathie Murray
LES FCU: Jed Desselle, Monica Morris
Louisiana FCU: Lesley Ash, Joey Cambre,
Chantel Taplin, Vanatra Wright
Neighbors FCU: Theresa Browning, Andrea
Dupuy, Jiselle Griffin, Dana Helmes, Delores
Porter, Monica Price, Cheri Settoon, Nicole
Snowden
New Orleans Firemen’s FCU: Ashley
Allo, Yvette Blauvelt, Kathy Breaux, Paige
Carbone, Trish Cody, Kym Copeland, Judy
DeLucca, Hayley Deroche, Ryan Gourgeot,
Tracey Honold, Tessie Louque, Dionna
Marino, Dawn McCoy, Hope Petruska,
Tammy Pitts, Tonya Populus, Amy Rodriguez,
Daniel Russo, Amber Williams, Vickie Wilson,
Toni Woodson
Post Office Emp. CU: Adam Jones
Southwest LA CU: Kristen Cain, Susan
Cheaney, Karen Hagen, Jessica Stevens,
Renee Thomas
Taft Employees CU: Lula Kathy Petit
Terminal CU: Darlene Lockhart
UNO FCU: Katelyn Huff, Chris Maurer,
Charles McMaster, Martha Said
Wymar FCU: Lloyd Cockerham, Anita
Lamons, Ashley Parrott
ASII & Enterprise Holdings
Foundation Help Meet
Low-Income Residents’
Transportation Need
A Shared Initiative, Inc. (ASII),
sister-affiliate of ASI Federal Credit
Union (ASI), was recently awarded
$5,500 from the Enterprise Holdings
Foundation for the non-profit’s “Wheels
to Work” program. This innovative
lending program helps provide
financial education and special vehicle
purchase options for individuals who
may not otherwise have access to
affordable transportation.
Through the “Wheels to Work”
program, ASII/ASI helps economically
disadvantaged individuals purchase
vehicles and get on the road to
financial independence. This program
not only serves to help low-income
residents of our community obtain
affordable transportation but also
promotes savings behavior, providing
financial education and customized
counseling to program participants to
help improve their credit.
Through ASII/ASI’s shared vision of
eliminating poverty through financial
services and education, the “Wheels to
Work” program provides low-income
Southeast Louisiana residents the
opportunity to purchase affordable,
reliable vehicles while setting
financial goals and gaining a greater
level of self-sufficiency and financial
independence.
Access of Louisiana Announces
Michelle Jinks as New CEO
Access of Louisiana FCU’s Board of
Directors has named
Michelle Jinks as
their new CEO/President. Michelle has
over ten years experience in the financial
services industry,
with the last seven
serving as financial analyst for CSE FCU.
She is a graduate of McNeese State University with Bachelors in Accounting and
a Masters in Business Administration.
She serves on the Steering Committee of
the LCUL’s YPN and is also a member of
the Chamber SWLA’s Young Professional
Organization, Fusion Five. Michelle has
completed her first year at the Southeast
CUNA Management School, with an
expected graduation in 2017.
The position opened with the resignation of CEO Kathy Bourgeois after 17
years of dedicated service to Access of
Louisiana.
EFCU Financial Awards $2,000
in Scholarships
EFCU Financial awarded Cailyn Gross
with its 2015 Sue Geske Scholarship
Award. Gross was presented with a
$1,000 scholarship check by EFCU
Financial CEO Tyler Grodi. Annually,
EFCU Financial honors its young members for their outstanding high school
scholastic achievements. Students are
evaluated based on grade point average, SAT/ACT score, community/extracurricular activities and a written essay.
Xplore FCU: Robin Champlin, Jennifer
Herkes, Armand Parvazi, Candias Smith,
Joyce Taylor (Re-Certified)
membership@work | www.lcul.com
11
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
16 Louisiana CUs Awarded
Grants; NCUA Sets a New
Record at $2 Million
Grants totaling more than $2 million will
help 225 low-income credit unions expand
products and services, open branches, advance digital growth and provide greater
security for their members, said NCUA
“The second grant round of 2015 proved
to be the largest in NCUA’s history, with
requests for more than $9.4 million coming from 580 low-income credit unions,”
NCUA Board Chairman Debbie Matz
said. “While the competition was tough,
the current and future members of the
low-income credit unions receiving these
funds are the real winners in terms of new
products and services, new locations and
new protections.”
Louisiana grant recipients include:
• Access of Louisiana, $10,000
• Alexandria Municipal Emp., $10,000
• Arabi Sugar Workers, $15,000
• ASI, $7,500
• Carter, $7,500
• Eagle Louisiana, $10,000
• LES, $7,500
• Louisiana Catholic, $10,000
• Rapides General Hospital Emp., $2,200
• Red River Mill Emp., $8,000
• Riverland, $10,000
• Southwest Louisiana, $7,500
• The New Orleans Firemen’s, $7,500
• UNO, $7,500
• Valex, $10,000
• Xplore, $7,500
NCUA’s Office of Small Credit Union
Initiatives administers the Community
Development Revolving Loan Fund, which
provides grants and loans to credit unions
serving low-income communities. Since
2001, NCUA has received more than
$14.8 million from Congress for grants to
low-income credit unions.
Ouachita Valley FCU’s School
Supply Drive Going Eleven
Years Strong
Ouachita Valley FCU wrapped up their
11th annual School Supply Drive. This
year, the credit union helped over
600 kids in the local area who need
the financial assistance to get back to
school. Over the past 11 years, Ouachita
Valley has helped more than 5,000 kids.
Shreveport FCU Celebrates
Grand Opening of Vendors’
Market and Museum
The Delta Regional Mule Train Market
and Museum in Marks, MS opened
with a huge crowd of well-wishers
at the ribbon cutting ceremony. The
regional market offers opportunities to
sell and buy farmers’ fresh produce and
a variety of products sold by vendors.
More than 400 visitors attended the
grand opening events throughout the
weekend. The event provided live
entertainment, mule-drawn wagon
rides, movie for attendees, and a food
court with a menu of fried catfish,
BBQ, fresh fried green tomatoes,
hamburgers, a variety of sausages, and
much more. Shreveport FCU President/
CEO Helen Godfrey-Smith said, “We
are proud to have collaborated with
Quitman County, and regional leaders,
to bring this economic development
project to the Delta region.
CSE FCU Announces New
Additions to Staff
CSE FCU has
named Matthew
Koch as Chief
Financial Officer.
Matt comes to CSE
from a local credit
union in Shreveport
where he served
as Director of
Accounting. He brings with him a
Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance
from Louisiana Tech and a Masters of
Business Administration from LSUShreveport. Matt will join the senior
management team and will oversee all
aspects of the Accounting and Finance
Departments, as well as the ALM and
Investment functions of the credit
union. The position opened with the
retirement of CFO Joyce Davis after 15
years of dedicated service to CSE.
CSE FCU is pleased
to announce
its most recent
addition to
the Marketing
Department, Lori
Drumwright. As
the new Business
Development
Specialist, Mrs. Drumwright brings
an array of knowledge pertaining
to developing and expanding
meaningful business relationships
and opportunities in the SWLA area.
With numerous years of experience
in customer service, public relations,
and business development fields,
CSE is confident that she will extend
that hometown trust and confidence
to credit union members. Originally
from Oklahoma, Lori transferred to
Lake Charles in 2006 to complete her
education at McNeese State University.
membership@work | www.lcul.com
12
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
Jefferson Financial CU
Employees Transfer
Leadership Roles Within
MOBSA
The Metropolitan Orleans Bank Security
Association (MOBSA), an organization
founded in 1978 by local financial
institution security officers, serves to
facilitate communication between
financial institution security officers and
law enforcement, enhancing the ability
of financial institutions to protect against
robbery and fraud.
Kristin Morrison of Jefferson Financial
CU served as the Secretary of MOBSA
from 2009-2015, stepping down from
the position in May. Julie Carpenter,
Jefferson Financial CU’s Compliance
Officer, now serves as secretary of
MOBSA.
Xplore FCU Serves Up Food
for Camp Friendship
Employees of Xplore FCU provided
and cooked a meal at Paradise Manor
Community Club as part of Camp
Friendship. Camp Friendship is an
annual summer camp organized by
Spina Bifida of Greater New Orleans.
Once a year, kids affected with Spina
Bifida come to Camp Friendship to
swim, eat, and have a great time. For
the eighth consecutive year, Xplore
FCU spent the day cooking and serving
the kids and counselors at this event.
The menu this year featured spaghetti
with homemade meatballs, fresh baked
rolls, and root beer or coke floats. The
kids loved the meal, and the credit
union volunteers had a rewarding
experience.
Pelican State CU Gives Away
$4,000 in Free Groceries
To celebrate the opening of its new
Zachary branch, Pelican State Credit
Union gave away $4,000 in free groceries to shoppers in less than 2 hours!
The first 200 shoppers to visit LeBlanc’s
Frais Marché each received $20 in free
groceries. Pelican knows it’s important
to support local businesses and wanted
to partner with a family-owned grocery
store for this event in order to give back
to the community that has given so
much to the credit union. You did not
have to be a credit union member to
get free groceries and no purchase was
necessary. Pelican team members like
Accountant Nicole Rills and MyBranch
Member Service Manager Jon Sulfsed
bagged each shopper’s groceries in reusable shopping totes and carried bags
to their vehicles.
ANECA FCU Attends Opening
of Senator Bill Cassidy’s
Regional Office
ANECA Federal’s CEO, Stephanie
Sievers, attended Senator Bill Cassidy’s
ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate
the opening of his regional office in
Shreveport, LA. Sievers was at the
celebration representing ANECA
Federal as well as advocating for the
credit union movement.
membership
@work
Greg Inman Named 2015-16
Executive Committee Chair of
CUNA Council
Congratulations to
Greg Inman, SVP at
Neighbors FCU, on
being named executive committee
chair for the CUNA
Operations, Sales
and Service Council.
The council announced its 2015-2016
executive committee at its annual
conference, held September 27-30 in
Orlando, Florida.
Leininger Earns CU Development Educators Designation
Congratulations to
Shasta Leininger
with New Orleans
Firemen’s FCU for
becoming one of
forty-six Credit
Union Development
Educators (CUDEs) after being guided
by dedicated program facilitators and
mentors through the intensive Credit
Union Development Education (DE)
Training from the National Credit Union
Foundation (the Foundation). For this
class’ final case studies, participants
worked through and presented
solutions to critical issues that included
student loan debt, a small credit union
merger dilemma, board development
and recruiting including the debate
over compensation, micro-finance to
women in Africa, credit union solutions
to predatory lending, and engaging
millennials for growth.
For more information on CUNA-League
Membership, please contact Lacey
Hyer, LCUL’s VP of Communications and
Public Relations, at lhyer@lcul.com or
Jeff Carpenter, CUNA VP of Membership
Development at jcarpenter@cuna.coop
membership@work | www.lcul.com 13
3rd Quarter, 2015 Report
KEEPING
AMERICA STRONG
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products and services valued by credit unions and your members than CUNA Mutual Group.
So help ensure that these hard working citizens are safeguarded from the unexpected
with our lending suite of products. Talk with your Sales Executive today to see how you
and CUNA Mutual Group can help keep America strong.
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membership@work | www.lcul.com 14