Keeping you connected to key credit union news, events, and trends: October 18, 2017
In This Issue
Headline News

It's a Busy Week for Credit Unions! ICU Day, CU Lunch Local Celebrated
CU Lunch Local is officially underway!  As if having an excuse to dine at one of your favorite local restaurants isn't a good enough reason to participate, you'll also have the great feeling knowing that you're supporting a locally owned and operated business.
 
Participating is as simple as stopping at a locally owned business for your morning cup of coffee or ordering lunch in from your locally owned deli. Don't forget to submit your receipts to your team leader or Angela Melle, LCUL Strategic Services Manager.

Remember, small receipts add up to a big investment in our communities when we join together. 
 
CU Lunch Local is celebrated in honor of tomorrow's International Credit Union (ICU) Day.  ICU Day celebrates the spirit of the global credit union movement with the 2017 theme, "Dreams Thrive Here", which is intended to illustrate how credit unions serve as catalysts to make different professions, personal choices and career paths real. The day of festivities for credit unions and financial cooperatives globally include fundraisers, open houses, contests, picnics and parades.
 
To help you get the most out of ICU Day with it's theme, "Dreams Drive Here", CUNA, WOCCU, and LCUL have provided credit unions with resources and marketing ideas to help you celebrate. It's not too late to join in on the fun!

Please email your ICU Day initiatives, stories and pictures to LCUL so that we can include them in our coverage.

ICU Day over the years

A little something to share with your members:

Dreams Thrive Here - International Credit Union Day 2017
Dreams Thrive Here - International Credit Union Day 2017

LCUL Promoting the CU Difference All Week Long with Gas Station TV
LCUL has partnered with Gas Station TV (GSTV) and CU Solutions Group (CUSG) to support the great credit union story, increase awareness and engage new members.

This week, GSTV will often air a 20-second commercial that reminds millions of people that credit unions assist members in life's major financial decisions. The ad will include the URL for the asmarterchoice.org website, where potential members can find a credit union they are eligible to join.

The week-long promotion will be shown at 222 stations, delivering over 780K impressions! Click here to view the video ad.


Registration Now Open For 2018 Certified Counselor Program; Here From Your Peers Why it Matters
Have you considered becoming certified in the past few years, but always found a reason to put it off? Have you wondered just how the program will truly benefit you, your credit union and your members? 
 
Sometimes, all it takes is one team member to notice the signs of a member in need of direction to help them help themselves. 

"It is so much more than just completing a course. This program will help you learn how important it is to budget, and to prepare for insurance needs, get out of debt, and recognize the signs of someone who is in need of financial help. This is what the philosophy of People Helping People is all about."

 -Tiffany Murray of Total Choice FCU, Certified since 2014

This program helps credit unions to not only retain members but also engage those members more fully in all that your credit union has to offer and solidify that relationship. 
 
"Being a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor gives me the added confidence to speak with members and potential members about all aspects, products and services available to them."

-Todd Pereira, Xplore FCU, Certified since 2014
 
Credit unions who have successfully implemented the program have experienced a reduction in charge offs, repossessions and bankruptcies and an increase in loans,  paid off accounts and member loyalty.  
 
"It is very important for us to find ways to say YES to our members.
Being a Certified Financial Counselor provides another opportunity to say YES." 

- Glenda Rushe of St. Tammany FCU, Certified since 2013
 
Who should become a Certified Financial Counselor?

Anyone desiring to become one should have the opportunity to do so, but we especially recommend this program for Lending Staff, Collections Staff, Branch Managers, Trainers and Educators. 
 
Why should you become a Certified Financial Counselor?

"It is in that moment when looking at your member and they realize that financial independence is not just a dream, it is a reality. That is when you know success as a Financial Counselor."
- James Pulse, Coast Guard Emp. CU, Certified since 2013

To see the full program description and registration information, Click Here!
8 CU-Backed Bills Pass Out of House Committee
The House Financial Services Committee passed eight CU-supported regulatory relief bills in a markup on Thursday. CUNA wrote to committee leadership supporting the bills leading up to the markup.
 
"We thank the committee for passing these bipartisan regulatory relief bills that will help credit unions better serve their members," CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle said. "These bills are a step toward removing barriers keeping consumers from more affordable mortgages and other products. We're encouraged by the committee's action today, and will continue our engagement to get these bills to the House floor, the Senate, and across the finish line."
 
Click here for more information including a brief description of the bills.
ePay Resources, LCUL Hosts FBI Financial Instituion Crime Day
FBI In our commitment to assisting credit unions reduce loss through exposure to financial crimes, LCUL is proud to once again join ePay Resources (formerly SWACHA) in hosting our annual FBI/Financial Institution Crime Day Conference.

This conference is designed specifically for financial institution fraud as well as Fraud Investigators, Risk Managers, Senior Operations Officers and Compliance Officers.

Join us at Manning's Restaurant (519 Fulton St.) in New Orleans on Thursday, November 9 to hear both eye-opening as well as reassuring information as the discussion focuses on:
  • Financial Crime Overview: Current Schemes and Trends
  • Public Corruption-Former Mayor Ray Nagin
  • Using SAR Analysis in Financial Crime Cases
  • Human Trafficking Overview
  • Virtual Currency/Bitcoin
  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation- Bank Examination Overview

Please click here to complete your registration for this 1-day program. 

YPN

New Members Named in LCUL's YPN Steering Committee
The Young Professionals Network (YPN) Steering Committee is excited to announce the addition of two new Steering Committee members:
  • Kellie Brower serves First Pioneers FCU as Executive Vice President of Operations. She also serves as Secretary for the Lafayette Chapter of Credit Union. Kellie sees a primary need for young credit unions professionals to "have a good mentor when working your way up through a credit union".
  • Chad Miller supports the Credit Union movement as Chief Operations Officer at Southwest Louisiana Credit Union in Lake Charles. Chad looks forward to "educating young professionals about the opportunities that a credit union professional can have".
YPN was developed in 2011 to provide networking, development, and growth opportunities for Louisiana's young credit union professionals.

To learn more about the network, visit www.lcul.com. 
Chapter News

Join the West Orleans Chapter for a Think Pink Luncheon on October 25 at Ralphs on the Park
The West Orleans Chapter of the League is extending an invitation to their annual International Credit Union celebration on October 25 at Ralph's on the Park. At this time, the chapter will once again host their sweet auction benefiting the Susan G. Komen foundation.

This event has become a local favorite with attendees raising thousands of dollars each year for the worthy cause. To help raise even more this year, the chapter will have a special auctioneer joining the fun!
 
Details on the event:

Ralph's on the Park
Wednesday, October 25
Networking/Bidding 11:00 a.m.
Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $50/person

Please RSVP to Spence Lacroix at [email protected] by Monday, October 23. If you would like to donate to the sweet auction, contact Jodi Boudreaux at [email protected].  

Don't forget to wear your pink!

Have You Heard?

Neighbors Annual Clay Shoot Event Helps to Raise $18,862 for Mental Health Charity
The Neighbors Capital Area Foundation's "Clays For A Cause," event held September 15, helped to raise $18,862 for the Mental Health Association for Greater Baton Rouge. The Neighbors Capital Area Foundation is an initiative by Neighbors FCU to provide support for community service organizations our area.

The event held at the Bridgeview Gun Club in Port Allen raised $9,431 dollars, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by a grant from the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation.
Neighbors served complimentary breakfast and lunch, and a silent auction was open throughout the day. Items from the silent auction were donated by Cabela's, Bridgeview Gun Club, Spillway Sportsman and many others.

 "As everyone knows, mental health and substance abuse is an epidemic in our community," Neighbors president and CEO Steve Webb said. "The Mental Health Association of Greater Baton Rouge is a great organization in need of these funds, so we were glad to help out."

 Neighbors will host "Clays For A Cause, "at the Bridgeview Gun Club again on March 2, 2018. Proceeds for this event will go to the Neighbors Way Scholarship Program. This Scholarship program will help fund the education of local students.
EFCU Financial Ranked Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge 2017
EFCU Financial was recently named as one of the 2017 Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge.  In fact, EFCU Financial was the highest ranked financial institution at #4.

This year, there were a total of 33 honorees selected from a larger group of applicants.  The awards program is a project of the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, the Greater Baton Rouge Society for Human Resource Management, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Best Companies Group.
 
This survey and awards program was created in 2014 to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Baton Rouge, benefiting its economy, its workforce and businesses.

Companies from across the region entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge.  The first part consisted of evaluating each company's workplace policies, practices, and demographics.  This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. 

The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.  This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation.  The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings.  Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Baton Rouge and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.

Quote of the Week:
"The real job of a credit union is to prove, in modest measure, the practicality of the brotherhood of man."
-- Roy F. Bergengren
Educational Calendar
Upcoming Conferences & Seminars from your League:    

November 8-9: Underwriting & Collections: Understanding the Roles and the Importance of their Relationship
 
Upcoming Teleconferences & Webinars from your League

October 17: The Only Guide to Understanding Share Insurance You'll Ever Need
October 18: Beyond EMV: Trends in Payments & What It Means for CUs
October 19: Financial Literacy for Directors Part 2: How to Interpret Key Ratios & Financial Statements
October 24: All About 1099 Reporting Part 1: Forms 1099-A & 1099-C: Foreclosures, Repossessions & Debt Settlements
October 25: Risk Management Series: Establishing or Maturing Your Vendor Risk Management Program
October 26: BSA Compliance Series: Job-Specific BSA Training for the Frontline: CTRs, SARs, CIP & More
October 30: Preparing for the Impact of New Prepaid Card Rules Under Reg E
October 31: CECL Loss Estimation Methodologies
November 2: Cost-Effective Strategies to Enforce Creditor Rights in Consumer Bankruptcies
November 7: CFPB's TRID Amendments: Understanding the Clarifications & New Expectations
November 9: Regulation E Series: Auditing for Regulation E Compliance
November 13: HMDA-LAR Changes Part 1: Procedures & Tools for Capturing the New Data Fields
November 15: ACH Specialist Series: Federal Government ACH Payments: Reclamations & Garnishments
November 16: Director Series: Required Compliance for the Board & Senior Management
November 28: Avoiding Employee Job Misclassification Issues: Getting It Right!
November 29: OFAC Sanctions Compliance: Update, Expectations & Best Practices
November 30: Robbery Preparedness for All Staff
December 4: HMDA-LAR Changes Part 2: Completing New Fields with No Predefined Codes
December 5: Conducting a Collections Risk Assessment
December 6: BSA Compliance Series: Job-Specific BSA Compliance for Lender
December 7: New Security Officer Training: Responsibilities, Best Practices & Skill-Building Tools
December 11: Critical HMDA Issues for HELOC Applications & Coverage Changes for Commercial Lenders
December 12: All About 1099 Reporting Part 2: Forms 1099-INT & 1099-MISC
December 13: Risk Management Series: ACH Risk Management & Assessment: Risks, Controls & Ratings
December 14: Real Estate Series: Mortgage Loan Disclosure Timing Issues
December 19: The ALLL with TDRs & Foreclosed Assets
December 20: Preparation Plan for CDD Changes to Beneficial Ownership Rules
     
For a complete listing of educational opportunities available from LCUL, visit the League website and click on "Education".
  
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