Headline News

Louisiana CUs Travels to D.C. to for Premier Advocacy Event; Photos Now Available
LCUL President/CEO Anne Cochran with Rep. Ralph Abraham
The nation's premier credit union event, the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, was held in Washington D.C, Feb. 26-March 2. More than 80 Louisiana advocates took to the Hill to visit with nearly every Congressional Representative from our state to discuss pressing issues such as credit union tax status and regulatory burden. These visits play a vital role in the advocacy strategies of the League and CUNA, escpeically with the number of new faces in Louisiana's delegation.

"From the political engagement during Hill visits to the networking in the League's hospitality suite, I feel like this was a success all around. Those in attendance represented Louisiana exceptionally well. Our peers back home should be extremely proud. I was particularly pleased to the newest members in our delegation have an understanding of the movement. We look forward to building on this momentum as we prepare to reach out to credit unions for additional visits," commented Anne Cochran, LCUL President/CEO.

Make sure you check out the photo gallery on our website or the League's  facebook page ! Please use this opportunity to share your experience with your members by using the photos in your own publications.

Louisiana advocates take a group photo with Rep. Clay Higgins, who we discovered was a member of Pelican State CU

Deadline to Register for YPN Workshop/Reverse CRASH Fast Approaching!


LCUL's 6th Annual Young Professionals Workshop is being held on Friday, March 24 & Saturday, March 25 in Alexandria. This year, we are going back to basics at our workshop, designed to compel young professionals to get involved in the movement, connect them with other young professionals, and encourage collaboration that will create long-term success for our movement.

Click here for more information.

First Ever Reverse CRASH Taking Place

The reverse crash program will be open to all "seasoned" credit union employees and volunteers that are 41 and older. The YPN Committee will choose 5 to 7 reverse crashers to attend the YPN Workshop. Do you think anyone at your credit union has what it takes to be a reverse crasher?  Let them know about this opportunity!

Click here for more information! 
Just for Fun:  3 Things Your Workplace Does That Millennials Hate


The conversation about  millennials in the workplace continues to dominate how business leaders plan for growth and optimize the employee experience. This connected, tech-savvy and entrepreneurial generation today makes up more than  30 percent of American workers.

And millennial leaders are already shaking up workplace dynamics by  eliminating some typical practices  that hinder their communication and workstyle preferences.

While many experts tout what millennials want in an employer, the real challenge for some companies is understanding what they don't want and modifying the workplace and traditional policies in order to best attract them.

Here are three things about traditional workplaces that might turn off younger candidates and what you can do to make your company more  attractive to the millennial generation .
News from CUNA Mutual

February 2017 CU Trends Report Now Available
CUNA Mutual Group's Credit Union Trends Report for February 201 7 is now available online and can be accessed in the Compliance & Research section of our website, under the heading Research & Information.

During December, credit unions picked-up 485,000 in new memberships, loan and savings balances grew at an 11.1% and 10.2% seasonally-adjusted annualized pace, respectively. Firms hired 157,000 workers, nominal consumer spending increased 0.2%, and long-term interest rates increased 35 basis points. The economy grew 1.9% in the fourth quarter and 1.9% over the last year.
 
Additional highlights of this month's report include:
 
  • At the end of December. CUNA's monthly estimates reported 5,996 CUs in operation, 32 fewer than one month earlier. Year-over-year, the number of credit unions declined by 240, less than the 277 lost in the 12 months ending in December 2015.
  • Total credit union assets rose 0.4% in December, below the 0.8% rise reported in December of 2015. Assets rose 7.3% during the past year due to a 7.7% increase in deposits, a 6.0% decline in borrowings, and a 6.9% increase in capital.
  • The nation's credit unions increased their loan portfolios by 1.0% in December, more than the 0.9% pace reported in December 2015. Loan balances are up 10.9% during the last 12 months. With loan balances growing faster than assets during the last year, the credit union average loan-to-asset ratio reached 67.8%, up from 65.6% in December 2015.
  • Credit union memberships rose 0.44% in December, up from the 0.18% gain reported in December 2015. Memberships are up 4.5% during the past year due to robust demand for credit, solid job growth and comparatively lower fees and loan interest rates.
  • Credit union loan delinquency rates fell to 0.80% in December; down from 0.81% one year earlier due to fast loan growth. The credit union capital-to-asset ratio fell to 10.6% in December, down from 10.7% in December 2015, and slightly below the community banks' core capital ratio of 10.7%.
 
For more information, view the complete report here. If you have problems accessing the information or have additional questions about the research and information services provided by the Louisiana Credit Union League, please contact Danielle Thibodeaux at (800) 452-7221, ext. 3018 or research@lcul.com.

Have You Heard?

Jefferson Financial CU Participates in Pedal with a Purpose to Benefit Youth Empowerment Project
Jefferson Financial will be supporting and participating in the Pedal with Purpose event benefiting the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)!

Pedal with Purpose is a community street fair with music food and drink. The main attraction of the event is a series of pedicab races among companies who are sponsoring YEP. The companies will be racing for the GOLD against each other to raise money for YEP and for bragging rights against their competitors. The Youth Empowerment Project engages underserved young people through community-based education, mentoring and employment readiness programs to help them develop skills and strengthen ties to family and community.

On March 26, Pedicab Racers will start at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and race to St. Andrew Street and then their teammates will race back to the finish line. Additional details can found on the website: http://www.youthempowermentproject.org/pedalwithpurpose/

For anyone or any group that is interested in donating, they can visit https://www.crowdrise.com/pedal-with-purpose/fundraiser/jeffersonfinancial to donate as part of the JFFCU team.
La Capitol FCU Relocates Westbank Branch
La Capitol FCU has relocated its West Bank branch to 2044 Manhattan Blvd, Harvey, LA. The new building offers the latest in banking technology, as well as a number of design improvements that provide an outstanding member experience in a friendly and comfortable setting. Among the features offered at the new location are multiple drive-thru lanes, 24-hour ATM, ample parking, and new Saturday hours.
 
"This new branch shows La Capitol's continued commitment to the West Bank community," said La Cap President and CEO Michael Hooper. "We look forward to growing with the community, and continuing to provide affordable financial services to members."

Quote of the Week:
"We live in a society obsessed with public opinion. But leadership has never been about popularity."
- Marco Rubio


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Educational Calendar
Upcoming Conferences & Seminars from your League:    

March 24-25: YPN Workshop
April 26: BSA Officer Training 
 
Upcoming Teleconferences & Webinars from your League

March 9: How to Audit Deposit Operations for Reg CC & D Compliance
March 14: Fair Lending Risks in Third-Party Relationships
March 15: Flood Compliance in Lending Part 2: Post Loan Closing
March 16: Regulation E Series: Regulation E Requirements for Debit Card Error Resolution: Processing, Disclosure & Investigation
March 22: Securing Collateral Part 1: Form UCC-1, Initial Filing & Perfection of Security Interests
March 28: Director Series: The Board Evaluation Process: Steps, Tools & More
March 29: 20 Common Collection Pitfalls
March 30: ACH Specialist Series: ACH Rules Update 2017 
     
For a complete listing of educational opportunities available from LCUL, visit the League website and click on "Education".