Keeping you connected to key credit union news, events, and trends: October 3, 2018
In This Issue
Headline News

New! Annual CUDE Scholarship Now Offered to Louisiana's Young Professionals
Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training - Become a CUDE
CU Development Education (DE) Training - Become a CUDE
To foster and empower the aspiring young professionals in our industry here, the LCUL's Young Professionals Network (YPN) and Louisiana CU Foundation are pleased to announce that an annual scholarship has been established for one lucky individual to attend Credit Union Development Education Program (CUDE) training in Madison, WI. 

Working in partnership, the scholarship will be awarded each year to help reinforce, understand and value the differences in the credit union business model. Applications will be accepted between October 1 and November 30 each year for one of the four DE training events the following year. 

Applications for the 2019 DE Training are now being accepted.Click here for more information on LCUL's CUDE Scholarship. For more information on the CUDE program, visit the National Credit Union Foundation's website. 
LCUL Bringing Awareness to the Pumps with GSTV Campaign
LCUL announces a partnership with Gas Station TV and CU Solutions Group to highlight the credit union difference to consumers at the pump. Following last year's successful campaign, we will help support the great credit union mission, increase awareness, and engage new members by running commercials at GSTV stations in Louisiana from Friday, October 12, through Thursday, October 18, 2018.

The week-long promotion will be shown at 238 gas stations and be seen by over 476,000 people! See a video here.
 
GSTV is always affordable and convenient, so please remember this wonderful advertising opportunity after International Credit Union Day. Your credit union can use this unique advertising channel to enhance your current marketing efforts. Plus, enjoy a 30 percent reduced, preferred partner rate exclusively for credit unions from GSTV all year long.
 
To learn more about the International Credit Union Day campaign, or the benefits of promoting your own credit union on Gas Station TV, we invite you to attend a brief webinar. Upcoming available times are:
 
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 1 p.m. - Click here to register
 
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 3 p.m. - Click here to register
Final Reminder: Don't Miss the Opportunity to Share Your Story
LCUL distributed a statewide financial literacy survey for Louisiana credit unions, strongly encouraging participation. Collecting this information will allow us to show legislators and community leaders the extent to which credit unions advance financial literacy and decision-making. Survey responses will be a sustainable source of data and statistics that will provide us with fuel for public awareness, advocacy, and related outreach efforts.
 
It is vital that we have strong participation in this survey, which is broken down into three separate parts: adult/youth financial literacy initiatives and serving the underbanked. Please have a credit union representative complete this survey by end of day today.
 
Email  Lacey Weaver, Senior VP of Member Engagement, for survey access.
Giving Back to Local Businesses Has Never Been So Easy; Get Your CU Involved
Highlights from CU Lunch Local 2017
Highlights from CU Lunch Local 2017
Let's work together to increase CU awareness and give back to local businesses by participating in our 7th Annual CU Lunch Local event during the week of October 15-19.
 
LCUL provides everything you need to get in on the action. All we need is your participation (which is super easy). O nce again, we will be rewarding credit unions for their participation by asset size so don't forget to submit your totals.
 
Ready to be a part of something special? Sign up and get your participation packet today! Click here for more information on the initiative.

Professional Development

Professional Development: Your Questions Answered!
LCUL exists to make your life easier. With that in mind, what are some training questions you wish someone would answer for you?
  • How can I help my membership to grow and Increase awareness of our brand all the while building new relationships with potential members?  Look no further, Click Here
  • How do we reduce our bottom line losses in situations where our members are facing bankruptcy? Click Here for solutions
  • I understand that the ratios show our profitability and efficiency but are our numbers in line with the industry standards?  Are they supposed to go up or down?   Want to hear it in plain English?  Click Here!
  • The basics of IRAs makes sense to me, but I wish someone would just update me on any changes and answer some of those tricky questions. Click Here!
LCUL always has your training needs covered.  If you don't see an live-in person training above that best suits your needs, one of our 125+ live and archived webinars is likely the match you are looking for!  If you still have questions, contact [email protected]

News from CUNA Mutual

September 2018 CU Trends Report Now Available
CUNA Mutual Group's CU Trends Report for September 2018 is now available online and can be accessed in the CU Products & Services section of our website, under the heading Research & Information.

During July, credit unions picked up 506,000 in new memberships and loan balances grew at a 10.2% seasonally adjusted annualized rate, while savings balances grew 5.4%.
 
Additional highlights of this month's report include:
 
  • Firms hired 147,000 workers, nominal consumer spending increased a moderate 0.4% and long-term interest rates fell 2 basis points. Second quarter economic growth was revised up to 4.2% from 4.1% - much better than the 2.2% in Q1.
  • At the end of July, CUNA's monthly estimates reported 5,697 CUs in operation, down 17 CUs from one month earlier. Year-over-year, the number of credit unions declined by 220, more than the 207 lost in the 12 months ending in July 2017.
  • Total credit union assets fell 0.6% in July due to credit unions losing 0.8% in deposits, but made up for this with a 7% surge in borrowings. Assets rose 6.1% during the past year due to a 5.4% increase in deposits, a 29% increase in borrowings and a 6.4% increase in capital.
  • The nation's credit unions increased their loan portfolios by 1.1% in July, more than the 1% pace reported in July 2017 and 10.2% during the last 12 months. July is historically the third fastest loan growth month due to two seasonal factors: car purchases and vacation spending.
  • Credit union memberships rose a robust 0.44% in July, above the 0.33% gain reported in July 2017. Memberships are up 4.2% over the past year, the fastest in over a generation, due to rapid job creation and strong demand for new/used auto loans and real estate loans.
  • Credit union loan delinquency rates fell to 0.63% in July, down from 0.76% one year earlier, due to a stronger economy and double digit loan growth. As the labor market approaches full employment and the unemployment rate falls to 3.5% in 2019, we expect the loan delinquency rate to remain in the 0.6 to 0.75% range for next 12 months.
 
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 League, please contact Danielle Thibodeaux at (800) 452-7221, ext. 3018.
Products & Services

JMFA: Want to Deliver Excellent Service? Offer an Excellent Service!
jmfa Ever wonder why account holders don't use the services you offer to help them make informed financial decisions? Maybe it's because they don't understand the complexities of how a program works or they become frustrated by ever-changing rules. Learn how to avoid account holder confusion and create a more satisfying service experience for everyone. 

Click here to continue reading.
Have you Heard?

Bizot and Riedl Named 2019 CU Rockstars
Congratulations to Louisiana's own Katie Bizot with Neighbors FCU and Melanie Riedl with University of Louisiana FCU who were recently recognized as winners of this year's Credit Union Rock Star awards!

Recognized annually by CUNA's Credit Union Magazine, Credit Union Rock Stars are nominated by their peers and selected by the magazine's editorial board. The winners will be featured in the October issue of Credit Union Magazine, sponsored by Fiserv.

Click here to see a full list of the 2018 winners. Congratulations again to Katie, Melanie, and all of this year's winners.
 
Baton Rouge Mayor Declares October 8 Neighbors Day
On Monday, October 8 Neighbors FCU's staff will take a day off to volunteer with 13 charity organizations and schools throughout the Greater Baton Rouge Area. Around 260 Neighbors employees will contribute more than 1000 hours of labor. In honor of their services to the community, Baton Rouge Mayor President Sharon Weston Broome has declared the day Neighbors Day.

This will be the second annual Neighbors Day. Neighbors Day was established after The Great Flood of 2016. Neighbors' staff went out into the community to support their neighbors in need and their service left a lasting impression. Neighbors decided to follow through and make an annual day of service in the community a new tradition for the credit union.

"Neighbors Day was an idea that was planned to begin in 2016," Neighbors CEO and President Steve Webb said. "Unfortunately our community was ravaged by the Great Flood, so we encouraged our employees that did not sustain damage to assist their family, friends and neighbors during this difficult time."
ASI FCU Hosts Second Annual Back to School Fundraiser to Help Four Area Schools
ASI FCU donated $4,000 to local schools following its Back to School Fundraising Drive. Members and community partners purchased decals to support local schools in need of classroom supplies and funding for school projects. Four schools were given $1,000 each - an increase from last year's donation of $700 dollars.

"ASI is committed to investing in the financial health of the communities we serve. The need is real, and all schools were very appreciative of the donation," stated Shasta Leininger, Relationship Development Officer for ASI.
 
Marissa Allweiss, Director of Development for Lafayette Academy Charter School stated, "Lafayette Academy, a Choice Foundation school, is extremely grateful for the generous contribution ASI Federal Credit Union has bestowed upon our school. This donation will enable us to purchase technology tools that will increase student access and engagement, support coursework, and build vital 21st century skills. We are so thrilled to have a partnership with ASI and truly appreciate their support."
CSE FCU's Matt 
Koch Joins Real Men Wear Pink Campaign
CSE FCU is proud to announce that Matt Koch, chief financial officer, has stepped up to fight breast cancer with the American Cancer Society (ACS) through participation in the Real Men Wear Pink of Southwest Louisiana fundraising campaign.
 
"All of our Real Men are leaders in Southwest Louisiana;" said Sara Corbello, community development manager with ACS. "They have recognized that this is their opportunity to raise awareness for a cause that affects both men and women. They also realize that they have a chance to make a greater impact by coming together to help find a cure for cancer."
 
As part of this distinguished group of community leaders, Koch has accepted the challenge to raise $2,500. Funds raised help the ACS save lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, innovative breast cancer research and patient support.
 
CSE will support Koch in his fundraising endeavors throughout October with a variety of initiatives. Follow CSE on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest updates.

Quote of the Week:
"No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you're playing a solo game, you'll always lose out to a team."
- Reid Hoffman

Educational Calendar
Upcoming Conferences & Seminars from your League:

October 10-11: Marketing & Business Development Conference
November 7: Understanding Key Ratios
November 13: IRA Update

Upcoming Teleconferences & Webinars from your League:

October 4: The Fair Labor Standards Act: Dos & Don'ts of Exempt & Nonexempt Pay Issues
October 9: Cyber Threats: Prevention, Detection & Response
October 10: Mortgage Lender Training Part 2
October 11: Opening Accounts for Nonresident Aliens
October 16: IRA Conversions, Recharacterizations & Excess Contributions
October 17: Payment Systems Rules & Regulations for ACH, Cards, Wires & Checks
October 18: Understanding Title Insurance Policies, Commitments & ALTA Endorsements
October 24: Identifying Red Flags in Board Reports
October 25: Best Practices for a Successful Internal Audit
October 30: Analyzing Common TRID Compliance Violations
October 31: Job-Specific Compliance Training for Deposit Operations

For a complete listing of educational opportunities available from LCUL, visit the League website and click on "Education".
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