Product Spotlights
Advanced Fraud Solutions, NCCUL's Newest CUSO, Protects Your Credit Union from Check and Plastic Card Fraud
New! Advanced Fraud Solutions Featured by the Credit Union Times! Click here to read the story.
New businesses can often take years to develop and find a niche. In the case of Advanced Fraud Solutions (AFS), the new Credit Union Service Organization owned and operated by the NC Credit Union League, success is coming early on – and that’s great news for the company’s growing list of credit union end-users.
AFS is a company that provides plastic card and counterfeit check fraud detection programs. These software programs and consulting services are designed to catch fraud on the front-lines, saving financial institutions both money and time.
The company has two fraud detection programs available, one for plastic card transactions and the other for counterfeit checks. While both solutions have been hits with customers, the check fraud solution, called TrueChecks™, has gotten the most attention. "The credit unions that have invested in TrueChecks™ are seeing immediate results. We specialize in a front-line defense against counterfeiters that fills a big gap," noted Lawrence Reaves, AFS VP of sales and marketing.
Better yet, TrueChecks™ prevents huge losses from counterfeit check fraud without costing a lot to purchase and maintain. "Credit unions of all sizes can easily integrate TrueChecks™," said Reaves.
In addition to TrueChecks™, AFS offers TrueCards™ , a plastic card fraud detection program that allows credit unions to independently locate the common point of compromise prior to CAMS alerts. "These tools have been designed to give the credit union a proactive approach to stopping fraud," noted NCCUL EVP/COO & AFS Chairman Eric Gelly.
AFS also has a fraud prevention consulting arm lead by Adams. "Dean has a proven track record with fraud prevention that credit unions will benefit from," noted Gelly. Adams joined AFS from Allegacy Federal Credit Union, where he served as safety and security officer. He won the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators’ Rick Brady Award as the Financial Investigator of the Year in 2006 (story).
"It’s a company we’re very excited about, and we are looking forward to sharing it with financial institutions throughout the country," said Gelly.
For more information, please go to the AFS web site, http://www.advancedfraudsolutions.com/, or contact Lawrence Reaves, at 336-217-4807.
Co-operative Payroll Solutions Helps You Save Time & Money
Payroll processing, tax payment tracking, and HR management are key aspects of your business. They also can prove to be time consuming, complex, costly and overwhelming. For these reasons – and many others – more and more companies are outsourcing these tasks to specialists. We can help you, by providing professional, secure payroll processing services and HR management services to help your business save time and money and avoid potential liabilities. Co-operative Payroll Solutions is committed to providing superior service, state-of-the-art technology, dependable security and competitive pricing. Allow us to provide a complimentary, no-obligation analysis of your payroll requirements and systems to determine if Co-operative can provide a better solution for you.
For additional information please contact Richard Ford @ 800.822.8859 ext. 3224.
Branch Capture Increases Efficiencies & Decreases Expenses
Are you in search of a method to increase efficiency and decrease your credit union’s expenses, levels of fraud, and errors? Palmetto Cooperative Services, Inc has partnered with a group of companies to present credit unions a turn key solution. Branch Capture is a method of processing checks that a credit union receives from their members’ deposits. Items are digitally captured at a credit union’s branch and are sent via the Internet in the form of an electronic cash letter for presentment. As a result the credit union:
- Avoids the risk of checks being lost during transport;
- Eliminates courier and/or bank fees;
- Increases productivity because the staff does not have to utilize additional time and money encoding checks;
- Takes advantage of the relationships already established with major players in the image-exchange industry;
- Processes returns much quicker;
- Gains access to deposited funds at less than half the time thus decreasing float time.
Remember, the Federal Reserve will discontinue its encoding services in the near future and is increasing their charges they pass along to financial institutions to process paper checks!
If you would like additional information please contact Richard Ford at (800) 822.8859 ext. 3224.
Barclays Gives CenterOne High Marks for Repossession, Remarketing Services
The research department of Barclays Capital recently reviewed the operations of CenterOne. The Florida-based CenterOne, whose parent company JM Family Enterprises, Inc. is ranked by Forbes as one of the largest privately-held companies in the US, provides vehicle repossession and remarketing services.
CenterOne's services are available to NCCUL affiliates. Contact Richard Ford at (800) 822-8859, ext. 3224 for more information on this product.
To read the independent research conducted by Barclays, please click here.
Take Your Card Program to the Next Level: Reward Your Best Cardholders with the Prestige of Platinum!
Take advantage of an innovative platinum card offering designed to compete head to head with the large national issuers and appeal to affluent credit union members. Developed in conjunction with Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS), formerly Certegy, Platinum Preferred takes the traditional prestige card to a higher level of premium service. Platinum cards are recognized by consumers as a step up from standard/classic and gold cards. Now credit unions have the opportunity to reward their best cardholders with a competitive and affordable platinum card program exclusively for CSCU members.
State of the Industry
Platinum appeals to an affluent market segment with exceptional profit potential. Affluent cardholders tend to use their cards more often and on higher ticket items which increases the propensity to revolve larger balances.
The Enhanced Platinum Offer
Platinum Preferred allows you to recognize your members’ financial standing and credit worthiness with meaningful rewards that are not available with ordinary classic or standard credit cards. Based on a recent survey of CSCU credit unions as well as a competitive market analysis, FIS and CSCU tailored the core platinum product to include four additional added value benefits. The result is an enriched offer comparable to any national issuer at a very affordable price.
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Premium Customer Service - 800# to dedicated customer service department open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, fee reversals and change of address capabilities
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Enriched ScoreCard Loyalty Program with bonus points redeemable for travel and gift rewards or cash back rebates
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$1,000,000 Travel Accident Insurance
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Concierge Service - 800# to restaurants, shows, limousine, hotel reservations
FIS is offering these exceptional benefits at an extremely reduced price:
Attractive Card Design - As a CSCU member, you can further reduce your platinum plastic costs by ordering the CSCU Platinum Preferred card design with your credit union’s name imprinted on the front. The upscale appearance of the card will certainly distinguish it from all the others in your members’ wallets and save your credit union up to $1.00 per card.
Marketing Support/Implementation - We want to make the launch of your new platinum program as simple as possible. Once your separate platinum BIN has been assigned, your cardholders will receive an introductory statement insert and five supplemental inserts throughout the year which describe the features and benefits of their platinum card. In addition, they will receive insurance certificates as well as a premium customer service number and ScoreCard messages printed on their statement.
Your FIS rep will walk you through each step of the implementation process and your platinum program can be up and running in about 90 days. Please call today for more information.
Give Your Members the Convenience of Gift Cards
Accenture, an international business consulting firm, recently surveyed 500 consumers and found some surprising statistics about the use of gift cards. The survey found that more than 82% of the consumers surveyed said they had given or received a gift card this past holiday season (Credit Union Times Online 2/2/06).
It's estimated that consumers in all spent a whopping $18-billion purchasing gift cards during the same period.
Are you offering VISA gift cards? If not, then isn’t it time you did? The League's CUSC offers a simple solution that your members will love.
Gift cards are a great gift giving option for holidays, birthdays, weddings or any special occasion. It’s much safer than sending cash, more versatile than a gift certificate and, it strengthens existing relationships with your members.
Candace Smith of Freedom FCU has been pleased with the gift card program. She said that it was “very simple to get started and the ease of use for the members as well as the credit union staff,” was a big selling point. She also noted that their members “appreciate having the convenience of a Visa gift card,” since it can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.
Donna Beringer of Carolina FCU had similar comments about the program and how easy it was to get started. She said their members “loved the concept of giving a gift card that could be used virtually anywhere,” instead of being limited to a particular store. She added that “the flexibility was a big selling point,” and noted that the credit union's allotment of cards quickly sold out.
As the holidays recently showed, there are billions of reasons to consider adding gift cards to your credit union's product offerings. Your members can use gift cards all year long for their gift giving needs. It's also easy to get started, and a gift card program can be custom-designed to meet the needs of your credit union.
Isn’t it time your credit union offered the convenience of prepaid gift cards?
Call 800-822-8859 and contact Richard Ford, ext. 3224 to get started today.
Product Listings
More and more credit unions are choosing to use services sponsored by the North Carolina Credit Union League's wholly-owned subsidiary, Credit Union Service Corporation (CUSC). They join a growing number of credit union executives who know that credit unions' combined strength in numbers equals higher quality and lower prices. More importantly, the money they save stays at their credit union, and the dollars they spend on products and services provided by CUSC, CUNA Mutual Group and CUNA Strategic Services stay within the credit union system.
Working together with our partners throughout the credit union system, CUSC negotiates volume discounts for our service users and enforces the highest standards of member service and operation. When you use a service provided by CUSC - you use the best!
Here are the services currently available through CUSC. Please choose options within the menu below to jump to that product/service on this page.
Advanced Fraud Solutions
New businesses can often take years to develop and find a niche. In the case of Advanced Fraud Solutions (AFS), the new Credit Union Service Organization owned and operated by the NC Credit Union League, success is coming early on – and that’s great news for the company’s growing list of credit union end-users.
AFS is a company that provides plastic card and counterfeit check fraud detection programs. These software programs and consulting services are designed to catch fraud on the front-lines, saving financial institutions both money and time.
The company has two fraud detection programs available, one for plastic card transactions and the other for counterfeit checks. While both solutions have been hits with customers, the check fraud solution, called TrueChecks™, has gotten the most attention. "The credit unions that have invested in TrueChecks™ are seeing immediate results. We specialize in a front-line defense against counterfeiters that fills a big gap," noted Lawrence Reaves, AFS VP of sales and marketing.
Better yet, TrueChecks™ prevents huge losses from counterfeit check fraud without costing a lot to purchase and maintain. "Credit unions of all sizes can easily integrate TrueChecks™," said Reaves.
In addition to TrueChecks™, AFS offers TrueCards™ , a plastic card fraud detection program that allows credit unions to independently locate the common point of compromise prior to CAMS alerts. "These tools have been designed to give the credit union a proactive approach to stopping fraud," noted NCCUL EVP/COO & AFS Chairman Eric Gelly.
AFS also has a fraud prevention consulting arm lead by Adams. "Dean has a proven track record with fraud prevention that credit unions will benefit from," noted Gelly. Adams joined AFS from Allegacy Federal Credit Union, where he served as safety and security officer. He won the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators’ Rick Brady Award as the Financial Investigator of the Year in 2006 (story).
"It’s a company we’re very excited about, and we are looking forward to sharing it with financial institutions throughout the country," said Gelly.
For more information, please go to the AFS web site, http://www.advancedfraudsolutions.com/, or contact Lawrence Reaves, at 336-217-4807.
Co-operative Payroll Solutions Helps You Save Time & Money
Payroll processing, tax payment tracking, and HR management are key aspects of your business. They also can prove to be time consuming, complex, costly and overwhelming. For these reasons – and many others – more and more companies are outsourcing these tasks to specialists. We can help you, by providing professional, secure payroll processing services and HR management services to help your business save time and money and avoid potential liabilities. Co-operative Payroll Solutions is committed to providing superior service, state-of-the-art technology, dependable security and competitive pricing. Allow us to provide a complimentary, no-obligation analysis of your payroll requirements and systems to determine if Co-operative can provide a better solution for you.
For additional information please contact Richard Ford @ 800.822.8859 ext. 3224
Audit Services
A CUSC audit encompasses a detailed examination of your credit union's financial operations, including regulatory compliance and internal controls. The CUSC Audit Report is designed to meet or exceed requirements of state and federal agencies, as well as CUMIS. A confidential report of conclusions and recommendations is delivered to the Supervisory Committee after the audit is completed. Upon request, CUSC can arrange for a CPA Opinion, working only with those CPA firms with credit union experience.
New at CUSC's Audit Department is Corporate Statement Reconciliation. Whether you are off $.01 or $10,000, your credit union's account is still out of balance and the error has to be located and corrected. After all, this is your credit union's money. Our technical assistance specialist will provide technical assistance and research to your credit union with reconciling your First Carolina Corporate Credit Union account to your general ledger. For more information, contact Patty English, AVP Audit Services. Available services include:
- Comprehensive Annual Audit
- Member Account Verification
- Customized Internal Audit
- Technical Assistance
- Certified Opinion Audit
- Specialized Audit
- Corporate Statement Reconciliations
ATM/Debit/Credit Card Services
www.certegy.com/index.html
www.iculsc.com/services/
CUSC offers complete turnkey operational support enabling credit unions to offer their own Visa and/or MasterCard card programs. Both credit and debit card programs are available in programs designed to meet the needs of credit unions of all sizes. CUSC's Card Services also provides full-service marketing support to help increase your credit card business including brochures/applications, direct mail programs, statement inserts and point-of-sale materials.
Our card processors, Certegy and ICUL Service Corporation, provide the following services (based upon the program your credit union offers):
- Handle member service phone calls
- Dispute processing
- Payment acceptance
- Report distribution
- Accounting services
- Individualized credit union servicing
Branch Capture
Are you in search of a method to increase efficiency and decrease your credit union’s expenses, levels of fraud, and errors? Palmetto Cooperative Services, Inc has partnered with a group of companies to present credit unions a turn key solution. Branch Capture is a method of processing checks that a credit union receives from their members’ deposits. Items are digitally captured at a credit union’s branch and are sent via the Internet in the form of an electronic cash letter for presentment. As a result the credit union:
- Avoids the risk of checks being lost during transport;
- Eliminates courier and/or bank fees;
- Increases productivity because the staff does not have to utilize additional time and money encoding checks;
- Takes advantage of the relationships already established with major players in the image-exchange industry;
- Processes returns much quicker;
- Gains access to deposited funds at less than half the time thus decreasing float time.
Remember, the Federal Reserve will discontinue its encoding services in the near future and is increasing their charges they pass along to financial institutions to process paper checks!
If you would like additional information please contact Richard Ford at (800) 822.8859 ext. 3224.
Compliance & Regulatory Services
We provide assistance to member credit unions in the Compliance & Regulatory arena on a daily basis. Compliance services include: federal and state interaction with regulators, compliance training, regulatory updates and publications and assisting groups interested in forming a new credit union. For more information, e-mail compliance@ncleague.org.
Deluxe
www.deluxe.com
Deluxe's MemberPlus program is designed to help credit unions serve their members better, operate more efficiently and manage their risk. Credit unions can offer their members Deluxe's entire line of the Most Popular Checks in the World. Members have several convenient check ordering options available through the mail, via telephone and the Internet. Deluxe's SecureMail service provides protection against fraud during the check order and fulfillment process. For more information, contact Richard Ford.
IRA Program
www.cunamutual.com/cmg/freeFormDetail/0,1248,9129,00.html
Every credit union has a different need for IRA program support. CUNA Service Group provides all the support your credit union needs for traditional, Roth and Education IRAs. Also available are the Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Program and the Money Market Index Plan. CMG will take care of your back-office administration, from the initial paperwork through the benefit distribution.
Services include:
- Unlimited access to technical expertise through a toll-free hotline
- An IRA operations manual
- Free operating forms for all IRAs
- Software that lets you complete and print IRA forms from your PC
- Death benefit claims process
- Complete the federal tax statements
- Submit proper statements to government agencies, IRA owners and beneficiaries
- Notifying IRA owners of distribution rules, calculating required minimum distributions and payout schedules
- Monthly IRA Update newsletter
- Nationwide IRA training and legislative updates
- Member marketing materials.
Love My Credit Union
Lovemycreditunion.org was created in 2005 as a call to action in support of the CU Difference campaign. The campaign and Web site are a statewide effort by Michigan credit unions and the Michigan Credit Union League to create public awareness of the credit union industry.
We redesigned and launched a new look and theme for lovemycreditunion.org in early 2009. The new theme, Love + Trust = My Credit Union, illustrates how credit unions are built on a foundation of trust and can make a real and meaningful impact on the lives of their members. That impact is best told through the voices of members, their personal stories and why they "love" their credit unions. This look and theme are also carried over into our current CU Difference media campaign on radio and television. Read more about the CU Difference campaign here.
In further support of our credit unions and their members, the Invest in America program was established at the end of 2008. Thanks to our partnerships, credit union members can receive terrific discounts on a new car and discounts on wireless services. Get the details on Invest in America here.
Member Statement Printing
www.palmettocoop.com/statement/statementpr.htm
Providing quality services to members is the overall objective of any credit union, but making and keeping services affordable is often a challenge. Due to our expanded relationship with the South Carolina Credit Union League's Palmetto Cooperative Services, Inc., credit unions can contract through CUSC to have their members' account statements laser printed. Now all facets of statement printing can be done under one roof, including statement-printing, insertion and mailing functions.
Options include:
- Monthly or quarterly printing
- Standard or customized forms
- Postal discounts
- Insertion and other mail functions
- 48- to 72-hour turnaround
For more information, contact Richard Ford.
Notices
Using a pressure-sealed notice production system, your credit union can send high-quality reminders to your members on a daily basis. At only $0.495 -- including postage -- each notice form can be customized to meet your needs. The message area is 5.5" x 5.75" and is shaded in light gray. Whether you're sending notices for NSF, late payments, share certificate renewals or other routine communications, this format can fit the bill. For more information, contact Richard Ford.
E-Statements
www.palmettocoop.com/sharedrafts/e-statement.htm
We can provide an interface to your e-statement provider, allowing access to images of cleared checks via the members' e-Statements. SPECIAL OFFER! If you use Palmetto Cooperative Services, Inc. as both your share draft processor and your statement processor, we will provide e-statements at no additional cost.
Marketing Services
In a world where everything begins to look the same, the dynamic designs of the CUSC Marketing Department can help your credit union stand apart from the crowd. Whether it is a quarterly newsletter, statement stuffer or complete promotional campaign, CUSC's Marketing Department can help you with new innovative designs and concepts.
We can produce the most basic one-color brochure to the splash and dazzle of a four-color promotional piece. No job is too big or too small - we have the resources to meet your needs and the price to fit your budget.
Services include:
- Newsletters
- Logo Design
- Stationery, including Business Cards & Specialty Items
- Brochures
- Posters, Banners, Certificates, Charts and Graphs
- Statement Stuffers
- Annual Reports
- Product Marketing Campaigns/Merchandising Design
- Camera-Ready Artwork
- Marketing Retainer Service
For more information, contact Cathy Killebrew
MEMBER'S CHOICE® Mechanical Repair Coverage
www.cunamutual.com/cmg/freeFormDetail/0,1248,1376,00.html
This high performance program is engineered to provide your members with unmatched extended warranty protection for costly automotive repairs, while generating increased income and loan activity for your credit union's vehicle financing program. For more information, contact Richard Ford.
Standard features for the members include:
- Excellent repair coverage
- Cost savings over dealer contracts
- Choice of licensed repair facilities
- Fast claims service that pays the repair facility directly eliminating reimbursement for your member.
Member Surveys
In order to remain competitive in today's financial market, your credit union must remain competitive in the products and services it offers to its members. But how do you know which products and services your member wants or is even interested in? Simple, just ask!
CUSC can develop a survey expressly tailored to fit your credit union. The survey is all inclusive - everything from the design and mailing of the survey, tabulation of the data, to the presentation of results. Whenever possible, results are compared to national demographics as well as local demographics to ensure that the members who replied are a good representation of the population in your area.
CUSC's Member Surveys are also a great tool to use in conjunction with Planning Sessions. You know where the credit union has been, you will know where the credit union is today, now find out where your members want their credit union to be in the future. For more information, contact Cathy Killebrew.
Mortgage Programs
www.mtgresourcecenter.com/
www.homeownersmtg.com/
Every credit union has its own unique qualities and membership. They are not “one size fits all.”Their mortgage provider should be the same. Therefore, CUSC has partnered with two different providers in order to better serve the credit unions of North Carolina:
Greentree Mortgage Company, L.P. offers the Affinity Program, which is a mortgage lending resource that allows credit unions access to a network of mortgage financing options without the hassle of starting from the ground up. Greentree offers over 250 mortgage products to give credit unions unlimited financing resources. Other services include help in creating a marketing campaign and weekly monitoring reports.
Homeowners Mortgage, headquartered in Columbia, SC, is a full-service mortgage company committed to growing your credit union's mortgage programs. With their web site application, Homeowners allows you the opportunity to offer your members 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week loan application and approval.
For more information, contact Richard Ford.
Planning Sessions
CUSC offers a wide variety of planning session formats tailored to meet the individual needs of your credit union. Whether it's a three-hour goal-setting session or a two-day strategic planning session, our objective is to assist your Board of Directors in establishing the current priorities and future direction of your credit union.
A formal planning session is the vital first step in shaping the course of your credit union. Our expert facilitators are trained in the latest planning techniques and are ready to conduct a session that meets your credit union's criteria.
For more information, contact Ed Agnoli.
Share Drafts
www.palmettocoop.com/sharedrafts/sharedraftshp.html
CUSC provides complete item processing, return item service, and state-of-the-art digital image capabilities through their partnership with the SC Credit Union League.We currently process in excess of 6,000,000 items and 110,000 returns each month for more than 125 credit unions in the Carolinas and Virginia. We offer state-of-the-art digital image capabilities, including internet retrieval for your members and staff. Check images can be integrated into an e-Statement solution customized for your credit union.
Diebold
alliances.cuna.org/csa_diebold1.html
Diebold is the leading provider of ATMs in the U.S. ATMs are Diebold's primary focus and the company's expertise has led to innovative products using leading edge technology in areas of:
- Electronic Security - Diebold is one of the country's leading security integrators.
- Diebold Advisor - Receives, analyzes and responds to status messages sent by your ATM.
- Security Monitoring - Low-cost solutions to premise security.
- RemoteLink - ATM screen advertising, EDC retrieval and coupon distribution on an ATM network.
- ATM Supplies & Accessories - Resource for ATM supplies and services.
CU Succeed
www.cusucceed.net/
Teenagers are a credit union's future.A low percentage of credit union members are under the age of 24. So, how do we get teenagers to join a credit union?
CU Succeed® is a turnkey solution to your teen program needs. If you're looking for a great program with top notch print and Internet-based components, you've come to the right place! The CU Succeed program features:
- Instant Activation
- More Ways to Customize
- Cutting-Edge Technology
- 30-Day Free Trail
DATATRAC Rate Intelligence Services
alliances.cuna.org/csa_datatrac.html
- Increase business with existing members and attract new members by making more informed pricing decisions with DataTrac.
- DataTrac is the leading firm specializing in financial and interest rate research.
- 100% Accuracy Guarantee.It's right or it's FREE.
Systems Insurance of America
www.cunamutual.com/cmg/freeFormDetail/0%2C1248%2C7412%2C00.html
Corrective Maintenance Insurance offers broader coverage in maintaining your computer and office equipment than service contracts at a lower repair cost. Coverage for preventive maintenance can also be purchased.Underwritten by CUNA Mutual Group.
De La Rue - Money Handling Equipment and Supplies
alliances.cuna.org/csa_dlr.html
For more than 100 years, De La Rue has been a leading supplier of systems and accessories for cash settlement and coin and currency handling.For more information, contact Richard Ford.
Canon Micrographic/Imaging Equipment and Supplies
alliances.cuna.org/csa_canon.html
Canon U.S.A. has been a provider of document imaging products for over 25 years. Canon is the hands-down preferred provider for credit unions, outranking all other major providers in user evaluations. Your credit union will benefit from the significant discounts on Canon micrographic/imaging equipment and supplies available through CUNA Strategic Services.For more information, contact Richard Ford.
Canon Multifunction Digital Copiers
alliances.cuna.org/csa_canon_1.html
Canon USA is the leading provider of networked office solutions, including multifunction copiers, laser copiers and laser faxes. Whether small or large, your credit union will gain operational efficiencies with these high-tech units — plus you can benefit from the significant discounts on Canon equipment and supplies available through CUNA Strategic Services.
Travelex VISA Travelers Cheques, Prepaid Cards, Gift Cheques, Foreign Currency & Cheques, and Money Transfer
alliances.cuna.org/csa_visatcs.html
This program includes Travelers Cheques, Prepaid Debit Cards, Foreign Currency and Cheques. Now you can offer members the proven benefits and protection of travelers cheques without paying sign-up or annual fees. The new CUNA Strategic Services/Visa Travelers Cheques program provides an opportunity for your credit union to maximize revenue on travelers cheque sales without compromising member satisfaction.For more information, contact Richard Ford.
CUNA Strategic Services
alliances.cuna.org/
CUNA Strategic Services, along with its carefully chosen suppliers, saves you money and time by providing the products, services and technology your credit union needs to compete effectively in the modern financial marketplace.
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