Alliance Credit Union will award $5,000 to the person voted as having the ugliest car as part of its second annual "Ugly Car Contest."

The credit union encourages members of the community to enter the contest via the Alliance Credit Union's Facebook fan page.  For complete contest details, including official contest rules, please visit www.alliancecreditunion.org/uglycar.

Anyone living in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties (areas served by Alliance) may enter the contest—membership is not required.  The deadline to enter is July 31, 2010. Alliance will announce the top five "ugliest" cars on August 2, 2010, and then have the public vote for a winner. 

Last year’s Ugly Car Contest, which spanned two months, was the first of its kind for Alliance Credit Union.  It was such a success that the credit union brought it back.  The contest uses Alliance’s fan page on Facebook to enable users to share pictures of their vehicles and enter the contest.  The 2009 winner was a vandalized Saturn S-Series coup owned by Jean-Pierre Saintard of Wilmington, NC. Alliance also serves the California counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda—residents of those counties can enter the competition as well.

"Our goal was to help someone in our community who was in need.  Since many of us depend on our vehicles, we thought helping someone purchase a new car or fix up the one they have would be a good first step," says Emily Condon, senior vice president of marketing and retail delivery.  "We’re excited to offer this contest again and can’t wait to see who wins."

Reece was formerly a Supervisor and Insurance Specialist for Consumer Lending at Champion CU. As Branch Manager, Reece will guide the Canton office in providing the highest member satisfaction during transactions such as day-to-day banking, loan applications and new personal and business account openings. Additionally, she will lead staff in credit union sponsored community events.

Mountain Credit Union is celebrating Christmas In July by collecting gifts for our troops overseas. The items are being collecting during July in order to have adequate shipping time to get them to our troops by Christmas. Donations are being accepted at any Mountain Credit Union office and a list of items is available on the website at www.mountaincu.org. A public request for items for the troops will go out during a live radio remote to be held at Mountain Credit Union in Waynesville on July 15th.

"Mountain Credit Union has several employees who have loved ones serving in the military", says Patty Idol, President. "We are happy to collect these gifts for our troops and we are thankful for the support we are getting from the community in this effort."

If you would like to make a contribution to the troops bring it to any Mountain Credit Union office by Friday, July 30.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU), serving North Carolina’s National Guard Soldiers and their families, is pleased to support the military through ongoing participation in the North Carolina National Guard Department of Defense Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. SECU personnel have reached over 10,000 Soldier families through the Yellow Ribbon Program since 2008, helping with various financial needs ranging from increasing awareness of eligibility for membership at SECU to budgeting and providing information on Credit Union financial products and services.

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program assists combat veterans and their families to ensure a safe, healthy and successful reintegration to their family, community, school and job after deployment. This is accomplished through pre-deployment, deployment, and post deployment phases --- each phase providing Soldier families with services and referrals. After deployment, Reintegration Events are also typically held in 30-day intervals for three months to merge service members back into civilian life. Approximately 20 Yellow Ribbon events are held annually.

Fred Cobb, Senior Vice President in SECU’s Cary-Walnut St. branch, comments, "We are pleased to provide assistance to North Carolina’s Guard Soldiers and families through our support of the Yellow Ribbon Program. Since SECU’s membership base includes the NC National Guard, the Credit Union’s participation in the program is a natural fit. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a positive difference and SECU staff members find it truly rewarding to help those who sacrifice so much for our Country."

NC Yellow Ribbon Director John T. Gattis adds, "State Employees’ Credit Union has been a great community asset in our pre and post deployment programs for Soldiers and their families. Young military families and Soldiers often find an additional monetary benefit with their first deployment, but also face challenges in managing finances while deployed or with one spouse away from home. Having an established financial institution like State Employees’ Credit Union offering guidance is a true benefit to our Soldiers and their families. We are pleased and grateful for their continued participation in the Yellow Ribbon Programs of North Carolina."

From debit and credit cards to direct deposit and electronic bill pay, the Information Age has changed the way people manage and move their money. But one thing technology hasn’t been able to change a whole lot is the paper check – until now.

Summit Credit Union, which recently became one of the first credit unions in the nation to roll out Remote Check Deposit 24, is giving that old-fashioned check a high-tech update. Remote Check Deposit 24 allows any Summit member with Internet access and a scanner to deposit checks from anywhere, anytime, through credit union’s home banking platform. "It’s like having your own teller window at home," said Summit Credit Union President/CEO Sam Whitehurst.

In partnership with the NC Institute of Minority Economic Development (NCIMED), The Support Center has organized a series of lunch and learn workshops for existing and aspiring small business owners in communities served by its affiliate community development credit unions (CDCUs).

The first in the series of six was held in Edenton, NC on June 17. Area residents and members of Generations Community Credit Union (Generations) were provided tips on the key components of a successful business plan by La-Tasha L. Best-Gaddy, NCIMED Assistant Director of Business Development and Director of Financial Education & Training.  "We are proud to join with The Support Center to encourage entrepreneurship in rural and low-income communities," says Best-Gaddy. "Our first session went really well and all attendees were from existing businesses and could appreciate and relate to what we had to share."

The Support Center received a grant from Bank of America to sponsor the series. The mission is to extend education and tangible resources to those seeking to improve their existing business or someone looking to start a business for the first time. The series was created due to the realization that the unemployment rates in most of the communities where CDCUs operate are in the double digits, federal and local government resources are scarce, and the lack of financial education for LMI individuals is stifling the local economy. 

"Despite major obstacles, we have and continue to assist our affiliate CDCUs in identifying and making loans to viable businesses that not only pay their loans as agreed, but are able to create and or maintain jobs in these communities," explains Lenwood V. Long, Sr., president of The Support Center. "We realize that if people in these commnities had access to more information about the financing and resources that are available to them we would see even greater success. For this reason, The Support Center has partnered with NCIMED to launch the Small Business Lunch and Learn Series."

The Small Business Lunch and Learn Series is scheduled to run throughout summer 2010. For the full schedule of sessions, click here.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) personnel once again participated in raising funds for March of Dimes, in conjunction with the Triangle area March for Babies campaign. For the second consecutive year, the SECU Triangle team collected over $50,000 for the cause through a variety of charitable efforts including food sales, cooking contests, sporting competitions and individual donations. Approximately 225 SECU walkers "laced up" for the 3-mile event held in Research Triangle Park. In addition to the Triangle walk, SECU branches throughout the State participate in other regional March for Babies events, raising several thousand additional dollars for March of Dimes.

George Wood of SECU’s Support Services group remarks, "Our entire department has embraced the March of Dimes cause and for the last several years has organized and sponsored a Wii Bowling Tournament to raise funds. While the tournament has been hugely successful and provided wonderful entertainment for all involved, our event is just one of the many fundraisers held by numerous SECU departments and branches. It’s inspiring to see so many Credit Union personnel supporting each project in an effort to make a positive difference for many North Carolina families."

North Carolina has one of the highest rates of preterm birth in the country, ranking 41st, and the North Carolina Chapter of March of Dimes continues to raise the bar in their efforts to find answers. Their education and advocacy efforts resulted in the State of North Carolina asking the organization to expand their folic acid campaign, resulting in a 40% reduction in neural tube defects.  Today, more than $4 million is invested throughout the State, funding community programs, advocacy, research and education. 

"Our success is a direct result of companies like SECU," said LaRonda S. Scott, Division Director of the Eastern Carolina Division of March of Dimes.  "The SECU March for Babies team is committed to giving every baby a healthy start.  They prove this year after year with outstanding efforts to meet and even exceed personal and company fundraising goals. SECU champions are enabling us to learn more about preeclampsia as a result of funding research at UNC Chapel Hill; funding Centering Pregnancy programs (group prenatal care) throughout the State that are proven to improve birth outcomes; providing uninsured, diabetic pregnant women with diabetes management education, medications and testing supplies; and more!  I can’t thank SECU enough for their support and being a part of the solution moms are looking for."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) employees and members recently teamed up on a successful statewide fundraiser to benefit SECU Family House. SECU’s Raleigh – Stonehenge branch staff collected recipes from Credit Union personnel statewide and published the collection in a cookbook that was sold in all 230+ branches. The fundraiser netted $66,500 to benefit patients and families at SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals. A formal check presentation was held June 24th at the hospitality house. Janet Hudgens - Director of Marketing and Volunteers at SECU Family House and Dana McMahan - Board Chair for Family House, accepted the sizeable donation from Ceil Boyle, Teller Services Manager at SECU’s Raleigh – Stonehenge location. Immediately following the presentation, staff from numerous branches in the Raleigh-Stonehenge district cooked and served dinner to Family House guests.

Located in Chapel Hill, NC, SECU Family House provides housing, healing, and hope to seriously ill adult patients and families of patients who are being treated at UNC Hospitals. Since 2009, SECU Family House has provided guest stays to more than 2,200 patients/patient families from 98 of North Carolina’s 100 counties --- a true testament to the need for such a facility in the area.

Janet Hudgens remarks, "SECU Family House receives no federal or state funding. We rely solely on individuals, local businesses and foundations for the bulk of our funding and volunteer support. SECU staff and members have been extremely generous in providing ongoing support of the House and its guests. This latest effort initiated by the Stonehenge branch personnel has resulted in a tremendous gift that will help us serve so many more North Carolinians in need."

SECU representative Ceil Boyle adds, "The SECU Family House cookbook project was a wonderful way to bring together our staff and members to benefit a cause that is close to our hearts. While we hoped for a successful fundraising campaign, we never envisioned how strongly SECU’s members would embrace the project, allowing us to far surpass our initial goal of $50,000. On behalf of our entire branch staff, we want to thank everyone who helped make the cookbook sale such a success."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe of Halifax, Warren and surrounding counties in North Carolina recently reached an agreement to place an SECU Cash Points Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on tribal grounds in Hollister, North Carolina. The agreement marks the first scheduled installation of an SECU ATM on the Indian Tribe’s property, with activation slated for July 2010.

The Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe has over 3,800 enrolled members, with more than 70 percent residing within a 6-mile radius of the town of Hollister, in Halifax and Warren Counties. Some tribal members are also located in Nash and Franklin counties. The Tribe was recognized by the State of North Carolina in 1965 and is governed by an eleven member Tribal Council elected by the citizens of the Tribe, with Rev. Ronald Richardson currently serving as the Chief of the Tribe. The mission of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe is to provide the community with economic, cultural, social, and educational advancements and benefits. As such, the Tribe has been working to establish an ATM as part of their ongoing efforts to provide services in the Hollister area.

Chief Richardson comments, "We are pleased that State Employees’ Credit Union has agreed to place an ATM on Haliwa-Saponi land in Hollister. Our Tribe recently celebrated the 45th anniversary of state recognition at our annual Haliwa-Saponi Powwow, the largest such event in the State. This Powwow event attracts thousands of visitors each year, ranging from tribal representatives from around the nation to North Carolina families and citizens interested in experiencing our culture. An SECU no-surcharge ATM will provide convenient access to funds not only for our residents, but also those who visit our Tribal community."

Toretta Snipes, SECU Senior Vice President in Butner, NC, comments, "SECU is pleased that the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe is interested in making a Cash Points ATM available on their grounds. As the Tribe works to help develop services in the Hollister area, SECU is happy to assist and looks forward to the upcoming installation and activation of this new convenience service."

(The following information is provided by the Credit Union National Association.)

Certified Credit Union Executive (CCUE) designations were awarded to 18 individuals from nine different states, bringing the total nationwide to 2,683.

CCUE, instituted in 1975, is the hallmark of professional credit union achievement. Designed for managers and those aspiring to credit union leadership, the program teaches advanced credit union management and operations techniques.

The Certified Executive Program (CEP) awarded specialty certifications to 18 credit union professionals. These certifications require in-depth courses in a specialty area, including: compliance, lending, financial management, marketing, and human resources.

The CEP is the overall name for the self-study program allowing for the above designations. Recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE), the classes and materials are tailored specifically to those working within the Credit Union System. All new designations were awarded in November.

CUNA congratulates the recipients who have continued their education and training to earn designee and specialist standing. The names and the credit unions of the new CCUE and specialty designees are listed below.

CCUE Designees:

Lisa C. Bailey, CCUE, State ECU
Janet W. Collins, CCUE, State ECU
Debra L. Creamer, CCUE, State ECU
Jennifer Downey, CCUE, State ECU
Melissa R. Joyner, CCUE, State ECU
Sheila M. Kellogg, CCUE, State ECU
Peggy Mills, CCUE, State ECU
Kristye N. Steed, CCUE, State ECU
Tammie K. Wyman, CCUE, State ECU

Specialty Certifications:

Jonathan A. Jones, State ECU, NC
Julie J Lee, State ECU, NC

Cynthia T. Magliocca CCUE, State ECU, NC (High Honors)

Coastal Federal Credit Union has announced that Chuck Purvis has been promoted to Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. In this position, he will provide executive leadership to all of Coastal’s operating units, including the lending, retail sales and services, operations, risk management, and information technology divisions at Coastal.

Purvis is a credit union veteran with 29 years of industry experience. He has been part of Coastal’s senior management team since 2001 where he most recently served as Senior Vice President/Chief Operations Officer.

He also serves as Vice Chairman of First Carolina Corporate Credit Union, and is a member of the Board of uGenius, LLC, a company that provides video banking technology to financial institutions in the U.S. and Canada. He is also the former Chairman of the National Credit Union Foundation and served on that organization’s board from 1995 to 2007. From 1992 to 2000, Purvis served as a member of the senior management team at various credit union organizations, including roles as chief operating officer, and top executive of an eCommerce services company and an institutional broker-dealer.

Purvis resides in Raleigh with his wife and son and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and business administration from the University of North Carolina- Greensboro.

The Ronald J. Hutchins Award is given each year to a credit union professional and volunteer in order to recognize their outstanding accomplishments, time and effort given in support and promotion of the credit union ideal of people helping people. A committee made up of statewide credit union leaders selected Watts to receive the award.

Watts has been a leader in various roles in the credit union movement for many years. She has been president of CPCU since 1997 and has helped the credit union flourish during her tenure. In addition, Watts serves in a variety of leadership roles in the state and national credit union movement. She has also received many awards for her leadership, including the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) Golden Mirror Award, the CUES Chairman’s Club Award and the Credit Union Times’ Trailblazer Award.

The Ronald J. Hutchins Award is given each year to a credit union professional and volunteer in order to recognize their outstanding accomplishments, time and effort given in support and promotion of the credit union ideal of people helping people. A committee made up of statewide credit union leaders selected Kelly to receive the award.

L.C. Kelly has served as a volunteer for CFDCU for more than 35 years. He has served on the credit, supervisory, investment, real estate and building committees of the credit union. In addition, Kelly has served on the credit union’s board of directors since 1985. He is also very active in other aspects of the credit union movement and believes strongly in the credit union philosophy of people helping people.

Kelly served on the Charlotte Fire Department for more than 30 years. He is also very active in a variety of community organizations, including the Jaycees and Optimist Youth Club. He and his wife of 45 years (Myra) have three children and four grandchildren.

The Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of youth financial literacy. It considers all activities supporting the personal financial education of young members and non-members. Credit unions compete by asset category, in order to ensure fairness. USCU received the award in the $50 - $150 million asset category.

USCU received the award for its work with Asheville Middle School in 2009. The credit union surveyed the students about their awareness of financial issues and their plans for the future. The credit union then planned a special event for the students during Credit Union Youth Week in April 2009. This event included the students working in the USCU branch and learning about finance and budgeting.

Marine Federal Credit Union (MFCU) earned statewide recognition for employing the credit union philosophy at the 75th Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Credit Union League (NCCUL) in Pinehurst. Marine received an honorable mention in the Louise Herring Award for Philosophy in Action category at a special banquet held Monday evening, June 14th during the Annual Meeting of the NCCUL in Pinehurst.

The annual Louise A. Herring Award for Philosophy in Action recognizes credit unions that, in day-to-day operations, demonstrate the credit union philosophy of "people helping people" in an extraordinary way. Credit unions compete by asset category, with Marine receiving the honorable mention in the over $250 million-asset category.

The credit union received the recognition for starting their "Bravo Checking" program in 2009 during the 50th anniversary of the credit union. Amid all the doom and gloom in the economy, this program offered members high dividend yields and refunds on ATM fees. The credit union also received praise for its commitment to financial education. This member-focused initiative includes workshops, financial counseling and other forms of education.

The NC Credit Union League (NCCUL) honored Ecusta Credit Union for its community involvement efforts in 2009. Ecusta won the statewide Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award at a recognition banquet held June 14th during the 75th Annual Meeting of the NCCUL in Pinehurst.

The annual Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award recognizes and promotes credit unions’ social responsibility efforts within the communities they serve. Credit unions statewide enter the program in separate asset categories, which allows them to compete fairly against credit unions of equal size and resources. Ecusta won in the $20 - $50 million asset category.

The credit union’s support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 2009 netted Ecusta the statewide honor. The credit union participated in the "Great Strides" walk to benefit the Foundation. Ecusta got involved with the organization after the 11-month-old daughter of a credit union member was diagnosed with the disease. The credit union organized "Madi’s Team" to raise funds and show support for the young girl. The Great Strides walk was one of many fundraising events the credit union participated in through the year to support the Foundation.

Ecusta will now compete for the national Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award. National winners will be announced by the Credit Union National Association in November.

SECU Foundation, in partnership with the North Carolina National Guard Association Educational Foundation, presented a $5,000 two-year community college scholarship to Wesley R. Brantley, a senior at North Lenoir High School in LaGrange, NC. Wesley is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne L. Brantley. This scholarship was awarded for study at Lenoir Community College.

This scholarship was established in 2008 and is awarded annually to a deserving qualified candidate who is enrolled in one of the fifty-eight (58) NC Community Colleges. Recipients are selected by the NCNGA Educational Foundation.

SECU Foundation Chair Shirley Bell comments, "SECU Foundation is honored to assist a North Carolina National Guardsman’s family with their educational goals. The goal of the SECU Foundation scholarship program is to help North Carolina students further their education by easing the financial challenge of college expenses. Partnering with the NCNGA Educational Foundation to support this scholarship is a great complement to the SECU Foundation’s existing ‘People Helping People’ scholarship program and an opportunity for SECU members to give back to North Carolina families."

Funded solely by SECU members and reaching all counties of North Carolina, the SECU Foundation Scholarship program is committed to education and the citizens of North Carolina. The SECU Foundation scholarship commitment reached $25 million in five years of operation.

SECU Foundation, in partnership with the North Carolina National Guard Association Educational Foundation, presented a $10,000 four-year college scholarship to Emily E. Carter, a senior at Hibriten High School in Lenoir, NC. Emily is the daughter of John F. Carter and Jeannie F. Davis. This scholarship was awarded for study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This scholarship was established in 2008 and is awarded annually to a deserving qualified high school senior attending one of the sixteen (16) UNC System Universities. Recipients are selected by the NCNGA Educational Foundation.

SECU Foundation Chair Shirley Bell comments, "SECU Foundation is honored to assist a North Carolina National Guardsman’s family with their educational goals. The goal of the SECU Foundation scholarship program is to help North Carolina students further their education by easing the financial challenge of college expenses. Partnering with the NCNGA Educational Foundation to support this scholarship is a great complement to the SECU Foundation’s existing ‘People Helping People’ scholarship program and an opportunity for SECU members to give back to North Carolina families."

Funded solely by SECU members and reaching all counties of North Carolina, the SECU Foundation Scholarship program is committed to education and the citizens of North Carolina. The SECU Foundation scholarship commitment reached $25 million in five years of operation.

Allegacy Federal Credit Union today announced several changes within its senior management team.  They include:

Cathy Pace, previously Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer has been promoted to Executive Vice President of the Credit Union. In her expanded role, Cathy will oversee Marketing as well as all operational and lending areas with the exception of Commercial Services. Cathy has been with Allegacy for more than three decades with 25 years in management roles.

Bob Doby, previously Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer.  He remains responsible for the Accounting Department, Credit, Compliance and Account Management Services. Bob joined Allegacy in 2007.

Ray Crouse, President and Managing Director Allegacy Services, has increased his responsibilities to include Commercial Services and Business Development. Ray joined Allegacy in 1994.

Bill Lackey, previously Chief Information Officer, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer. This new role expands the traditional Chief Information Officer function to include information management and security, payment systems, facilities, e-services and ATMs. Bill joined Allegacy in 2007.

John Williams, Vice President of Human Resources, will now divide his time between human resources and community and governmental affairs.  In addition, he will lead the development of Allegacy’s Center for Smart Financial Choices.  John has been with Allegacy for more than 32 years.

Ashley Kohlrus, previously Director of Learning and Development has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Director of Human Resources and will assume a more concentrated role in human resource operations including talent development, compensation and benefits.  With this promotion, she joins Allegacy’s Senior Management Team.  Ashley has been with Allegacy for six years. 

"These changes not only reward these hard-working executives for their unwavering service to Allegacy but also provide a more empowering and entrepreneurial structure to fulfill our organization’s member-driven mission and goals," said Allegacy CEO and President W. K. "Ike" Keener, Jr.

State Employees’ Credit Union’s (SECU’s) 2010 Membership Survey results showed increased levels of member loyalty and continued positive marks regarding member satisfaction. The annual survey, administered by CUNA Research, polled 5,000 randomly selected SECU members on quality of service, usage of SECU products and overall satisfaction with the Credit Union. As in past years, survey results showed a strong 97% satisfaction rating for SECU, with 87% of members very satisfied. This year, there was also a marked increase in the primary financial institution (PFI) rating for SECU, as 77% of members now consider SECU to be the institution where they conduct the majority of their financial business. According to CUNA Research, this high rating places SECU at the top when compared to the average 53% PFI figure established by credit union peers. SECU’s PFI figure also spearheaded a rise in the percentage of members considered highly loyal to their cooperative, showing a 56% member loyalty rating when compared to the 24% industry average.

Over the years, SECU has continually focused on meeting the changing needs of its owners, resulting in the Credit Union offering more non-traditional products such as investments, insurance and trust services. Programs designed specifically to assist members in times of economic difficulty such as the Salary Advance Loan, the Mortgage Assistance Program and the IRS VITA program also have been well received. SECU stresses that meeting the needs of members goes beyond simply offering services – it means developing and tailoring Credit Union products to meet the real-life economic challenges which members confront in their daily lives. The Survey results confirm SECU members appreciate the Credit Union’s "member first" approach.

Jim Barber, Chairman of SECU’s Board of Directors, states, "We are pleased with the results of the recent Membership Survey. SECU’s ‘Do the Right Thing’ approach to offering low-cost, affordable financial services on a non-commissioned basis is unique in today’s financial marketplace and allows SECU employees to serve as trusted advisors to members. The positive Survey results acknowledge that our members welcome this approach and are increasing their utilization of the Credit Union’s consumer friendly products."

A recently issued report on the benefits of membership at State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) revealed substantial savings for members of the North Carolina financial cooperative. A culmination of extensive research and comparisons of SECU products and services to the marketplace, The Financial Benefits of Membership in State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina in 2009 report estimated overall benefits provided to SECU members at $551 million. The report was written by Dr. William E. Jackson, III, Professor of Finance, Professor of Management, and the Smith Foundation Endowed Chair of Business Integrity in the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama.

Dr. Jackson documented savings for SECU members in several categories, including lower loan rates, higher deposit rates, lower fees, and benefits from the Credit Union’s Salary Advance Loan program. Lower rates on six types of loans were acknowledged in the report, with substantial savings in mortgage costs. Higher deposit rates benefited State Employees’ Credit Union members even more, providing nearly $200 million in benefits through the Credit Union’s money market shares, regular shares, interest checking, share term certificates and IRA/Keogh offerings. Lower fees netted savings of $109.7 million through reduced charges such as NSF fees and credit card fees, as well as low maintenance fees on SECU’s checking account.

Pictured (from left): Patty Idol, President/Mountain Credit Union; Mike Sutton, Athletic Director/Tuscola High School; Dale McDonald, Principal/Tuscola High School; Tanya Haskett, Branch Manager/Mountain Credit Union.

"We are happy to support the Haywood County school system and the students at Tuscola High School in this way", said Patty Idol, President of Mountain Credit Union. "We are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of our community and to enrich the lives and education of these students."

Mountain Credit Union contributes to area schools throughout the year by being a distribution point for WNC Credit Unions/Eblen Charities Food for Thought program and collecting school supplies in July and August of every year. Tuscola High School seniors who are members of Mountain Credit Union are eligible to apply for an annual scholarship given by Mountain Credit Union. Tuscola high school students have won this scholarship many times throughout the years. Mountain Credit Union also offers FREE financial education resources for any school that requests it. "Our young people are our future", says Tanya Haskett, Branch Manager of Mountain Credit Union. "This is why we choose to support the Haywood County school system in so many different ways".

Tuscola High School will be receiving the equipment in time for the next school year.

Piedmont Advantage Credit Union, headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, announced today that Card Service for Credit Unions (CSCU) selected Piedmont Advantage’s 6.9% non-variable rate Platinum VISA Campaign as one of the top three overall campaigns in the nation in its prestigious CAMEO Awards.

The campaign resulted in over $18 million in card originations and exceeded goals by over 300%. The Platinum VISA credit card campaign featured a 6.9% non-variable annual percentage rate, one of the lowest rates in the nation, and no annual fee.

Many consumers have been hit with credit card rate and fee hikes even as they are dealing with the most difficult economy in decades. Those hikes have prompted many to considered options they haven’t thought of traditionally, like credit unions.

"Lower-interest cards are hard to get now since credit is so tight", Candice Champe, Director – IT and Ecommerce, said, "and others come with fees that make them very unattractive. It’s easy to understand why our members are so enthusiastic about this product – low rates, no tricks, no gimmicks and no surprise fees."

"As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, we at Piedmont Advantage focus on developing products and services that meets the needs of our members," said Champe. "We feel like this card really helps – and judging by the success we have had, many people agree!"

The Piedmont Advantage campaign was selected from credit unions across the nation in the $125 to $249 million asset category.

Jeff’s community involvement includes the Jacksonville Breakfast Rotary and Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation provided a $300,000 grant to Hospice Cleveland County to help fund the new 15,000 square foot, eight-bed Hospice House in Kings Mountain, NC. The SECU Foundation’s gift is the largest grant awarded thus far to Hospice Cleveland County. The recent official check presentation was attended by area Credit Union personnel and volunteer SECU Advisory Board members from the Kings Mountain, Boiling Springs and Shelby branches, in addition to representatives from Hospice Cleveland County.

The Kings Mountain Hospice House, which opened its doors earlier this month, is already fully occupied by patients needing high quality end of life care. This House is helping to meet the needs of the terminally ill in the Cleveland County area and decrease the commutes for local caregivers.

Myra McGinnis, Executive Director of Hospice Cleveland County states, "Our ultimate goal is to provide a relaxed, home-like atmosphere of peace and serenity for hospice patients and their families in this community. The fact that we are already at full capacity is indicative of the great need for such a facility in this area. We are so appreciative to the members of SECU for their generous grant for our Hospice House in Kings Mountain."

SECU-Kings Mountain Advisory Board member, Jim Owens comments, "It is wonderful to see the positive difference the Kings Mountain Hospice House is making in our community and it is extremely rewarding to know that members of SECU, including myself, have helped make this facility possible through an SECU Foundation grant."

The SECU Foundation, which is funded solely by State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members, was recently awarded Humanitarian of the Year by the Association for Home and Hospice Care (AHHC) of North Carolina. Established in July 2004, the Foundation has provided grants for numerous hospice initiatives throughout North Carolina, including projects in Caldwell, Cleveland, Forsyth, Iredell, Johnston, Rutherford, Surry, Wake and Wayne Counties. The Humanitarian of the Year presentation was made earlier this month at the Association’s Awards Lunch and Convention held in Research Triangle Park, and Shirley Bell, Chair of the SECU Foundation Board of Directors was on hand to accept the award.

Ms. Bell states, "It was a great honor to accept this award on behalf of all SECU members who graciously fund the SECU Foundation. Since its inception nearly six years ago, our Foundation has been able to support many wonderful projects in the areas of education, housing, health and human services, and the Hospice initiatives are truly representative of the Credit Union philosophy of ‘People Helping People’."

Tim Rogers, CEO of the Association for Home and Hospice Care of NC, comments, "AHHC is proud to recognize the SECU Foundation as Humanitarian of the Year for its outstanding service to hospice. We are so proud and thankful to SECU members for their contributions and this award allows us to acknowledge our appreciation with a public thank you!"

The burden of a hefty educational expense won’t worry 120 Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) members when they head to school this fall. That’s because they will have either a brand new laptop or $1,000 for textbooks—the result of winning an LGFCU Scholarship Award.
 
In its 12th consecutive year, the LGFCU Scholarship Award recognizes a student’s academic excellence by maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, as well as high achievement in extracurricular activities; financial need is also a consideration. Graduating high school seniors and post-secondary students must be LGFCU members to qualify. The awards can be used to advance their education at the university, community or technical college of their choice.
 
"While tuition is usually the largest expense associated with going to college, there are many other costs that really add up for students," says LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "Textbooks and laptops, both of which are now required at many schools, can add hundreds of dollars or more to the cost of getting an education. We hope these scholarships can help alleviate that burden."
 
The winners, which are selected by a committee of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, are announced each year in May. The next application deadline will be announced later this year. Visit www.lgfcu.org for updates.
 
The award recipients are:

Allison Alston (Fuquay-Varina)
Brian Alston (Elm City)
Emily Ash (Cary)
Rachel Ayuso (Jacksonville)
MyLea Barclift (Elizabeth City)
Ryan Barkley (Richfield)
Earlie Barnes (Winterville)
De-Kia Battle (Rocky Mount)
Amy Beasley (Plymouth)
Nicole Bergin (Sanford)
Rebecca Blanchard (Lexington)
Austin Bowman (Reidsville)
Nate Brandl (Spruce Pine)
Kerby Braxton (Winterville)
Chatoya Bridgeforth (Kannapolis)
Eriel Bridges (Raleigh)
Corrie Britt (Bladenboro)
Imanuel Brooks (Raleigh)
Joshua Brooks (Bear Creek)
Kelsey Budine (Efland)
Jessica Bunn (Wadesboro)
Ashley Burgess (Holly Springs)
John Burrows (Brevard)
Julia Burton (Stoneville)
Ellen Chalk (Garner)
Gracie Chamblee (Clayton)
Brandi Chavis (Lumberton)
Eilenn Coffey (Garner)
Kimberley Conklin (Greenville)
Kristin Conner (Conover)
Rachel Corcoran (Eden)
Stephen Corcoran Jr. (Eden)
Lindsay Cox (Mebane)
Dara Crawford (Waxhaw)
Margaret Crumpton (Sanford)
Evan Culler (Mount Airy)
Travis Davenport (Granite Falls)
Regina Davis (Concord)
Jennifer Deese (Morrisville)
Catherine Dial (Laurinburg)
, Devon Dunn (Stokes)
Kara Edwards (Charlotte)
Elizabeth Elmore (Leicester)
Ethan Evans (Bolivia)
Porcha Faison (Fair Bluff)
Bryar Frank (Rocky Mount)
Gerialexander Frazier (Pittsboro)
Cody Gentry (Shawboro)
Heather Griffin (Macclesield)
Danielle Hall (Elm City)
Kailee Hamby (N. Wilkesboro)
Kathleen Hankins (Raleigh)
Camille Harrison (Newton Grove)
Hannah Harrison (Elkin)
Rachel Harrison (Newton Grove)
Lyndsey Henderson (Dobson)
Courtney Hill (Kinston)
Amanda James (Warne)
Danielle Jones (Oak Island)
Diamond Jones (Shelby)
Greer Jones (Oak Island)
Emily Jordan (Kinston)
Taryn Keys (Wake Forest)
John C. Ledford (Lincolnton)
John D. Ledford (Lincolnton)
Justin Ledford (Ellenboro)
Elizabeth Lones (Greenville)
Brittany Lupton (Alliance)
Dee'aldo Lynch (Rocky Mount)
Rashena Lynch (Enfield)
Gwendolynn Markolf (York, SC)
Valerie Martin (Yadkinville)
Holly Mavosites (Sanford)
Zachariah McCall (Brevard)
Pamela Medoza (Raleigh)
Megan Midyette (Kinston)
Amanda Miller (Whispering Pines)
Julia Nepper (Burgaw)
Joseph Patteson (Greensboro)
Cameron Privott (Rocky Mount)
, Joseph Puhak (Roanoke Rapids)
Caroline Register (Elizabethtown)
Blaine Rhyne (Pittsboro)
Kelly Rhyne (Pittsboro)
Meredith Richbourg (Cary)
Teresa Ricks (Marble)
Kelsey Riggs (Ayden)
Vita Roberts (Winston-Salem)
Shavonne Rogers (Rocky Mount)
Kyndal Rouse (Sanford)
Amanda Ruffin (Fuquay-Varina)
Samantha Shapter (Sanford)
Lauren Sledge (Rocky Mount)
Mollee Stout (Ramseur)
Chandler Strickland (Elizabethtown)
Matthew Strickland (Elizabethtown)
Varonda Strouth (Lillington)
Amanda Styers (Franklinton)
Andrew Sualevai (Kinston)
Javan Sutton (Waynesville)
Zachary Sutton (Waynesville)
Allen Tedder (Linwood)
Mercedes Tesh (Sugar Grove)
Irvin Thomas Jr. (Spring Lake)
Rose Townsend (Lenoir)
Angela Truehill (Jacksonville)
Sydney Underwood (Shallotte)
Courtney Wade (Clyde)
Lindsey Wafford (San Antonio, TX)
Christian Walker (Gastonia)
LeAnn Walker (Greenville)
Ashton Wassack (Asheboro)
Donna Waterman (Winterville)
Kaylynn Webb (Durham)
Arvil Webster III (Robbinsville)
Danielle Whitman (Lexington)
Niyetta Williams-Hill (Jefferson)
Christopher Wilson (Burnsville)
Megan Woodie (Lenoir)
Cameron Yow (Sanford)

At the request of members, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has extended its official business day cutoff from 2 pm to 5:30 pm in all branches. The business day is also extended for SECU’s online Member Access and Mobile Access services, as well as its ASK-SECU Voice Response phone system. The new 5:30 pm cutoff gives members more opportunity in the day to have transactions completed for same-day credit.

Jennifer Hamrick, SVP of SECU’s Support Services department says, "SECU certainly recognizes the value of our members’ time and we are continually looking to enhance and improve the convenience of our service offerings. The extended business day is another way the Credit Union can add value and alleviate a member’s need to rush to the branch by 2 pm. Credit Union personnel have done an excellent job on the processing end and members seem very pleased with the results."

The business day extension also paves the way for future services that are in the works, including "Another Chance" – an upcoming program being designed to help offset potential Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fees or overdrafts. SECU also recently launched NSF Free Days and Two-Way Text Messaging and Alerts to help combat such issues.

Hamrick adds, "Although enhancements such as the extended business day and alerts sound rather small in the big scheme of things, these services can make a big difference to a member who has made a minor check balancing error, which could result in numerous fees and charges. Our goal is to keep money in members’ pockets and these services are ways to help accomplish that goal!"

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) congratulates 19 winners of its School of Government (SOG) Scholarship Award, which has been given out since 2002 to help members strengthen their skills and enhance job performance. Scholarships monies, ranging from $275 to $2,000, are applied to classes and seminars offered by the SOG at UNC-Chapel Hill, the largest university-based local government training, advisory and research organization in the United States.

"With a tight economy, many local governments are having to cut back on their budgets—and that includes employee training," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "It is our hope that these scholarships mean members who want to strengthen their skills—and in turn improve the communities they serve—are still able to do so."

The SOG Award recipients are:

Kenya M. Allen, Durham County, $600
Chesney S. Baker, Mecklenburg County, $550
Jason S. Brown, Town of Garner, $500
Cynthia Campbell, Durham County, $550
Diana L. Cantrell, Durham County, $600
Lori A. Colon, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, $300
Cathy D. Ellenburg, Rutherford County, $340
Alexander Hamilton, Wilkes County, $600
Wendy B. Jackson, Robeson County, $600
Amy B. Kinlaw, Robeson County, $550
Carlton S. Lynch, Northampton County, $600
Rita B. Miller, Alleghany County, $275
Teresa J. Myers, Cabarrus County, $550
Justin M. Rametta, Wake County, $500
James C. Smith, City of Washington, $2,000
Linda D. Stanley, Surry County, $550
Timothy A. Swaringen, Stanly County, $500
Courtney C. Tanner, Town of Morrisville, $500
Hosea E. Wilson III, Bertie County, $600

The next application deadline for the SOG Scholarship Award is August 2, 2010.

After raising enough money to send eleven veterans to Washington, D.C. with the Triad Flight of Honor, Members Credit Union sent their Director of Training, Barbara Tucker, on the May 11th flight for the Triad Flight of Honor as a guardian. Barbara witnessed the impact this experience had on World War II Veterans and shares her story in a video interview.

State Employees’ Credit Union’s (SECU’s) Board of Directors recently hosted a ‘Volunteer Meet and Greet’ for the Credit Union’s Advisory Board and Loan Review Committee members serving in the Winston-Salem and surrounding areas. Held at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, the ‘Meet and Greet’ was attended by over 100 local SECU volunteers. The group learned about the Credit Union’s new products and services, participated in roundtable discussions, and was present for an SECU Foundation presentation to the local Hospice and Palliative CareCenter (HPCC).

Jim Barber, SECU’s Board of Directors Chair welcomed the attendees and hosted a roundtable discussion following the educational presentations. He states, "The Meet and Greet events are an excellent way to communicate with fellow SECU volunteers. The smaller group settings provide an ideal forum to educate and openly share ideas, questions and concerns regarding the Credit Union in an effort to support and enhance the offerings of our member-owned cooperative."

Since 2003, SECU has held regional ‘Meet and Greet’ events across North Carolina to offer local volunteers the opportunity to interact with SECU’s Board of Directors, who also serve without compensation, and learn more about their member-owned financial cooperative. SECU has nearly 3,000 volunteers serving on local Advisory Boards at SECU’s 230 statewide locations or on regional Loan Review Committees. SECU volunteers represent the organization’s 1.6 million members and provide a ‘voice’ to communicate to the Board of Directors and Credit Union staff what members need and want from their cooperative. They also have a vital role in the member-funded SECU Foundation through their project recommendations and submissions.

SECU Foundation Board Chair Shirley Bell was on hand for the regional ‘Meet and Greet’ and took the opportunity to present a Foundation check of $500,000 to Hospice and Palliative CareCenter in Winston-Salem. SECU members, via the Foundation, announced the pledge to HPCC last October for the addition of a Palliative Care Clinic and a new 10-bed wing to the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home. Construction for the project is currently underway.

"At a time when the public's trust is repeatedly compromised by large commercial banks, credit unions' commitment to their local communities and to providing trustworthy member service could not be more important," said Pete Crear, World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) president and CEO. "This October let us all celebrate these fundamental credit union qualities that offer tremendous opportunity for the growth of financial cooperatives worldwide."

The theme for the Oct. 21 ICU Day — Local. Trusted. Serving You. — was first developed by Amanda Vester, marketing coordinator with Indiana State University FCU in Terre Haute. As a one-woman marketing department for the past three-and-one-half years, Vester was busy planning ISU Federal's 50th anniversary celebration when the ICU Day theme came to her. Vester's submission was selected from among multiple entries by an international committee with representatives from WOCCU, the U.S. Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Credit Union Central of Canada (CUCC), the U.S. National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), and the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA).

"As the credit union movement both here and abroad continues to grow stronger, we can see that it is the intrinsic characteristics of credit unions and many other financial cooperatives that give them their strength and allow them to survive, and even thrive in tough economic times," said Dan Mica, CUNA president and CEO.

In the United States cooperatives across sectors celebrate Co-op Month throughout October. This year, for the first time ever, NCBA and its member co-ops nationwide have joined credit unions and Canadian co-ops to share a common theme and graphics. In Canada, ICU Day coincides with the country's annual celebration of Co-op Week, which will take place this year from October 17-23.

"This theme of building trust in a local setting strongly reflects our core commitment to helping to support communities across Canada," said David Phillips, President and CEO of CUCC, a WOCCU member. "We are proud to stand with our partners in promoting positive values and relationships with our members." 

Canada's Co-op Week theme for this year — Experience the Co-operative Difference — was adopted as the tagline for ICU day, and the Co-op Week poster will use the same graphics as the one for ICU Day.

"Co-op Week 2010 will be a celebration of the co-operative difference, the many advantages co-ops have over other business models, and the enormous difference co-ops have made, and continue to make, to the lives of Canadians and their communities," said Carol Hunter, executive director of CCA, a national association for Canada's co-ops and representing more than 2,000 organizations. "We want as many Canadians as possible to experience the co-op difference first-hand, not only during Co-op Week, but all year round."

ICU Day has been celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October since 1948. The celebration of Co-op Week that same week in Canada became a national event in 1982.

Official ICU Day graphics are available to download on WOCCU's Web site at www.woccu.org/icuday and promotional materials, such as sample advertisements and speeches, will be available soon. A variety of promotional products also will be available for purchase on CUNA's Web site.

The Youth Financial Education Festival included both finance and fun!

The Youth Financial Education Festival was held on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at the Durham Bull’s Athletic Park from 1pm-4pm.  The festival was dedicated to raising awareness and educating North Carolina’s youth on the importance of becoming wise money managers and responsible financial investors.

The YFE Festival was organized to provide young people with a fun opportunity to begin to gain the education and assistance needed to teach them how to make sound financial decisions. "Learning to manage one's personal finances is essential at the start of your adult life," said Kimberly Knox, Director of Marketing and Youth Financial Education. "Our program gives young people these financial life skills as they're beginning adolescence, so that they may have a head start at implementing them into their daily routines."

"Thank you for the great day that you planned for my students!  They had a great time at the festival! I appreciate the hard work that your office put forth to make this such a wonderful experience.  We wore our shirts to school on Wednesday with great pride for numerous reasons," said Brenda Griffin, a teacher at Southeast Elementary School who attend the event. 

The YFE Festival featured a financial board game tournament sponsored by Local Government Federal Credit Union and a drawing for two computers donated by sponsor Big Brothers Big Sisters.   Partnering organizations incorporated interactive financial games into their exhibits along the ballpark concourse for the 3-hour event.  Participating in the festivities were, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Standing Inside the Gap, Southeast Elementary School (Kinston, NC), Rogers-Herr Middle School, W.G. Pearson Middle School, Durham Parks and Recreation, First Legacy Community Credit Union (Charlotte), NC Institute for Minority Economic Development, Walltown Children's Theatre, Generations Community Credit Union and the National Youth Financial Educators Council.

(Note: you may follow the activities of the Support Center and its Youth Financial Education activities by joining their Facebook page!)

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation granted $300,000 to Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care to assist with the construction of an additional hospice facility in the county. On hand for the SECU Foundation check presentation were numerous Caldwell Hospice officials, Credit Union representatives and SECU Advisory Board volunteers, including Joan Vaughn of the Lenoir Board and Peggy Throneburg of the Granite Falls Board.

Currently under construction, the 15,135 square foot, 12-bed patient care unit is located on 526 Pine Mountain Road in Hudson, NC. When completed, the facility will triple the capacity of current hospice beds (including acute care and introducing residential care) in the county from six, available at the Kirkwood location in Lenoir, to a total of eighteen. In addition to the 12 private rooms, the patient care unit will also provide a family living and dining area, family kitchen, chapel, and children’s play room. Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care now serves more than 120 hospice patients daily.

Speaking on behalf of SECU at the presentation event, Bryan Johnson, Vice President of SECU’s Lenoir branch stated, "SECU members are proud to partner with Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care to support their expansion to better serve the increasing needs in Caldwell and surrounding counties. Hospice provides compassionate, end-of-life care for its patients, along with support for patient families, and so many people in our community are helped by their services. We look forward to the completion of this facility."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of 10 new advisory council members to seven of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

April’s appointees are:

Central Coast
David Aycock, City of New Bern, Safety Officer

Eastern Sandhills
Susan Butler, Scotland County, Human Resources Manager

North Triangle
Angelia Alston, Vance County, Training Supervisor
Joyce Dickerson, Vance County, Administrative Assistant
Leon Robinson, Henderson/Vance Recreation and Parks Department, Youth Services Director
Curtis Tyndall, Vance Granville Community College, Coordinator of Public Serivces

Northern Coast
Fred Spruill, Jr., Retired, Chowan County

Northern Mountain
Jeff Patton, Universal Forest Products, National Account Manager

South Piedmont
Randy Rowland, City of Gastonia, Fire Captain

Southern Mountain
Charles Owenby, Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Sheriff

LGFCU is also proud to announce the addition of Katie Keravuori of Wake Forest to its Youth Advisory Council, Our Generation—Speakin’ Up. This group, which formed in February of 2008, comprises North Carolina middle and high school students. Now with 16 members, this group continues be instrumental in assisting the credit union in the development of a new generation of products and services for children, teens and young adults.

A Monroe firefighter got the surprise of a lifetime this week when the executive director of the N.C. State Firemen’s Association (NCSFA) personally delivered to him the prize for winning their "Swipe the Card, Win the Truck" sweepstakes—a 2010 Ford F-150.
 
"When I first saw the sign at the credit union about the truck giveaway, I just sat there and stared at it for a minute and thought, ‘That’d be nice, but it won’t happen to me," said sweepstakes winner Bryan Hancock, who is a volunteer and paid firefighter with the Town of Mint Hill and the City of Monroe, respectively, as well as a communications supervisor for the Mecklenburg County EMS Agency. "I’ve got a 1983 Chevrolet pickup right now, and it’s on its last legs. I’ve always wanted a new truck. This is incredible."
 
The debit card sweepstakes ran from August 2009 to through March 2010. Anyone who swiped their NCSFA Visa Debit Card between those dates was automatically entered to win the truck. The specially-structured Visa debit card, offered by Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), works by donating 50 percent of the merchant’s transaction fee from every purchase to the NCSFA—with no money coming out of the pockets of card carriers.
 
"This is a wonderful card program because it generates money for a great cause—to enhance the benefits the association offers its 50,000 members," said NCSFA Executive Director Paul Miller. "We are also very excited to be able to hand one of our own NCSFA members the keys to his new truck."
 
The sweepstakes generated 857,000 swipes and more than $75,000 for the NCSFA, which provides training, education and assistance to North Carolina firefighters. Since the card was launched in 2003, more than $368,000 has been generated for the association. More than 5,000 cards are in circulation.
 
"North Carolina’s firefighters put their lives on the line every time they respond to a call," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "We couldn’t be more delighted to partner with the NCSFA to offer this card because it gives something back to those who are out there serving and protecting us every day."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has launched two new services to help members stay informed with up-to-the-minute account details --- Two-Way Text Messaging and Alerts. Although the services were highlighted on SECU’s website, www.ncsecu.org, in April, the new options were just officially announced this week in the May issue of the Credit Union’s member newsletter Grassroots. Already over 40,000 members have signed up for Alerts and nearly 3,000 have registered for Two-Way Text Messaging.

Rick Rhoads, Senior Vice President of SECU’s E-Services department, states, "An increasing number of members rely on their mobile devices to stay connected as their busy lives keep them on the go. Finances are not something you want to fall by the wayside when you are traveling or just trying to manage a hectic schedule. No matter where they are, with these two new services members can stay in the loop on SECU account activity. Two-Way Text Messaging and Alerts also complement the Credit Union’s other beneficial online services including Member Access, Mobile Access, BillPay, and E-statements, to name a few."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) held its annual Youth Saving Challenge April 19th – 23rd and focused on the theme of getting youth "In the Savings Game." The Challenge resulted in over 13,000 young Credit Union members saving $2.3 million in the week! In addition, 527 new youth accounts were opened during SECU’s campaign, which was held in conjunction with National Credit Union Youth Week. Challenge prizes at SECU included extra deposits of $50 to $100 to randomly selected winners. To promote the Saving Challenge, branch personnel at SECU’s 230 locations created displays and held financial education activities, as well as presented workshops on financial topics in schools and communities.

Financial education is the focus of SECU’s youth programs, comprised of Fat Cat for ages 12 and under, and Zard for teens up to 19 years of age. Both programs have dedicated educational websites, www.cufatcats.org and www.teenzard.org, along with newsletters designed to complement their specialized savings accounts. The Fat Cat program also includes a dedicated mascot, who accompanies branch staff to community events and financial presentations statewide. SECU utilizes Fat Cat "Smart Money" workbooks to teach financial concepts to its youngest members, and incorporates the Biz Kid$ and NEFE (National Endowment for Financial Education) curricula for middle school and high school students, respectively. These materials are a great resource for school systems and community groups, as they are provided free of charge.

Sherry Lucas, Vice President of SECU’s Raeford branch, comments, "Our employees have gone to tremendous lengths to bring excitement to this year’s Saving Challenge. Their creative displays and enthusiasm made National Credit Union Youth Week a success with members of all ages, and we are thrilled to see the positive results of the Challenge. We look forward to this event each year to bring out the fun in saving and financial education."

Having just completed its third year of providing tax preparation services to members, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is pleased to announce the results of its efforts. SECU experienced a 41% increase in its free IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, preparing over 35,000 member returns. In its introductory season of paid tax preparation services, the Credit Union also assisted more than 2,100 members whose income thresholds surpassed the VITA guidelines. Between the two tax preparation programs, SECU helped members claim more than $26.2 million in tax credits, including $15.2 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). The cooperative helped members receive $52.8 million in tax refunds while saving them more than $5.4 million in tax preparation fees. SECU also provided a low cost 12% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) Tax Refund Express loan, but strongly encouraged members to avoid any Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL) costs by simply waiting on the quick electronic refund. To cap off the 2010 season, SECU representatives met with IRS officials on April 15th to discuss the success of the SECU/IRS VITA partnership.

Julie Garcia, Director of Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC) with the IRS, states, "I came to Raleigh to learn more about our VITA partnership with SECU and to discuss the impressive growth of their program and their efforts to help the underserved taxpayer. Two years ago, SECU completed 16,000 tax returns in their first year as a VITA partner, and this year, they completed more than 35,000. To be completing that number of tax returns with such dedication of resources is very impressive. By next year, SECU will have a VITA site in every county in North Carolina. We are hoping to replicate the SECU model in other states across the U.S."

Roger Burton, Territory Manager for IRS SPEC, adds, "SECU’s assistance in preparing taxpayer returns provides not only the quantity, but quality with regard to IRS acceptance of their returns. SECU has developed an effective training program that allows them to train nearly 1,000 VITA preparers with help from only two IRS employees. By replicating this model, we can improve outreach to an even greater number of taxpayers."

Josh Kelly, SECU’s Senior Vice President of Tax Preparation Services, responds, " The success SECU experienced this tax season is a direct reflection of the dedication and teamwork exhibited by Credit Union staff. It is extremely rewarding to know we have helped so many SECU members receive funds that can be used to enhance their financial well-being. We look forward to our continued partnership with the IRS on the no-cost VITA program, as well as our expansion of SECU’s low-cost paid preparation services."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held to mark the grand opening of SECU Hospice House of Johnston Health in Smithfield, North Carolina. Nearly 500 people attended the ceremony, including U.S. Congressman Bob Etheridge and numerous Johnston County officials. SECU Foundation was represented at the event by Shirley Bell, Chairman of the SECU Foundation Board and David King, immediate past-Chair of the Foundation Board, as well as Patti Hooper, Senior Vice President of SECU in Smithfield and Mark Twisdale, Executive Director of the SECU Foundation. The House, opening its doors with no debt, is a culmination of donations received from more than 1,000 individuals, businesses and towns within Johnston County and is a testament to the hard work of countless volunteers "making it happen" in a difficult economy. With a $1 million grant from the SECU Foundation, the Hospice House is the first of its kind in Johnston County with an 18-bed in-patient facility that will serve the terminally ill in the area.

The new facility will provide numerous services, including 24-hour medical and nursing care, along with pain and symptom management, social work and bereavement services. A key factor in bringing the project to fruition within the Johnston County area was the financial participation of all ten incorporated towns within the county, reinforcing the need for and importance of the facility to the area citizens.

Shirley Bell, comments, "As a resident of Clayton, NC in Johnston County, I have seen first-hand the need for such a facility in this area. SECU members are proud to partner with Johnston Health and look forward to working with the people of this county for many years. Projects like SECU Hospice House of Johnston Health epitomize our ‘People Helping People’ Credit Union philosophy."

Patti Hooper, adds, "Local SECU staff and volunteers have been behind this project from the very beginning and we are so pleased to see SECU Hospice House of Johnston Health open its doors to this community. While many area families have been helped through hospice services in past years, an even greater number of patients and patient families can now be served through this facility."

Frances Efird	Bill Coward	Paul Miller

Al Richardson	Ann Suggs	Ruth Barnes

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the re-election of Bill Coward of New Bern, Frances Efird of High Point and Paul Miller of Snow Hill to its board of directors for the 2010-2013 term.

Coward, a retired personnel manager for the City of New Bern, has been an LGFCU member since 1991, and was elected to the board of directors in 1998. Efird, who is currently living in and retired from the City of High Point, has been an LGFCU member since 1994, serving on the board since 1995. Miller, the executive director of the N.C. State Firemen’s Association, is a resident of Snow Hill who joined the board in 2000.

In addition to his reappointment, Miller was also named board chairman. Board member Al Richardson of Black Mountain was named vice chairman, and Ruth Barnes of Atlantic Beach and Ann R. Suggs of Raleigh were each renamed to their positions of treasurer and secretary, respectively. All members of the nine-person board contribute their time and effort without compensation.

"All coming from local government, our board members are true representatives of the membership, meaning they are best able to advocate for it," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "We are fortunate to have them serving us in this capacity, and look forward to the direction in which they’ll lead us."

This event was made possible through the hard work of all the volunteers, the sponsors, and the 46 teams that played. Next year’s tournament is slated for April 22.

Since 1995, Marine FCU has raised a total of $667,100 for area organizations that impacted its community.

Amy Klassen (center), Community Outreach Manager at Denver Community Credit Union, was a participant of the 2009 program in Costa Rica. Upon her return she said, "Costa Rica is a place that really believes in cooperatives. Being there reignited my passion for what credit unions do and reminded me of the importance of our existence as an industry."

This story reminds us that a simple shift in viewpoint can bring us a fuller understanding of how other people see and experience the world. It also seems applicable to the way credit unions reach out to their Hispanic members.

Like everyone, Hispanics need affordable and ethical financial services. Credit unions can provide those services. But as the story above illustrates, credit unions can’t successfully connect with Hispanics unless they understand the context of the lives of people within this group.

World Council of Credit Unions’ (WOCCU) Spanish Immersion Program (SIP) offers an unmatched opportunity for credit union professionals to experience that context. The program emphasizes relating and marketing to Hispanics through direct immersion in their culture. WOCCU began this program in 2007, first sending participants to Mexico. This year, the program takes on new life in the beautiful Central American nation of Costa Rica — a country known for its progressive and member-focused credit unions.

Ben Hill, president and CEO of Blue Flame Credit Union in Charlotte, N.C., attended the inaugural immersion program two years ago and speaks highly of the experience. "It gives you greater insight into how credit unions work in different countries and takes you back to our movement’s roots of people helping people."

Unlike other training opportunities that focus on marketing credit union services to Hispanics, WOCCU’s Immersion Program includes lodging and two daily meals with a pre-selected Costa Rican host family. Participants also intern in a credit union to see first-hand the unique ways the institution serves its members.

The one- or two-week program also includes four hours each day of Spanish classes scaled to the abilities of people at all language learning levels. "You leave with an appreciation for how difficult it is to function in a language that you do not speak," said Hill. He added that while the days are sometimes mentally exhausting, "it was easily made up for by the exhilarating experience and the wonderful people I met."

As a country, Costa Rica boasts lush rain forests, beautiful beaches on two coasts, and friendly, down-to-earth people who live, as they like to say, la pura vida - the pure life. Their viewpoint, along with the unparalleled opportunities offered by WOCCU’s program, will help you see and understand the role of serving your Hispanic members in new and more productive ways to help grow your credit union.

The 2010 Spanish Immersion Program takes place this fall in San Jose, Costa Rica. The one-week session runs from Oct. 2 – 9 and the two-week session from Oct. 2 – 16. An early bird discount of $100 will be applied to registrations received before June 30, 2010. For more information, please contact Joshua Fetting, International Partnerships Program specialist, at jfetting@woccu.org or 608-395-2060. You may also go to http://www.woccu.org/sip to learn more.

(Written by Jeff Hardin, director of communiations for the NC Credit Union League.)

North Carolina’s National College Savings Program (NC 529 Plan) has added the Federally-Insured Deposit Account, which is provided by State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU), to the investment options it offers. Announced by College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) on April 12th, the deposit account provides protection of principal and earnings, offers a competitive interest rate, and is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The new investment option is the culmination of a collaboration between SECU, College Foundation, Inc. and the NC State Education Assistance Authority.

A 529 Plan is a tax-advantaged education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution and is designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. Contributions by NC taxpayers made to the Federally-Insured Deposit Account or any of the other 13 investment options available in the NC 529 Plan may be eligible for an annual state income tax deduction. Earnings on investment options in a NC 529 account also grow free from federal and NC income tax, and are not taxed by the NC or federal government upon withdrawal when used for qualified higher education expenses.

Shera Hube, Vice President for marketing and savings at College Foundation, Inc., which administers the NC 529 Plan, says "This new option should be particularly appealing for conservative investors who want return without worry about investment loss, or perhaps have an older child who will soon be attending college."

Joan McCool, Senior Vice President of SECU’s IRA & Investment Services department comments, "State Employees’ Credit Union is pleased to have a role in making the Federally-Insured Deposit Account available through the NC National College Savings Program. SECU members have expressed an interest in this type of account, and we are very pleased that Credit Union members and non-members interested in investing for college have this option."

Steve Brooks, Executive Director for the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, which established and maintains the NC 529 Plan, adds, "We have worked with State Employees’ Credit Union on several projects that have been a real benefit to families paying for college. Making a federally-insured investment option available now for all NC 529 Plan participants to consider is another good example of how our organizations collaborate to make higher education possible."

United Services Credit Union, a local not-for-profit financial institution, is helping its members achieve their dreams of a higher education with their third annual scholarship program. Four credit union members, already attending or admitted to an institution of higher education, received a $750.00 scholarship each. The scholarships were awarded during the credit union’s 54th Annual Membership Meeting on April 20, 2010.

This is a merit based scholarship; applicants must submit proof of enrollment at an institution of higher education, proof of GPA, the minimum is 3.0, and a one page essay highlighting their achievements in high school or college as well as their community involvement and volunteer activities. A committee of five community leaders reviews the entries to select the four winners. Volunteering their time in the committee are Fernando Little, Director of Human Resources at Mission Hospital, Allison Jordan, Executive Director of Children First of Buncombe County, Janet Moore, Director, Community Relations, Marketing & Communications at Mission Hospital, James Carter, Director of Membership Sales at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Holly Waltemyer, Assistant Director UNC Asheville Career Center. United Services Credit Union would like to thank the committee their time in selecting four deserving winners.

Pictured with the Carolinas Cup are, from left to right, John Slack, president and CEO, Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, and Mike Defnet, senior vice president of sales, CUNA Mutual Group.

The 6th Annual Carolinas Cup, held March 28-30, at the Embassy Suites Golf Resort & Conference Center Greenville, was hosted by the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, the North and South Carolina credit union leagues and CUNA Mutual Group.

Victory Junction was founded by NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and his wife, Pattie, in memory of their son, Adam, who was killed in a NASCAR racing accident in 2000. The camp, located in Randleman, N.C., is designed to enrich the lives of children with chronic illnesses by creating experiences that are exciting, fun, physically safe and medically sound.

The Carolinas Cup event, which was won by the South Carolina contingent, has generated nearly $300,000 for Victory Junction since its inception.

"We can't thank our credit unions and business partners from North and South Carolina enough for making the 2010 Carolinas Cup the best yet.  From sponsorships, to golfers and those that participated in the auction, everyone generously supported this charity event during a very difficult economic time," said Robin Kolvek, sales manager for CUNA Mutual’s South Region.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members are providing funding through the SECU Foundation to benefit Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County (HPCIC), helping to expand hospice services in Iredell and surrounding counties. The project, which will include a new six-bed wing, will be accompanied by an Education Center to assist in training staff to better serve

end-of-life patients. The $250,000 grant check was presented at Hospice of Iredell’s annual meeting in March and a groundbreaking ceremony was held March 25th to officially kick off the project.

The expansion will increase the number of beds from 9 to 15 in the Iredell County Gordon Hospice House. The House, the only provider of hospice in-patient services in the county, serves patients who are acutely ill with significant clinical needs and can no longer be cared for in their own homes. In 2008, Hospice of Iredell County served 793 patients and their families, 228 of them at the Gordon Hospice House. The new wing is scheduled for completion in spring 2011 and will provide 7,780 square feet of additional patient space.

Walter Jones, a Mooresville attorney and Board of Directors Chair at Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, said, "With this generous gift, State Employees’ Credit Union members via the SECU Foundation have helped ensure that our goal to provide critical end-of-life care to more members of our community is now within reach.  This gift is a true demonstration of the difference each member of the local Mooresville and Statesville SECU branches is making in the life of our community.  We are grateful for their giving back to others in such a profound way to provide for those at a most vulnerable time in life."

Terri Guzman, President/CEO with Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, added, "On behalf of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County, we are pleased to accept funding to help expand hospice services in our area and offer our sincere gratitude to the members of State Employees’ Credit Union. The SECU Mission Statement of ‘People Helping People in North Carolina’ is truly represented with this generous gift toward the Gordon Hospice House expansion.  The grant of $250,000 by SECU members through their Foundation offers Hospice of Iredell County an opportunity to complete the fundraising goal of $1.8 million. We are pleased to announce with the addition of this gift, we are now at $1.6 million --- 89% of the goal to build this unit."

Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chair, responds, "We are thrilled to be able to assist the citizens of Iredell and surrounding counties by providing funds for expanded hospice services. Our local volunteer Advisory Board members in the area have been instrumental in their support of this project and we look forward to the enhanced services for their communities."

Pictured (from left): State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson and State Treasurer Janet Cowell visit with representatives of the student-run credit union at Simon G. Atkins Academic and Technology High School in Winston-Salem.

In celebration of Financial Literacy for Youth Month, proclaimed by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, State Treasurer Janet Cowell and State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson visited Allegacy's student run credit union at Simon G. Atkins Academic and Technology High School in Winston-Salem.  During the two hour stop on Friday, April 9, Treasurer Cowell and Superintendent Atkinson met with the student credit union employees and discussed what they have learned from Allegacy’s program.

"This experience has taught me responsibility, how to save and manage my money, and the importance of establishing and maintaining good credit," student credit union employee and senior K’shawn Sutton told the government officials. Another Allegacy student run credit union, which opened at Reagan High School in September 2008, was the first high school student credit union in the state of North Carolina. Since then, Allegacy has opened a total of four student run credit unions in the Triad including West Forsyth High School in Clemmons and R.B. Glenn High School in Kernersville.

"We're proud to be at the forefront of financial literacy with four Allegacy student run credit unions," said John Williams, Allegacy Vice President of Community and Governmental Affairs. "We're glad to see the topic get attention from the Governor and other state officials who can help incorporate it into the curriculum of all North Carolina public schools."

The Atkins Student Run Credit Union has 144 members that total 223 accounts and just under $55,000 in assets. Allegacy's four student run credit unions have a total of 424 members with 665 accounts and assets of nearly $400,000.

Winston-Salem was the second stop on the four-city tour for these two state officials throughout North Carolina in the month of April. "Financial literacy starts at home but schools play a critical role as well," stated State Treasurer Cowell.

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of six new advisory council members to six of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

March’s appointees are:

Central Coast
Susan Nixon, Town of Morehead City, Human Resources Officer

Eastern Sandhills
Deborah Disbrow, Town of Hope Mills, Human Resources Adminstrator

North Piedmont
Jake Hagler III, City of High Point, Line Crew Foreman

Northern Mountain
Scott Buffkin, Town of Jonesville, Town Manager

Southern Coast
Debbie Grymes, New Hanover County, Payroll Administration Analyst

Wake
Shonda Corbett, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Cashier

Pictured (from left):  Jane Wolfe accepted on behalf of her son, Amble Smoker of Cherokee, NC; Amelia Ward of Canton, NC; Antonitte Burrell of Sylva, NC; Monica Henry of Franklin, NC; Amanda Walker of Flat Rock, NC and Doug Cutshall of Leicester, NC.

"We are very proud to assist these members in continuing their education. Our philosophy is ‘people helping people’ in the communities that we serve", said Patty Idol, President of Mountain Credit Union.

The scholarships were awarded at the Annual Membership Meeting of Mountain Credit Union held on Thursday, March 11 at the Maggie Valley Club.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is now offering members a brand new account/card option designed to help them manage their spending --- introducing Cash Points Global (CPG). Cash Points Global is a controlled spending account with electronic only access through a CPG card. There are no checks, no paper statements and all transactions are limited to the available funds in the account, so there is no risk of overdraft or NSF fees. Expected to be popular among numerous member groups, the CPG account/card is especially ideal for travelers, frequent online shoppers, students and those without a traditional checking account.

SECU intentionally designed Cash Points Global to meet the needs of various members and provide convenience with a no overdraft risk account. With the elimination of paper Travelers Cheques at SECU by the end of April, CPG provides a wonderful alternative to access funds during trips. The controlled spending feature of the account/card also appeals to not only students and their parents, but also to members who may not currently have traditional checking services. The CPG account/card, with a $1.00 per month fee (routed to the SECU Foundation), can be used anywhere the Visa logo is displayed! Access is also allowed at any of SECU’s 1,100 Cash Points Automated Teller Machines, through ASK-SECU phone service or via the web at www.ncsecu.org in secure Member Access or Mobile Access.

Leanne Phelps, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Card and Record Services states, "SECU is very excited to have Cash Points Global available, as it can benefit so many of our members. Not only is it a great account for travelers and students, online shoppers can limit their fraud risk exposure with this controlled spending account/card and members who do not have a traditional checking account can use CPG to handle their financial affairs in a traditional manner, even using SECU’s BillPay service. And prior to announcing CPG to SECU’s membership, the Credit Union opened more than 700 Cash Points Global accounts, demonstrating what we expect will be a strong positive response for this product!"

Coastal Federal Credit Union's magazine, BEACON, was honored at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing and Business Development Council’s Diamond Awards competition, which announced winners during its annual conference in March.  The magazine earned the Diamond Award in the Newsletter and Magazine Publication category for credit unions with assets above $1 billion.

Coastal publishes BEACON on a quarterly basis. The credit union produces 40,000 copies that are mailed to members, distributed at branches and given away at community events. Coastal's marketing team develops most of the content and produces the entire layout internally.

BEACON balances credit union news with other financial articles that are relevant to local readers. Whenever possible, articles feature Coastal members, business partners and people or businesses from the community.

"Our goal is to provide our readers, whether they're members or the public, with useful articles about a variety of topics that affect them financially," said Joe Mecca, Coastal's marketing communications manager.  

The credit union uses the magazine to advertise its own products and services, but avoids having advertising written into articles.

"Sometimes an article requires us to talk about Coastal specifically, but we make a conscious effort to separate the content from the advertising, which I believe makes both more impactful," Mecca added.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) recently partnered with College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) and the North Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NCASFAA) to serve as sites for FAFSA Day, which was held Saturday, February 13th. FAFSA, short for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is used to determine eligibility for federal and state financial aid and other college funding opportunities. Held annually, FAFSA Day is hosted in various locations throughout North Carolina as an opportunity for students and their families to obtain help completing the FAFSA form --- the required first step for qualifying for federal and state aid including grants, work-study and loans. SECU first began its FAFSA Day participation in 2009, when it piloted the program in three branches. The success of that pilot program encouraged SECU personnel to pursue the partnership on a much larger scale by including all branch locations, and in preparation for the 2010 FAFSA Day, CFNC and SECU trained nearly 700 personnel to assist with the effort.

Although the 2010 FAFSA Day event was met with some weather challenges, as snow and ice blanketed parts of North Carolina, 115 of SECU’s statewide branches opened to assist members throughout the day. The remaining SECU offices that were unable to open on the 13th offered help the following two weeks, as additional student families were assisted with the application process by Credit Union personnel.

Paulette Bowden, Vice President of IRA Systems and Projects for SECU, served as the organization’s FAFSA program coordinator. She states, "SECU was extremely pleased to partner with CFNC and NCASFAA to help students with this very important application. Most North Carolina families cannot afford to pay for college without some form of financial aid and the FAFSA is a crucial piece in obtaining any needed aid. SECU is a strong supporter of education, and events like FAFSA Day allow the Credit Union another wonderful opportunity to assist members with their higher education pursuits. I am so proud of all the SECU employees who helped with this tremendous effort and I thank CFNC and NCASFAA for their guidance throughout the process!"

Robbie Schultz, Outreach Manager of the Grants, Training and Outreach Division of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, a CFNC partner comments, "We were pleased that SECU partnered with us to bring the FAFSA Day opportunity to so many people we were not able to reach in the past. SECU is an organization that is committed to promoting educational access to North Carolinians, and we look forward to working with them in future years."

Jennie Gentry, President
Cooperative Council of North Carolina
www.ccnc.coop
919-834-5544

(Note: this information is provided by the NC Secretary of State's office as a courtesy to NC credit unions. Feel free to use this information in any communications with your members.)

Beware of the Hidden Risks in Foreign Currency Trading 

The North Carolina Secretary of State Securities Division (Division) is warning North Carolinians about potential hidden costs and the high degree of risk related to seminars or computer programs promoting foreign currency exchange trading, known as FOREX or FX Trading. While advertisements claim one can learn to trade quickly and easily on the foreign exchange market, the fine-print disclaimer invariably states otherwise. Through newspaper, radio, television and Internet advertisements, North Carolinians may be solicited to learn to invest in the foreign currency exchange market. Free demonstrations of the software are often accompanied by high-pressure sales tactics to purchase software programs for thousands of dollars.

What the Ads May Promise:

• You won’t find an easier, more tested and flexible way to put dollars in your portfolio.
• You can make profits with as little as $300.
• You trade without commissions and trading is available 24 hours a day, six days a week.
• The FOREX market is the largest financial market in the world and provides more opportunities than you’d ever get in the stock market.
• The seminars will prove how easy it is to make money from currency trading.
• You can make real money by mortgaging your house or using your retirement funds.

What They Don’t Tell You:

• The software being promoted looks at past performance to identify trends in currency trading, using these trends to predict the currency’s value in the future. As helpful as the software seems, it cannot accurately predict market fluctuations, nor can profits be guaranteed
• While there may be no commissions, the promoters make money from the sale of the software and on the “spread” between the buy and sell quotes made on each purchase and sale.
• Most of the success stories are fake
• They have only been in business a short time

The Fine Print

The Division advises consumers to check out any offer making extravagant claims about investment returns. The fine print provides a wealth of knowledge about what the software actually delivers. Investors should have the appropriate financial and business experience before investing in the FOREX market. Before becoming involved in FOREX trading follow these seven steps to safeguard yourself:

1. Be wary of opportunities that sound “too good to be true”

Opportunities promoting exaggerated returns are always suspect, especially if you have recently acquired a large sum of cash through a retirement fund or other means. These funds are attractive targets for fraud.

2. Stay away from offers that promise little or no financial risk

Be skeptical of any company that downplays the risks or asks you to sign a risk-disclosure statement, secrecy, or confidentiality agreement. Trading in foreign currency is volatile and poses high risk for consumers. You should not invest money you cannot afford to lose.

3. Avoid margin trading (leveraging) unless you understand its consequences

This type of trading makes investors responsible for far more money than they have invested. If you trade on margin, be prepared to accept losses that exceed your investment. In some cases that amount may be 100 times the original investment. 

4. Be suspicious of “intrabank markets”

Fraudulent firms will often tell customers that their funds will be traded in the “intrabank market.” Be suspicious of this offer as this market is normally reserved for banks, investment banks and large corporations.

5. Don’t send or transfer cash on the Internet

Be alert to the dangers of trading online. It’s easy to trade but often impossible to get a refund. Fraudulent companies can set up Internet websites easily to reach a large audience. Many of these companies will transfer your money overseas where it will be difficult, if not impossible, to trace or recover.

6. Get the company’s track record

Get all the information you can about the firm or individual’s performance record. Remember that it could be very difficult to verify the information you receive. Glossy brochures or stylish presentations do not guarantee legitimacy. Ask presenters to be specific about what makes them experts in the subject matter. Just because they appear or claim to have made a lot of money investing in foreign currency doesn’t mean it’s true.

7. No background, no investment

Check any information you receive to make sure the company is and does what it says. Call the Securities Division 1-800-688-4507 (and the Better Business Bureau or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission) to get as much information about the organization as you can. Ask for written information from the company. Be wary of confidentiality agreements as this often means the investment is a scheme. If they cannot satisfy these requests, it is best to avoid investing through this company.

Fraudulent Currency Contracts 

While much foreign currency trading is legitimate, a form of foreign currency trading has been used in recent years to defraud members of the public. Currency trading scams often attract customers through advertisements in local newspapers, radio or through the Internet. These advertisements may tout highly-paid employment opportunities or high-return, low-risk investment opportunities in foreign currency trading (FOREX).

Foreign currency contracts may be legitimately traded either on a recognized futures exchange or in the "interbank market," which generally involves trading between large institutions such as banks and corporations, rather than individual or retail customers. Fraudulent currency trading firms often tell customers that their trading is done in the "interbank market." Be wary of any firm that claims that you can or should trade in the "interbank market" or that it can or will do so on your behalf. Your losses can be very large in a single day. Companies that tell you otherwise may well be engaged in illegal activities.

Don’t trade on margin unless you understand what it means

Many currency traders ask customers to give them money known as "margin," often sums in the range of $1,000 to $5,000. These amounts, which are relatively small in the currency markets, actually control far larger dollar amounts of trading. You need to be aware that margin trading can make you responsible for dollar losses that are far greater than the margin amount you deposited. Don’t trade on margin unless you fully understand what you are doing and are prepared to accept losses that exceed the margin amounts you paid.

Currency scams often target members of ethnic minorities

Some currency trading scams target potential customers in ethnic communities, particularly persons in African American, religious or immigrant communities, through advertisements in ethnic newspapers and television "infomercials." Many such advertisements offer so-called "job opportunities" for "account executives" to trade foreign currencies. Be aware that "account executives" they hire might be expected to use their own money for currency trading, as well as recruit their family and friends to do likewise. No promising job opportunity will ever ask you to put up your own money as a condition of employment. What appears to be a promising job opportunity is actually another way for these companies to lure people into parting with their money.

Pictured (from left): Bob Kucab, Executive Director of the NC Housing Finance Agency; Spencer Scarboro, SVP of SECU Mortgage Originations; Robert Charest, Assistant Professor and Director of UNCG’s Urban Studio; Dr. Laura Sims, Dean of the UNCG School of Human Environmental Sciences; The Honorable Kay Hagan, US Senator; Chuck Hodierne, Executive Director of Youth Focus, Inc; Mark Twisdale, SECU Foundation Executive Director.

Opening its doors this month, My Sister’s House came to fruition through a variety of partners including UNC-Greensboro, the YWCA, Greensboro Technical Community College, the City of Greensboro and Youth Focus, Inc. among others. The maternity home provides transitional housing for young women ages 16-21, who are victims of domestic violence or are homeless. Up to five young women and their infants can be served at any given time with stays ranging from 6 to 24 months. In addition to providing a safe living environment, My Sister’s House offers counseling, education and life skills training for its residents.

Chuck Hodierne, Executive Director of Youth Focus, Inc., the non-profit that manages the maternity home states, "So many wonderful partner groups came together to bring the vision of My Sister’s House to a reality. Through the Foundation financing, SECU members played an integral role in the success of this project, and all of us involved are very thankful for that support."

Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board Chair, comments, "On behalf of the Foundation and the members of SECU, we are very pleased to see the doors open to My Sister’s House. This home epitomizes the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy of the SECU Foundation and will truly make a positive difference in the lives of the young women. Likewise, the project was an exemplary model of many groups cooperating to benefit others."

Proponent Federal Credit Union President/CEO Debi Van Dorn cuts the ribbon on the credit union's new 16,000 square foot facility in Burlington.

"Our new building is clearly a statement of our commitment to the Burlington community and reflects Proponent’s financial stability and soundness as we continue to be a trusted advocate for our members," says Debi Van Dorn, President of Proponent. "Reaching out and becoming a part of the communities that we serve is one of the values that Proponent holds in the highest regard."

Greeted by bright sunshine and mild temperatures, a large crowd of members and local dignitaries came to Proponent's new facility for tours, lunch and the chance to visit together. In her remarks prior to the dedication of the building, Van Dorn noted that the credit union is a "Service-minded organization." In keeping with those values, a large banner posted on the street read simply, "15,899 square feet of service -- now open!"    

Proponent Federal Credit Union currently has almost 30,000 members and has a large presence in Alamance County through Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) and other local employers.

Pictured (from left): Patty Idol, Mountain Credit Union President; Charles Blankenship, Pisgah HS Booster Club President; Tanya Haskett, MCU Branch Manager; Dana Thompson, MCU Marketing Director; Danny Miller Pisgah HS Principal; Casey Kruk, Pisgah HS Boys Basketball Head Coach; David Pressley, Pisgah HS Athletic Director; Brandon Holloway, Pisgah HS Girls Basketball Head Coach.

"We have a proud history of providing support to the Haywood County school system", said Patty Idol, President of Mountain Credit Union. "After hearing about the request from Charles Blankenship, President of the Pisgah High School Booster Club, we wanted to step in and help."

Mountain Credit Union contributes to area schools throughout the year by being a distribution point for WNC Credit Unions/Eblen Charities Food for Thought program and collecting school supplies in July and August of every year. Pisgah High School seniors who are members of Mountain Credit Union are eligible to apply for an annual scholarship given by Mountain Credit Union. Pisgah high school students have won this scholarship many times throughout the years. "Our young people are our future", says Tanya Haskett, Branch Manager of Mountain Credit Union. "We want to be a part of a community effort to enrich their lives and their education – that is why we choose to support the Haywood County school system in so many different ways".

Pisgah High School will be receiving the equipment within the next few weeks and it will be available for coaches and players.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members, via the SECU Foundation, have provided a $125,000 grant to Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to continue production of Exploring North Carolina (ENC). The grant will help to deliver a digital record of North Carolina’s natural heritage to all students across the State, reaching homes and schools via UNC-TV, North Carolina’s only statewide network, through DVDs and the Internet.

, a five-time Emmy nominated program, first aired in 2005 and is one of the most popular, and most widely aired programs on UNC-TV. The series is also distributed nationally on the Apple Computer’s "iTunes U" network. The purpose of ENC is to identify and explore North Carolina’s most unique and important natural resources. Each episode in the series is a mini-adventure featuring the plants, animals, geology, and history, both natural and social, of North Carolina’s greatest places. The footage is shot in high definition and is closed caption for the hearing impaired.

Tom Earnhardt, President of the Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences serves as co-producer, writer and host of Exploring North Carolina. Mr. Earnhardt states, "I can think of no organization more supportive of North Carolina’s natural heritage than State Employees’ Credit Union. With the help of the members of SECU, through the SECU Foundation, we will continue to produce exciting new episodes of Exploring North Carolina, while at the same time preserving a permanent digital record of our unique natural resources. We are honored by this grant and the trust it conveys to all of us who believe that quality of life in North Carolina is directly related to good stewardship of the natural world."

Dr. Betsy Bennett, Director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences comments, "The Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is greatly appreciative of the grant from the SECU Foundation. Through this grant, SECU members will not only make possible the continued production of this series, but will help preserve the archival quality, high-definition images collected by Natural World Productions, LLC. We believe this image collection of plants, animals, ecosystems, along with the numerous interviews of North Carolina scientists, educators, and naturalists is truly unique and must be preserved and utilized for years to come."

Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board Chair, remarks, "The SECU Foundation grant for ENC is an educational investment for the citizens of North Carolina, especially our State’s students. SECU members are allowing this informative program to continue, while the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust will help it get in the hands of schools statewide. This is a wonderful partnership of many groups who see the tremendous value in archiving and preserving North Carolina history for future generations."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of 12 new advisory council members to seven of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

February’s appointees are:

North Piedmont
Tim McKinney, City of High Point, Director of Facility Services

Northern Mountain
Garry Brown, Wilkesboro Volunteer Fire Department, Safety Officer

South Piedmont
William Toro, Gastonia ABC Board, Sales Associate
Stephanie Wooten, Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Assistant Fiscal Analyst

Southern Coast
Pamela Ball, Town of Leland, Building Inspector

Southern Mountain
Karen Lawrence, Polk County, Deputy Director of Elections
Sheila Pike, Metro Sewerage District of Buncombe County, Payroll Benefits Manager
Timothy Rayburn, Enka Fire Department, Fire Chief

Wake
Erika Phillips, Town of Holly Springs, Human Resources Director

Western Mountain
Kyra Doster, Macon County Sheriff’s Department, Administrative Officer

LGFCU is also proud to announce the addition of Victoria Sandy of Norwood and Grant Owenby of Balsam Grove to its Youth Advisory Council, Our Generation—Speakin’ Up. This group, which formed in February of 2008, comprises North Carolina middle and high school students. Now with 13 members, this group continues be instrumental in assisting the credit union in the development of a new generation of products and services for children, teens and young adults.

After nearly 27 years exclusively serving North Carolina’s local government employees, elected/appointed officials, volunteers and their families, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) has reached a major business milestone—surpassing $1 billion in assets.

"This is a big moment for LGFCU—particularly right now, when the economy and so many other financial institutions are still struggling," says President Maurice Smith. "We are fortunate that back in 1983 we were founded on a solid business model with great partners and a strong member focus, and we continue to operate the same way today."

LGFCU has been known in credit union circles for years because of its unique partnership with State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU), with whom it contracts for branch and ATM services. Today, that partnership means any of LGFCU’s 181,000 members can use 225 branches and 1,060 fee-free ATMs across North Carolina.

The credit union’s efforts to support its members during this tough economy are another reason it continues to thrive. A Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) and subprime direct mail campaign are two ways in which LGFCU has demonstrated a commitment to help the membership. To date, MAP has helped nearly 300 LGFCU members put together realistic action plans to help them maintain their mortgages. LGFCU also hopes that its recent subprime mailing, which went to 12,400 members, will be as successful as a similar mailing done in 2007. At that time, the credit union reached out to 18,500 members, resulting in more than 100 being able to stay in their homes.

Other efforts to help members stay financially afloat include offering unemployment protection on share term certificates (STCs), meaning members can withdraw STC funds early without penalty; and expanding financial education outreach through free counseling and seminars, which benefitted more than 3,000 people last year alone.

"Serving our members is our sole reason for being," said Smith. "They are the reason we have reached this milestone, and they are the reason we will continue to strive for the next one."

During the past year, State Employees’ Credit Union’s (SECU’s) 801 Hillsborough Street branch in Raleigh, NC featured an array of artwork created by a unique group – students from North Carolina’s Governor Morehead School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The displayed artwork, from forty students in grades K-12, celebrated the extraordinary talents of the youth. The display was part of an ongoing project established by SECU in 2003, providing art teachers a forum to feature their school’s programs. SECU’s partnership with the Governor Morehead School, a division of North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) made for a natural fit, as DHHS employees are within SECU’s field of membership.

Founded in 1845, the Governor Morehead School (GMS) in Raleigh is the only residential school for blind and visually impaired students in North Carolina. The school also serves blind and visually impaired students across the state in their local school setting. Teachers at the Governor Morehead School strive to make learning as experiential and "hands on" as possible. Teaching techniques in visual art classes include hand over hand or hand under hand methods and students are given concrete, touchable examples of concepts such as shape versus form.

Governor Morehead School (GMS) Director Barbria Bacon comments, "Visual Arts teacher Alice Zincone has done a fabulous job with GMS’s art program and we appreciate State Employees’ Credit Union featuring the students’ artwork. Displays like the one at SECU help the community learn about our school and extends the learning environment for our students. Several of the students visited the branch to see their artwork and they were very proud. It’s so good for their self-esteem."

Ann Speck, Vice President of SECU’s 801 Hillsborough Street office adds, "We were very pleased to feature the beautiful artwork from the Governor Morehead School students. Their display added a wonderful creative touch to our branch, and it was a highlight for many of our members. In addition to the artwork displays, we are also proud to partner with GMS to provide financial education for its students. We have held numerous financial workshops at the school and look forward to continuing these efforts."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members, via the SECU Foundation, are providing a 0% $500,000 construction loan for a new With Friends Residential Maternity Home in Gaston County, North Carolina. Through a partnership with North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA), the SECU Foundation loan will provide an estimated savings of $30,000 - $40,000 for With Friends, Inc., a non-profit serving youth who are homeless, runaways, or in crisis because of family dysfunction or lack of connections with other adults and the community. Among those present at the groundbreaking ceremony were local Gastonia officials, NCHFA representatives and With Friends advocates.

Serving seven North Carolina counties, With Friends, Inc. is building this new home to benefit pregnant teens or parenting girls with babies who are homeless or displaced. Residents will be provided an individual service plan consisting of housing, education, employment goals, training and other child-related services. The project is a one-story 5,800 square foot facility with six bedrooms, private baths, and common areas including a kitchen, dining room, play room, computer lab and a counseling center.

Stacy Cooper, Vice President of SECU’s Gastonia – Cox Road branch, was on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony. She comments, "It was very exciting to be present at this event to mark the beginning of a very worthwhile project. SECU members are continuing to demonstrate the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy through another NC Housing Finance Agency initiative. We look forward to the completion of the With Friends Home and the positive impact it will have on the lives of youth in Gaston and surrounding counties."

Mary Reca Todd, Manager of Supportive Housing for NC Housing Finance Agency, remarks, "The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is pleased to partner with the SECU Foundation and other community funders to help ‘With Friends’ realize its vision for a maternity home for pregnant teens and their babies. This transitional home located on the campus of the With Friends Shelter for homeless and runaway children will provide a safe, nurturing environment for teen mothers and their babies until they are ready for independent living."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is pleased to announce its support of River City Community Development Corporation’s (RCCDC’s) efforts to assist eastern North Carolina residents in attaining homeownership, with grant funding from the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL). The NCDOL grant will provide for the creation of new Individual Development Account (IDA) programs in North Carolina. SECU is poised to serve as the primary financial institution for the RCCDC program, opening IDAs for its current and potential members who may qualify.

IDAs are matched savings accounts that enable people with low incomes to save money, build assets, and enter the financial mainstream. Every dollar that is saved in an IDA is typically matched with donations from some government agency, non-profit organization or private company. The IDA program matches the incentive with financial literacy and training for first time homebuyers. IDAs can reward the monthly savings of working-low-income families who are trying to buy their first home. The River City Community Development Corporation program will allow residents of Chowan, Gates, Pasquotank, Dare, Camden, Currituck, and Perquimans counties to save in IDAs and receive matching funds, enabling them to make a down payment on the American dream of homeownership. For every dollar saved up to a maximum of $1,000, funds will be matched on a 2:1 ratio through the NCDOL grant project.

Tyrone Tyler, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Elizabeth City-Halstead Blvd. branch, comments, "Northeastern regions of our State have higher concentrations of low-income residents who often struggle to save and attain long-term goals such as homeownership. River City Community Development Corporation’s IDA program will offer an opportunity for these citizens to own a home for the first time. The 2:1 account match from the NC Department of Labor will be instrumental in making dreams into realities for some North Carolinians. SECU is pleased to join with RCCDC and NCDOL to assist our members through this IDA program."

Julieta Smith, Director of the Housing Counseling Division of River City Community Development Corporation, adds, "We are thrilled to have received the NC Department of Labor grant and look forward to helping some residents in Northeastern North Carolina realize their dreams of owning a home. This has been a great achievement that will help us celebrate our 20 years of services. We appreciate the efforts of State Employees’ Credit Union in agreeing to serve as an administrator of IDA accounts for their current and potential members in the RCCDC program. Together, RCCDC, SECU and NCDOL will be able to make a positive difference!"

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of 23 new advisory council members to 12 of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

January’s appointees are:

Central Piedmont
Hannah Keller, Davie County, Deputy Register of Deeds

Foothills
Coy Reid, Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Executive Officer

North Piedmont
Maynard Reid, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff

North Triangle
Cheryl Hart, City of Oxford, Planning Director

Northern Mountain
Phillip Hurley, Ashe County, Director of Environmental Services
Stephen Mahaffey, Mahaffey and Associates, Owner
Denise Monahan, Wilkes County Public Health Department, Nurse

South Piedmont
Darrick Cooper, City of Charlotte, Firefighter
Ann Wilson, Town of Pineville, Finance Director

Southern Mountain
David Adams, Hendersonville Police Department, Captain
Janie O’Brien, Pardee Hospital, Outreach Systems Analyst

Triangle
Deborah Taylor, Orange County Cooperative Extension, Extension Agent/Family and Consumer Sciences

Triangle East
Jennings Rhodes III, Wayne County Office of Emergency Services, Assistant EMS Manager
Richard Winders, Jr., Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Detective

Wake
Mark Haraway, Town of Apex, Fire and EMS Chief/Emergency Management Coordinator
Todd Medlin, SAS Institute, Information Technology Manager

Western Mountain
Jeffrey Ennis, Graham County EMS, Paramedic
Susan Farley, Graham County Board of Elections, Director
Danny Lewis, Mountain Living Residential Construction, Owner
Carol Schley, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Retired

Western Sandhills
Regina Rosy, Town of Aberdeen, Human Resources Director

LGFCU is also proud to announce the addition of Sterling Chapman of New Bern and Carlie Lewis of Cullowhee to its Youth Advisory Council, Our Generation—Speakin’ Up. This group, which formed in February of 2008, comprises North Carolina middle and high school students. Now with 11 members, this group continues be instrumental in assisting the credit union in the development of a new generation of products and services for children, teens and young adults.

Four credit unions with military ties have signed Bilateral Agreements with State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) to help ensure NC National Guard personnel have access to no-surcharge Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) worldwide. SECU signed agreements with Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union, Marine Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union and Pentagon Federal Credit Union that will allow Guardsmen to utilize more than 1,600 no-surcharge ATMs. Whether serving in Guam, Japan, or stateside in locations such as Quantico, Virginia or Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Guardsmen will save as much as $3 per ATM transaction with the elimination of the surcharge fee! The move is part of SECU’s ongoing effort to assist military personnel and thank them for their continuous efforts to serve our Country. Military members at all five credit unions will also have surcharge-free access to all of SECU’s Cash Points ATM network, with over 1,000 ATM locations in North Carolina.

"PenFed is very excited to partner with State Employees’ Credit Union to provide
extended surcharge-free ATM access to the military community in North Carolina," says Frank Pollack, President, PenFed. "Not only is this a beneficial service for our members based in North Carolina, but truly reflects our commitment and spirit as a credit union to provide attractive financial services with extended value."

Cutler Dawson, President/CEO of Navy Federal Credit Union, notes the added value of its 3.4 million members visiting SECU’s no-surcharge ATMs. Dawson comments, "NCSECU’s extensive ATM network in North Carolina is an important access point for Navy Federal members stationed at the numerous military locations in that state."

Craig Chamberlin, CEO of Marine Federal Credit Union, adds, "It is our pleasure to participate in this program and in a very small way, give back to those who continue to protect our freedoms."

Jim Blaine, President of State Employees’ Credit Union, comments, "Our Credit Union has always been impressed with the military-focused US credit unions and the benefits they offer to their members. These partnerships expand what SECU can do as a credit union to also enhance the benefits afforded to the 12,000 NC National Guard soldiers and airmen in North Carolina. With our State’s strong military presence, it’s great to see these credit unions coming together for the good of those who serve our Country."

Rocky Mount based Freedom Credit Union is promoting its unique home equity credit line product by working together with a fellow Chamber member, Builder's Discount Center.


"We have a low, fixed rate home equity product," commented Clint Williams, Director of Membership Development, "but home equities are not the most exciting things to promote. Our CEO, Jeff Jones, suggested we be creative with our oversized lobby space in our Winstead Avenue branch – and that's what we've done. We normally have a local auto dealer of the month in the lobby with a car – this time we talked with Builder's Discount Center."


Builder's Discount Center is the only home-improvement retailer that is a member of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce – and with the idea of generating a local-business partnership – they were a natural to get space in Freedom's lobby.


"We weren't sure what we would put in there," says Glenn Perry, President of Builder's Discount Center, "but after seeing their space – which is large – we got creative. Hopefully we've put something in there that helps visualize the many things you can accomplish with your home – which can be very affordable with Freedom's fixed rate home equity loans."


Chamber CEO, Eddie Baysden, was delighted to hear the news about the fellow members working together: "This is the kind of positive business we have developing in Rocky Mount. More and more partnerships like this are what Rocky Mount needs to see and hear about. Kudos."


Builder's Discount Center is an eleven-store operation, headquartered in Rocky Mount. BDC has been providing first quality building materials for more than 20 years and specializes in a drive-in, check-out and drive-out facilities for building and home improvement supplies. BDC is located on U.S. 301 next to Don's Body Shop.

Truliant Federal Credit Union has been priming the stage for a social media initiative for some time, but on Monday, February 1 that time has come. The credit union will actively be using a blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and flickr to start.

"This has been a long time coming for Truliant," said Ryan Shell, marketing communications supervisor for Truliant. "We’ve developed a plan and have some great tools in place, such as the new blog that will allow us to share financial tips, the latest Truliant news, promotional offers and success stories. Not to mention we will be proactively taking part in conversations on Facebook and Twitter."

Truliant’s blog will be the hub of their social media activities and will feature expert content from various departments including: Deposit Services, Member Contact Center, Consumer & Real Estate Lending, Community Services, eServices, Financial Advisors at Truliances and Marketing.

"After reading some of the initial posts that have been put together, I think our members (and non-members) will appreciate the insight that this team will share on the blog," said Shell. "It’s going to be a fantastic financial resource that will help provide content to other channels such as Facebook and Twitter."

Truliant’s social media links:

Blog: blog.truliantfcu.org (will not be live until Monday)

Twitter: www.twitter.com/truliant

YouTube: www.youtube.com/truliantfcu

Facebook: www.facebook.com/truliantfcu

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/truliant

For more information about Truliant, please visit www.truliantfcu.org.

Through their sponsorship of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members recently helped honor ten outstanding State employees and a dedicated State agency. An Awards ceremony at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, NC was coordinated by the Office of State Personnel and attended by Governor Beverly Perdue. The Governor’s Awards for Excellence program was created in 1982 to honor State employees for outstanding achievements in the categories of Human Relations, Innovations, Outstanding State Government Service, Public Service and Safety and Heroism. The Award, sponsored by the SECU Foundation, is the highest honor a State employee can receive for dedicated service to North Carolina and its citizens.

2009 recipients include Lisa Edwards (Department of Environment & Natural Resources, Robin S. Greene (University of North Carolina General Administration), Mary Garner (Department of Health & Human Services), Versa Stevens (Department of Health & Human Services), Doug Hayes (Department of Crime Control & Public Safety), Kevin Hennelly (Department of Crime Control & Public Safety), Kirk Hensley (Department of Crime Control & Public Safety), Judy M. Jones (Employment Security Commission), Beth Smyre (Department of Transportation), Jonathan Sowers (Department of Insurance), and the Employment Security Commission for a Special Agency Award.

Leigh Brady, SECU Senior Vice President of Education Services, welcomed Governor’s Awards guests at the January 21st ceremony. Mrs. Brady commented, "SECU’s main objective is to improve the financial lives of its members and we operate with the philosophy of ‘People Helping People,’ much like the State employees of North Carolina. State employees serve their fellow citizens not only through their primary jobs, but outside of work, through many community service and charitable organizations. Our Credit Union’s member-owners, through their Foundation support of the Governor’s Awards, congratulate and salute their fellow State employees as winners!"

NC State Personnel Director Linda Coleman, also on hand to speak at the event, added, "The Governor’s Awards for Excellence offers us a rare opportunity to recognize the exceptional State employees who serve our citizens each and every day.  In addition to their daily work, their call to service continues in their communities where they reach out to those in need and touch the lives of those in our State and beyond our borders. It is an honor to pay tribute to those who serve us with such excellence. "

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is joining with other IRS partners to place special emphasis on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a valuable credit often overlooked by eligible taxpayers. The IRS estimates one in four qualifying taxpayers, typically those who earn less than $49,000, fail to claim the EITC. Over the last few months, SECU personnel have been educating members at various State agencies and school systems through delivery of educational materials and special presentations aimed at increasing EITC awareness. In fact, more than 70,000 fliers were distributed throughout the State by SECU employees in 226 branch locations. In addition, Credit Union member newsletters and SECU’s website included informative EITC articles, and SECU branches displayed promotional banners.

The Credit Union’s Earned Income Tax Credit educational efforts complement its ongoing participation in the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, providing free tax return preparation for qualifying North Carolinians. In the last two years, SECU has helped taxpayers claim $47 million in tax refunds and nearly $24 million in tax credits, such as the EITC. SECU’s VITA efforts continue for the current tax season and Credit Union personnel have seen a marked increase in just one week of filing!

Roger D. Burton, Territory Manager, IRS Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication, comments, "It is so important to make sure all North Carolinians who are eligible for the EITC take advantage of this financial benefit. We appreciate SECU’s efforts to educate thousands of North Carolinians on the EITC program and look forward to the continued success of our partnership with SECU throughout the remainder of the 2010 filing season."

Josh Kelly, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Tax Preparation Services, adds, "SECU personnel have done an outstanding job helping to bring awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit to State employees in North Carolina. As the tax season unfolds, we look forward to seeing the wonderful results of their efforts through increased refunds for eligible taxpayers. Those dollars in the pockets of our State’s citizens will help to give an economic boost to North Carolina’s economy!"

An active member of the Jacksonville/Onslow Chamber of Commerce, Chuck was instrumental in the growth of the credit union. During Chuck’s tenure as EVP, Marine grew from eight branches to 20 and from 12 ATMs to 96. He was a true guardian of the consciousness of the credit union, placing the highest importance on the value of member services and offering the correct service to its members, primarily young military, and his community service.

Created in the mid 1960s, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine is given to NC residents in recognition of a proven record of service or some other special achievement (most often when a person retires). The recipient receives a certificate and the privilege of proposing, at any time, the North Carolina toast:

Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here’s to "down home", the Old North State!

Past recipients include such famous Tar Heels as Maya Angelou, Billy Graham, Michael Jordan, Bob Timberlake and Rick Hendrick, along with state employees, prominent business executives and noted politicians, athletes, musicians, actors and advocates.

(Note: The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation has partnered with NCUF & WOCCU to help the people of Haiti through CUAid. For more information, please click here.)

Charlotte Metro Federal Credit Union announced today that it is donating $10,000 USD to Haiti earthquake relief efforts through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) who is working with CU Aid to bring much needed help to the more than 490,000 members of credit unions in Haiti.

CU Aid, a disaster relief fund that works with credit unions, will direct the funds to be used immediately for critical needs such as food, water, clothing and temporary shelter for the thousands of credit union members affected by the earthquake.

"The credit union philosophy is based on people helping people," said Charlotte Metro’s president and CEO, Bob Bruns. "And this is a time when the people of Charlotte Metro have an opportunity to reach out to the people affected by this terrible disaster."

CU Aid (www.cuaid.coop) is an online disaster relief donation center operated by the National Credit Union Foundation that provides support for the critical, long-term and operational needs of credit unions involved in natural and manmade disasters around the world.

(Note: the following information is provided courtesy of CUNA.)

Certified Credit Union Executive (CCUE) designations were awarded to 27 individuals from 10 different states, bringing the total nationwide to 2,665. Fourteen of the 27 are State Employees' Credit Union staff.

CCUE, instituted in 1975, is the hallmark of professional credit union achievement. Designed for managers and those aspiring to credit union leadership, the program teaches advanced credit union management and operations techniques.

In addition, two other SECU staffers earned speciality designations from CUNA, including certified lending specialist and certified human resource specialist.

Certified Credit Union Executive Designations:

Amanda Beck, SECU
Scott Cabe, SECU
Christina Clarke, SECU
S. Dawn Davey, SECU
Jeanne Fannin, SECU
Allison Francis, SECU
Lyvonda Haynes, SECU
Cynthia Magliocca*, SECU
Alexis Odom, SECU
Roxanne Phillips, SECU
Stacy Rich, SECU
Michael Rowe, SECU
Lorrie Stables, SECU
Christie Thompson, SECU

Certified Lending Specialist Designation:

Amanda Beck, SECU

Certified Human Resource Specialist Designation:

Diane Gay, SECU

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is encouraging its members and all North Carolinians to stand up and be counted in the United States Census 2010. The Credit Union will be utilizing various media outlets in the coming months to educate members on the Census. With more than $400 billion allocated to states and communities each year based in part on Census data, it is crucial that all North Carolinians understand the benefits of participation to the State and its citizens. Partnering with the US Department of Commerce, SECU launched its educational campaign with an article in its January 2010 Grassroots newsletter, reaching more than one million members.

A Census is a count of everyone residing in the United States and is required by the US Constitution every 10 years. In 2010, every resident will receive a short questionnaire of just 10 questions, taking minimal time to complete. Census data determines the number of seats each state will have in the US House of Representatives and can help determine the allocation of federal funds for community services such as school lunch programs and senior centers, as well as new construction dollars for highways and hospitals.

Leigh Brady, Senior Vice President of Education Services, comments, "With benefits and services dollars at stake based upon citizen participation, SECU realizes the importance of educating its more than 1.5 million members on the value of completing the US Census 2010. Our Credit Union is pleased to partner with the US Department of Commerce to ‘get the word out’ on the Census and we look forward to the positive results for the State of North Carolina."

Christine Mackey, Partnership Specialist with the US Department of Commerce, responds, "We appreciate the support of State Employees’ Credit Union in helping us promote the 2010 Census. The goal of the Census Bureau’s partnership program is to combine the strengths of various organizations, schools, media and businesses to ensure a complete and accurate 2010 Census. Through our partnership with SECU, we can help guarantee the Census message is delivered to every corner of North Carolina."

State Employees’ Credit Union members have provided $500,000 in funding from the SECU Foundation to benefit the NC Museum of History’s new Education Center. The new facility will be named the SECU Education Center in honor of the donation by Credit Union members. With the SECU Foundation’s support, the Museum will now be able to reach schools all across North Carolina, delivering educational programs and innovative learning experiences to thousands of students in a visible, state of the art learning center.

Supporting the Museum’s approaches to teaching and learning, the SECU Education Center will enhance the Museum’s permanent chronological presentation of North Carolina history through cutting-edge technology, two-way video conferencing and virtual field trips. Furthermore, this new technology will provide increased access to the Museum of History for students and teachers in rural areas of the State. With programs for all ages, the SECU Education Center will also allow the Museum to emphasize how lifelong learning will impact the future of North Carolina and the role of citizens in an increasingly global society.

NC Museum of History Director Ken Howard comments, "We are extremely pleased to partner with SECU members to complete the Museum’s new Education Center. The grant from the SECU Foundation will enable the Museum to install the technology necessary to record and broadcast educational programs, lectures, seminars and meetings for dissemination across the State. This technology will allow school groups that cannot visit the Museum in person to participate in the quality programming the Museum provides in the same way they could if they were at the Museum."

Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman, remarks, "SECU members welcome the opportunity to partner with the State’s museums to further show our support of the educational benefits the museums provide to students all across North Carolina. A primary focus for our Foundation is education and the NC Museum of History project certainly helps to provide a continued emphasis in this area."

Coastal Federal Credit Union announced today that it will close its physical branch network in the Charlotte area, effective February 26, 2010. That same day, Coastal will also close one underperforming location in the Cleveland (40/42) area of Johnston County.  The moves are part of the credit union's ongoing plan to focus on and expand its presence in the Triangle, where Coastal is headquartered and operates 15 branches.  

The four locations to be closed are:

• 1835 West W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte
• 1605 Galleria Blvd., Charlotte
• 970 Branchview Dr., Concord
• 5638 NC Highway 42 West, Garner (Cleveland area)

"Over the past 42 years, the Triangle has been central to our success, and is the key to our long-term, sustainable growth," said Coastal's President and CEO, Larry Wilson. "This is where we enjoy our strongest market share, solid brand recognition and best return on our investment. Rather than spread ourselves thin by continuing to support physical branch operations in two major markets, we're committing to focus on branch growth and expansion throughout the Triangle market. Our objective is to be the local leader in checking accounts, car loans and mortgages."
 
While the credit union has had a branch presence in both the Charlotte and Triangle markets, the majority of Coastal's membership and best-performing locations are within the Triangle.  The Charlotte branches have had to contend with a smaller membership base, minimal market share and limited branch network, while facing much stronger competition from banks and other credit unions.  The Cleveland branch has not met performance requirements after 5 years, and is being combined with Coastal's nearby White Oak branch.  

Moving forward, Coastal will build upon recent local success, primarily by taking advantage of its innovative Express Teller technology and a fresh branch strategy to fill in gaps in consumer banking coverage within the core Triangle market.

"Locally, we've had a number of major achievements already," said Wilson.

In early 2009, Coastal began upgrading branches to the new Express Teller system, which allows tellers in a centralized center in Raleigh to interact with members at branches remotely to conduct transactions.  So far, the credit union has upgraded 12 branches and added a brand-new location by installing a standalone Express Teller unit on-site at the Lenovo campus, along with a member services associate to open accounts and make loans.

"We actually ended up upgrading three more locations than we had planned to do by the end of 2009, and finished two months ahead of schedule," said Wilson.  "Because of the Express Teller system, we can now offer extended (7am-7pm) weekday and Saturday (9am-2pm) teller hours at 12 locations. We look forward to soon being able to provide that level of service at all of them."

Coastal reiterated previously announced plans to create additional branch coverage throughout the area. This will be achieved by opening several new branches locally between now and 2012, as well as replacing or upgrading existing branches in order to maximize their ability to provide extended hours of service.

Site work is already underway at a new location on Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, which will replace Coastal's Lynnwood branch later this year. Progress is also being made to upgrade a Durham branch by the end of 2010.

Members who use the Charlotte-area branches are being notified of service alternatives, including nearby Credit Union Service Centers and Coastal's robust Online Banking system. The credit union also participates in networks that give members nationwide access to 3,500 shared branches and 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs.  

"We already serve tens of thousands of members in all 50 states through a rich offering outside of a brick and mortar branch network," Wilson added.

Members from the Cleveland branch will be encouraged to begin using the credit union's White Oak location, which offers extended weekday and Saturday teller hours.

The SECU Foundation, which is funded solely by members of State Employees’ Credit Union, recently increased its educational scholarship funding by $4 million, bringing the cumulative total provided for North Carolina educational scholarships to $25 million since 2004. The additional funding will supply one $10,000 "People Helping People" Scholarship to each of the traditional public high schools in North Carolina. These four-year college scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors for study at one of the sixteen constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina system. As college costs continue to rise, the "People Helping People" Scholarship program offers SECU members a way to give back to their local communities and helps to ensure the ongoing success of North Carolina students.

The $10,000 scholarship amount makes it one the premier awards to be received by North Carolina high school seniors. Recipients are chosen by each individual high school’s scholarship selection committee, tasked with finding a deserving student who embodies the Credit Union "People Helping People" spirit. And, nearly 90% of the inaugural recipients from 2005 have completed their undergraduate degrees, an exceptionally high rate for standard scholarship programs!

Shirley Bell, Board of Directors Chairman of SECU Foundation, comments, "As North Carolina’s economy continues to struggle, many families have been faced with choosing basic necessities over assisting with educational expenses. Therefore, the availability of scholarships is more important than ever. SECU members are known for their generosity in local North Carolina communities and providing the ‘People Helping People’ Scholarships is another example of their giving spirit."

2005 SECU Foundation Scholarship recipient and current graduate student Steven Harriott, a 2009 graduate of NC State University, offers these remarks, "I was one of the first students to receive an SECU Foundation ‘People Helping People’ Scholarship and am grateful for the financial assistance provided to me and my family. Since this program is funded solely by Credit Union members, I certainly have a lot of people to thank. At SECU, members are really working together to help North Carolina students succeed!"

Ever made a minor error in balancing your checking account and had it result in numerous Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fees? It can happen to anyone and lead to embarrassment and unnecessary costs. In 2010, SECU wants to help its members avoid this embarrassment and has introduced SECU NSF Fee Free Days --- an enhancement to the Credit Union’s no cost Overdraft Protection Program. With more than 80% of SECU’s 800,000+ checking accountholders already opting in for no cost overdraft protection, the new benefit will provide some coverage for more than 150,000 members!

Currently, SECU has one of the lowest NSF fees in the financial industry, charging just $12 per item to cover handling costs and losses associated with returned checks. And while the fee is low, the Credit Union’s Board of Directors approved the NSF Fee Free Days Program to make SECU’s overdraft options even more consumer-friendly. With the program, SECU members can now conveniently have the $12 fees waived on two separate days during the year. Regardless of the number of items marked as NSF on either of the two days, SECU will return the items to the payee but waive the SECU member’s Credit Union fees, helping to ease the financial burden related to such items! Even more improvements in the Credit Union’s program are slated for later in the year, including the release of a new controlled spending account designed to be used in conjunction with a debit card, for members who would like to eliminate the possibilities of overdrafts entirely. SECU is also working on a program called "Another Chance" which will provide mobile alerts and an additional day for members to cover inadvertent overdrafts without fee, return or embarrassment. The "Another Chance" program is scheduled for introduction in Spring 2010.

Sue Douglas, Senior Vice President of Operations at SECU, remarks, "As a member-owned financial cooperative, our success lies in the success of our members! Therefore, it is imperative we design products and services that are beneficial and representative of SECU as a trusted provider. All checking accountholders make minor errors periodically and need "forgiveness" options! While many in the industry are looking to increase fees in order to achieve a projected profit margin, SECU’s job continues to be the exact opposite --- look for ways to keep money where it belongs, in the pockets of members!"

"No Comment" was not an option for State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) when reporters started calling for on-camera interviews about SECU members becoming victims of card skimming. In fact, Credit Union personnel viewed it as an opportunity to provide good consumer education information to the community at large. So, SECU invited all four major Raleigh, North Carolina TV stations in to create consumer segments on how card skimming fraud occurs. Known for their transparency and open communication with members, SECU wanted to help get the word out to consumers about the growing problem of card "skimming" in North Carolina. SECU also stressed that card fraud victims are not held liable when fraud occurs on their account and provided safety tips on how to help prevent fraudulent activity.

The Credit Union’s Card Services and Security Administration departments coordinated the interviews with stations and local police officials and particularly appreciated the consumer-friendly reporting of WTVD ABC-11 and News 14 Carolina in the Raleigh-Durham area. The fraud alerts also featured security camera photos of suspects in the latest skimming incidents.

Leanne Phelps, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Card and Record Services department, comments, "State Employees’ Credit Union has always been very proactive in dealing with potential fraudulent activity on Credit Union issued cards. SECU continues to reissue cards whenever even a remote possibility exists that a card has been compromised. We always welcome the opportunity to help inform SECU members about fraud protection efforts at the Credit Union. Quite often informing members and enlisting their help has led to the arrest of those persons involved in the fraudulent activity. Members really don’t like it when folks "mess with" their Credit Union and their money!"

Cory Mathes, a Security Officer at SECU, adds, "As part of a cooperative, SECU member-owners all have a vested interest in protecting the assets of the Credit Union. Individual members are always fully protected, but fraud does impose an expensive, unnecessary cost on the membership as a whole. And, with the growing problem of fraud and compromised cards, it’s more important than ever that consumers are educated on the practice of "skimming" at gas pumps and other point-of-sale terminals. While others in the market may choose to decline requests for interviews relative to scams and fraud, SECU will always take the opportunity to ensure our members and all North Carolinians are better informed of such practices."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) congratulates 35 winners of its School of Government (SOG) Scholarship Award and Essentials of Municipal Government Scholarship Program. The awards, which help LGFCU members strengthen their skills and enhance job performance, are applied to classes and seminars offered by the SOG at UNC-Chapel Hill, the largest university-based local government training, advisory and research organization in the United States.
 
"The credit union strongly supports the School of Government because of their instrumental role in strengthening the job skills of local government employees, which in turn improves the communities in which they serve," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith.
 
The SOG Award recipients are:
Pamela Blake, Stanly County, $300
Timothy Connolly, Onslow Water and Sewer Authority, $1,800
Adrian Cox, Town of Mt. Pleasant, $300
Melody Graham, Village of Marvin, $325
Mary Jo Gollnitz, Village of Marvin, $325
Brian Helms, Montgomery County, $1,800
Donna Hosch, City of Oxford, $500
Jeanne Johnston, City of Lexington, $480
Paula Kirby, Town of Granite Falls, $ 235
Kelly McKee, Town of Dillsboro, 325
Al Newman, City of Charlotte, $1,800
Nancy Nixon, Nash County, $480
Nedra Norton, Lee County, $1,800
Robin O’Neal, Edgecombe County, $575
Susan Sain, Lincoln County, $500
Lisa Warren, Edgecombe County, $300
 
The Essentials Scholarships recipients are:
(Note: All scholarships are in the amount of $300.)
Alvin Adams, Town of Andrews
Troy Barnhardt, Town of Mt. Pleasant
Jim Bristol, Town of Andrews
John Brown, Town of Andrews
Mickey Buck, Town of Bayboro
Gregory Carr, Town of Greenevers
Lonnie Davis Jr., City of Henderson
Mary Evans, City of Henderson
Tony Farrior, Town of Greenevers
Heidi Hogan, Town of Littleton
Terri Holt, Town of Robbins
Lawrence Gatewood, Town of Wadesboro
Gary "Dean" Isenhour, Town of Rhodhiss
Scott Pauley, Town of Maggie Valley
James Reid, Town of Andrews
Terry Smith, Town of Hope Mills
Travis Summit, Town of Cleveland
Robert Usrey Jr., Town of Wadesboro
Sheila Young, Town of Holden Beach
 
The next application deadline for the SOG Scholarship Award is April 1, 2010; the deadline for the Essentials Scholarship will be announced in 2010. For more information, or to apply, contact the Education Services staff at 877.367.5428 or visit www.lgfcu.org.

SECU members have once again exemplified their "People Helping People" giving spirit through their Foundation’s support of Hospice of Wake County. A $500,000 check was presented to Hospice of Wake County at a December 17, 2009 Hospice Volunteer Appreciation event. The grant will be used to construct SECU Healing Gardens, a peaceful, reflective area to benefit patients and their families. On hand for the check presentation were SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Shirley Bell, as well as McKinley Wooten, Vice Chairman of SECU’s Board of Directors.

The grant was first announced in October 2008 and is a matching gift to Hospice of Wake County "Building Partners in Caring" capital campaign. The newly completed Hospice and Palliative Care Center is scheduled for public dedication on January 9, 2010 and will serve five North Carolina counties.

Shirley Bell, Chairman of SECU Foundation Board of Directors, comments, "This new Hospice of Wake County center will give families a free-standing facility where compassionate, tender end-of-life care for patients and support for their loved ones will be administered. The new facility is a great complement to the longstanding care already being provided through Hospice of Wake County. Hospice shares the Credit Union’s philosophy of ‘People Helping People,’ which makes it a perfect fit for SECU members’ support."

Michael D. Blanchard, Vice President of Development for Hospice of Wake County, adds, "We are so pleased to be able to share the fruition of a 30-year dream with members of our community. The building of this facility and the surrounding campus has been a labor of love, one we undertook to ensure no patient would ever be turned away from service, just because of their living conditions. In fact, we will serve about 600 patients each year in the hospice home, in addition to the 5,000 we serve in their own homes. We truly appreciate the generosity of SECU members in making SECU Healing Gardens a great addition to the Wake County hospice campus."

In the midst of trying economic times and when State resources have been depleted in North Carolina, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) employees and members have once again demonstrated their philosophy of "People Helping People," with contributions benefiting more than 900 non-profits of the 2009 State Employees Combined Campaign (SECC). SECU employees donated over $66,000 to this year’s Campaign, and SECU members, via their Foundation, provided $200,000 in funding for the SECC Resource Guide Listing, helping to offset administrative costs of the campaign in order to assure more funds reach the North Carolinians who need it most. The Campaign provides an opportunity for active and retired employees of the State of North Carolina to donate to charitable organizations ranging from charities that assist seniors, to organizations finding new treatments for diseases, to programs that nurture North Carolina’s children.

In a year when overall giving to the Campaign was down by 20%, SECU employees increased their giving by 15%, surpassing their 2008 figure by nearly $9,000! This tremendous outreach in giving complements the Credit Union’s ongoing charitable efforts throughout its network of 226 branches and multiple operations centers, as SECU personnel hold numerous fundraisers and serve in volunteer capacities within their local communities.

Leigh Brady, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Education Services department, comments, "In this time of great need in North Carolina, SECU’s employees are demonstrating their commitment to helping others through efforts such as the State Employees Combined Campaign. We are thrilled Credit Union employees have opened not only their hearts, but their wallets, and were able to exceed our expectations for SECU’s 2009 Campaign. Equally impressive is the commitment of SECU members, providing critical funding for the SECC Campaign in the absence of State resources."

SECC Director Meredith Barrett Cuomo adds, "We are once again extremely grateful to SECU members for their Foundation’s generous support in funding our annual Resource Guide. In addition, the donations from SECU employees to the Campaign are invaluable in making a difference for all of the worthwhile charities that benefit from the Campaign."

With North Carolina’s unemployment rate hovering around 11 percent, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) understands some of its members may be struggling with a job loss. To help ease the stress associated with this situation, members now have the option of withdrawing funds from their share term certificates (STCs) early—without penalty.

"Right now, people need a helping hand more than ever," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "That’s why, for a limited time, our share term certificates come with ‘unemployment protection.’ It’s a benefit that works for our members even if they aren’t."

The regular penalty for early withdrawal of a STC is 90 days interest or all the interest—whichever is less. Taking the example of $5,000 placed in a 60-month STC with a rate of 3.25 percent, an early withdrawal penalty would be approximately $40.

"The waived penalty may not be that much, but it’s the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can access your money if you need it—that’s what we want for our members," said Smith.

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of 15 new advisory council members to nine of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

December’s appointees are:

Central Coast
Shirley Gabbert, Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, Financial Manager

Coastal Plain
Susan Baptist, City of Jacksonville, Recreation Program Supervisor
Audrey Bryant, Duplin County, Deputy Three

Foothills
Vontella Dabbs, Cleveland County, HR Analyst for Benefits and Payroll
Lisa Wassen, City of Shelby, Safety and Risk Management Coordinator

Northern Coast
Mike Eubank, Town of Kitty Hawk, Finance Officer

Northern Mountain
Terri Ford, Town of West Jefferson, Town Clerk/HR Director

Roanoke-Chowan
Brenda Allgood, Albemarle Hospital, Benefits Manager

Triangle
David Collins, Pittsboro Police Department, Chief of Police

Wake
Walter Martin, Knightdale, Retired

Western Mountain
Connie Baird, Macon County, Paramedic
Tracy Chastain, Town of Franklin, Sergeant Detective
Brian Leopard, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant
Steve Sears, Franklin, Retired
Michael Trammel, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant

Three NC credit unions - American Partners FCU, Coastal FCU and Self-Help CU - were named to the "Dean's List" by the Online site creditcardconnection.com recently. All three credit unions earned the recognition through their consumer-friendly credit card practices.

Credit card programs have come under close scrutiny in the wake of the financial crisis. From high interest rates to hidden fees, consumers have grown more and more frustrated with charge cards.   

Credit union veteran Ondine Irving started Credit Card Connection in part to help consumers find easy access to cards that represented a good deal.  Irving notes that more than 260 credit unions nationwide are officially a part of the Dean's List. The Dean's List includes five components:

• Rates (Fixed or Variable) Less Than 18% 
• No Balance Transfer Fees
• No Penalty Rates
• Late Fees at or less than $25
• No Annual Fee

Credit unions must meet or exceed the minimum requirements of each criteria to be added to the Dean's List.

Irving and the site have been featured by Suze Orman and on Larry King Live. Qualifying for and being added to the Dean's List is done at no charge. Since credit card programs are a clear differentiator, Irving hopes that more credit unions will step forward to be added to the Dean's List. "The more cooperation and support we can get, the better off America will be in helping consumers reduce their debt and fight back against the banks!"

American Partners FCU President/CEO Dorida Edwards said the credit union, "was thrilled to receive the five-star rating from the Credit Card Connection." She adds that with credit card practices under close scrutiny from consumers, "it is the perfect time to let our members know that if you do not have a VISA card you are missing out on the best deal in the area."

"Credit Card Connection is a wonderful illustration of how well credit union products and services ‘measure up’ in the national marketplace of financial services," said Steve Reardon, Self-Help Credit Union's NC retail branch supervisor. "The website is providing a very valuable service to credit card consumers and we tip our hats to Ondine Irving and her associates for having the foresight and vision to create such a strong resource," added Reardon.    

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) recently celebrated its gift of 54 laptop computers for North Carolina’s Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy at a ribbon cutting ceremony, which marked the official opening of the school’s computer lab. The Credit Union provided the computers to the Academy through a partnership with Visa Inc.

Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy, located in Salemburg, NC, is a quasi-military program available for at-risk youth. The Academy’s program concentrates on providing these young adults with the discipline and life skills necessary to be productive members of society. The North Carolina National Guard sponsors this voluntary program, which has seen more than 2,700 graduates since its inception in 1994.

The laptops which will be used to enhance instruction at the institution, feature links to financial literacy programs, including SECU’s teen website and the National Endowment for Financial Education’s NEFE website, as well as Visa’s program, Practical Money Skills for Life (www.practicalmoneyskills.com). The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Academy’s computer lab was held on December 7th and attended by North Carolina Adjutant General William E. Ingram, Jr., numerous Academy officials and staff, Academy cadets, Shirley Bell – SECU’s Board of Directors immediate past chair, SECU volunteer Advisory Board member Dr. Al Wentzy and various Credit Union staff members.

SECU – Jackson Advisory Board member Dr. Al Wentzy comments, "This was a ‘home run event threefold!’ First, we substantially helped a school that takes high school dropouts and puts them on a path to success. Second, we acquired computers with supportive technology for learning with financial literacy software; and third, we supported our own NC National Guard troops in their efforts to help others! Hearing almost daily of recessionary problems in our nation, how refreshing it is to be a member of a credit union that is not only financially stable, but truly cares about their members and the community in which we live."

Shirley Bell, 2008-2009 SECU Board of Directors Chairman, adds, "SECU, a not-for-profit financial cooperative, serves members of the North Carolina National Guard, making this project a natural fit for our organization. The Credit Union also places a major focus on education and financial literacy and the donation of these laptops for Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy’s computer lab aligns with this focus. With the Academy’s mission of improving life-coping skills and the employment potential of North Carolina youth, we take great pride in our partnership with Visa to further enhance the Tarheel ChalleNGe program and look forward to a long-standing relationship with the Academy, its fine instructors and cadets."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of six new advisory council members to four of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

November’s appointees are:

Eastern Sandhills
Michael McNeill, City of Lumberton, Police Chief

Triangle
Brandy Thomas, N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, Magistrate
Michael Roberson, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Captain

Wake
Diana Harris, Town of Cary, Human Resources Assistant
Bill Hoff, Wake Forest

Western Sandhills
Bob Bridwell, City of Sanford, Planning Director

SECU members via the SECU Foundation have announced a $4 million grant to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, funding the Museum’s centerpiece of the planned Nature Research Center. The centerpiece --- SECU Daily Planet --- will be a three-story multimedia program area that will employ cutting edge audio and visual technologies to provide a rich backdrop for live presentations on key environmental issues and recent scientific discoveries. The SECU Daily Planet will also draw on live feeds of the latest science news and provide daily outreach to audiences statewide via the North Carolina Research and Education Network, Research Channel Consortium, NASA-TV, WRAL-TV, UNC-TV, North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC), Webcasts and Podcasts. The Research Center is projected to attract more than 200,000 visitors annually from all North Carolina counties.

The Nature Research Center (NRC) is an innovative 80,000 square-foot wing of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and is currently under construction just west of the current Museum building. Now celebrating its 130th year, the Museum has historically showcased "what we know," with exhibits and programs highlighting scientific knowledge gleaned from long-term research. The NRC will share "how we know it" by bringing research to the forefront and highlighting current scientific issues that affect our daily lives. The NRC will also provide students, teachers and the general public with a unique opportunity to meet and directly learn from scientists in an effort to help demystify what can be an intimidating and confusing field of study.

The Museum has also established a partnership with Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC), an independent, non-profit organization that employs advanced networking technologies and systems to improve learning and collaboration throughout North Carolina’s K-20 education community. MCNC has developed the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), which is a reliable, cost-efficient optical network, and will be installed in the NRC. NCREN will connect to every elementary, middle and high school in the state, facilitating the delivery of the NRC’s distance learning programs for students, particularly in remote, rural areas considered underserved. 

Dr. Betsy Bennett, Director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, comments, "State Employees’ Credit Union is one of our strongest and longest standing partners in this venture and we are of course delighted with their generosity, as this is the largest private gift we’ve received since the NRC capital campaign was launched in fall 2008. We are equally delighted that they share the Museum’s commitment to providing statewide educational outreach in the natural sciences."

Shirley Bell, Chair of SECU Foundation’s Board of Directors, responds, "SECU members are proud to provide this $4 million grant to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Since SECU serves employees of the State’s public schools, community colleges, and universities, this project is a natural fit for the Foundation to assist in enhancing North Carolina education, giving the Museum a greater ability to serve the science and technology needs of teachers and students. We look forward to the completion of the Nature Research Center, along with the SECU Daily Planet."

On November 8, Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) held a graduation ceremony for 180 participants from around the state who completed the financial education program. The majority of participants are previously unbanked Latino immigrants learning how to navigate the U.S. financial system. The ceremony took place at the Durham Armory, located at 220 Foster Street. This has been by far the largest graduating class in LCCU’s 10 years of existence.

After a group of Mariachis and local dancing group, Takiri, entertained the graduates and their families, the credit union’s CEO, Luis Pastor, introduced Edgardo Colon, LCCU’s board chairperson, who spoke about the history and importance of the credit union, particularly in the current economic climate in which many people are facing financial hardship.

"People need to learn the basics about the complex U.S. financial system so they can access affordable loans and other financial products they need. Financial education has been a key part of our mission since we opened our doors in 2000," commented Luis Pastor.

Latino Credit Union’s financial education program is free and open to the entire community. It consists of six workshops that cover basic financial management topics including managing a checking account, saving, budgeting, credit history, credit cards, and purchasing a car and a home. All participants who complete the program receive a certificate of recognition and are invited to the graduation ceremony. The next series of workshops will begin in the first quarter of next year. In the next year, we plan to add several new sessions including electronic services, investing, insurance, and small business services.

The series of workshops are provided three times a year in every branch location on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. "I’m very grateful for the services the Latino Community Credit Union has given me," said Guillermo Bonilla from the Fayetteville branch. "They have helped me so much that I have convinced many friends and neighbors to open their accounts here and manage their money with this Credit Union. They not only help you keep your money safe and earn good returns, but they also give you the tools so that you can better judge what is good and what is not for you related to financial products. "

The groundbreaking ceremony for SECU House at Kitty Askins was recently held in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The ceremony marks the expansion of the Kitty Askins Hospice Center, an expansion that will see the facility double from 12 beds to 24. In March of this year SECU members, via the SECU Foundation, provided a grant of $750,000 to Home Health and Hospice Care, Inc. (3HC) for the expansion. In honor of the generous contribution by SECU members, the new wing is named SECU House at Kitty Askins. On hand for the ceremony were Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman, Bo Wessell, SECU Advisory Board member, Mark Twisdale, SECU Foundation Executive Director and Donna Oldham, Vice President of SECU’s Goldsboro-West Ash Street branch.

Kitty Askins Hospice Center is one of the most utilized hospice facilities in North Carolina, resulting in a long admittance waiting list. The expansion of Kitty Askins will provide more patients with skilled hospice care in a tranquil, home-like setting.

3HC President, Dean Lee, comments, "This is a day we have looked forward to for quite some time. When someone calls and needs this level of care, too many times we have had to say, ‘I’m sorry, we’re full.’ We are here to eliminate ever having to say that again. We are thankful that SECU members and our community have helped make this possible."

Shirley Bell responds, "The SECU Foundation was proud to partner with 3HC to provide funding for the expansion of SECU House at Kitty Askins and it is wonderful to see the construction begin on the expansion. The facility serves such a critical need in Wayne and surrounding counties, providing supportive, end-of-life care for patients. This project is a great fit for the Foundation, as it epitomizes the Foundation’s ‘People Helping People’ philosophy."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of two new advisory council members to two of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

October’s appointees are:

Triangle East
Lee Barbee, Town of Clayton Fire Department, Fire Chief

Wake
Jason Boggs, Town of Knightdale Public Safety Department, Engineer

At its Annual Meeting held on October 20th, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) honored three member-volunteers for their service to the Credit Union. Grady Cooper of Raleigh, Charles Koonce of Fayetteville and William Locus of Goldsboro were presented Board Resolutions and highlighted in a tribute video, shown during the meeting which was attended by nearly 1,000 SECU members. Shirley Bell, 2008-2009 Board of Directors Chairman, presented the framed Board Resolutions to each recipient and acknowledged their commitment of service to the Credit Union and their fellow members. The three honorees have served their Credit Union as either Advisory Board or Loan Review Committee members for a cumulative period of 100 years.

Grady Cooper, who has served for 20 years on the Credit Union’s Loan Review Committee, is a tremendous example of a volunteer carrying out the mission of service. When asked about the impact of volunteers at SECU, he states, "The fact that members do volunteer in lots of ways and members are directly involved in the decisions, contributes to the success of our member-owned organization."

Serving as a Credit Union volunteer since the early 1970’s, Charles Koonce has been instrumental in educating others on the benefits of SECU membership. Mr. Koonce remarks, "Advisory Board volunteers represent the membership of State Employees’ Credit Union. It’s a cooperative owned by its members and Advisory Boards serve as the liaison between the membership and the Board of Directors. It’s our responsibility to let the Board of Directors know what fellow members in our communities need and want from their cooperative."

William Locus has served in various capacities as a volunteer at SECU for the past forty years. Whether serving on his local Advisory Board or as a Loan Review Committee member, he has been a constant advocate for the Credit Union. Mr. Locus comments, "The Advisory Board members have helped the Credit Union grow by looking at the cities and the communities, listening to members from those areas, and bringing to management the members’ desires for a local branch presence."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) hosted its 2009 Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 20th at the Sheraton Hotel at Four Seasons in Greensboro, North Carolina and nearly 1,000 members attended the event. The 2009 meeting featured an earlier luncheon and educational sessions for local branch Advisory Board and Loan Review Committee volunteers, and the day concluded with the General Membership Meeting. During the general meeting, Board of Directors Chairman Shirley Bell presented highlights from the 2009 Report to the Membership. SECU President Jim Blaine also provided an overview of the Credit Union’s past fiscal year and shared planned initiatives for the coming year. In addition, a ballot election was held to fill four seats on SECU’s Board of Directors. Elections results yielded three-year terms for Jim Barber, Bob Brinson, Jim Johnson and McKinley Wooten, all who have served previous terms on the Board.

Special awards were also presented during the meeting to several SECU volunteers. Grady Cooper, Charles Koonce and William Locus were honored with a video tribute and Board Resolutions for their cumulative volunteer service to SECU of more than 100 years. Irv Ellington and Dr. Al Wentzy were also honored by the NC National Guard for their commitment to several SECU community involvement initiatives focused on supporting National Guard families in North Carolina. Escorted by cadets from the Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy serving as the day’s Color Guard, Brigadier General Iwan Clontz made the presentations to Mr. Ellington and Dr. Wentzy.

Shirley Bell, 2008-2009 SECU Board of Directors Chairman, commented on the event, "We are thrilled that so many members were able to attend the 2009 meeting and appreciate the support of the more than 3,000 volunteers who currently serve SECU. This meeting provides a wonderful forum for us to share the success stories of our member-owned cooperative and the continuing financial safety and soundness of State Employees’ Credit Union. This year’s ballot election was also a great representation of the willingness of SECU’s member-owners to step up and lead the organization. It reinforced the one member/one vote cooperative principle --- providing members the opportunity to have a voice in their Credit Union."

Advisory Board member Gail Hudson, who attended this year’s meeting, added, "Never have I been so privileged to be a part of such a large meeting where the spirit of closeness and caring was conveyed.  I and my fellow member-owners appreciate being included in this meeting and in all aspects of SECU. It truly shows that SECU is ‘our cooperative.’ At this year’s meeting, I learned about the operations at SECU and, more importantly, was reminded of our purpose and what makes being part of this organization so rewarding."

Remarking on learning of the many SECU Foundation accomplishments of Credit Union members, Nikkia Sheppard Lynch of Chapel Hill added, "I’ve attended the SECU Annual Meeting for the past two years and the meetings have served to remind me of the positive impact SECU has in our local communities and across the State. It has been nice to hear about the ways in which all members have contributed to SECU’s ability to touch so many through the SECU Foundation. The Annual Meeting reinforced the information and discussions we, as volunteers, receive in our Advisory Board meetings. I left the meeting with a positive feeling about my involvement in SECU and was encouraged to share that feeling with others."

Pictured (from left): Bill Lackey, CIO Allegacy; Tara C. O'Brien, CEO Cancer Services, Inc.; Ike Keener, CEO Allegacy, Ann Johnston, Chair of Allegacy's Board of Directors; Cathy Pace, CMO Allegacy; Ray Crouse, Managing Director of Allegacy Services LLC, Darryl Worrell, COO Allegacy, Henry Russ Sr., Member of Allegacy's Board of Directors; and Michael Cassidy, Member of Allegacy's Board of Directors.

Allegacy has been raising money for breast and ovarian cancer for more than a decade.  Why? On a statistics level, 1 in 2 men & 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime: Breast cancer is the most common cancer (excluding skin cancer) and the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer-related death among women.

At Allegacy, these diseases have already hit home, more than once. Ten years ago, three of its co-workers were diagnosed with breast cancer and the CEO lost a close friend to ovarian cancer. It was then that Allegacy decided to focus a portion of its community outreach and fundraising efforts on awareness, education and early detection of these diseases.

Allegacy's commitment to the cause does not end there.  In addition to its golf tournament, there is "The Park" at its 10-acre headquarters campus, for survivors, their families and anyone who has been touched by breast and ovarian cancer. Allegacy is also a presenting sponsor of the Komen NC Triad Race for the Cure.

For more about Cancer Services Inc., visit www.cancer-services.com .

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) elected a new slate of Officers at its recent Board of Directors meeting, held after the October 20th SECU Annual Membership Meeting. 2009-2010 SECU Board of Directors Officers include: Jim Barber – Chairman, McKinley Wooten – Vice-Chairman, and Jim Johnson – Secretary/Treasurer.

Chairman Jim Barber has served on the Credit Union Board since 2000. Barber, a resident of Sunset Beach, NC, has extensive State Government experience and a Masters Degree from Harvard Business School. Mr. Barber recently retired after 24 years of service in North Carolina State Government including the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Education and the Department of Public Instruction. He continues to serve as a senior advisor at the School of Education and on the Board of Directors of the NC Public School Forum.

Elected as Vice-Chairman, McKinley Wooten lives in Raleigh, NC and holds degrees from Morehouse College and Vanderbilt University School of Law. Wooten is a Deputy Director for the Administrative Office of the Courts in Raleigh. He joined SECU in 1994 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2000.

Mr. Johnson became a member of State Employees’ Credit Union’s Board of Directors in 2001 and will serve in the 2009-2010 year as Secretary/Treasurer. He lives in downtown Raleigh, and is the former director of the N.C. General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division. Mr. Johnson is a partner in the Raleigh government relations firm Blount Street Advisors, and is a visiting professor at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy.

2009-2010 SECU Board of Directors Chairman Jim Barber states, "Serving on the Board of Directors has given me an in-depth look at the true value of SECU to its member-owners. The Credit Union’s strength is in its membership and ability to be a safe haven, providing financial security and personal service even in today’s uncertain times. As Chairman of our volunteer Board, I and my fellow Board members, along with SECU’s 3,000+ volunteers, look forward to representing the interests of the Credit Union’s more than 1.5 million members!"

The Hospice & Palliative CareCenter will be renamed the SECU CareCenter.

Hospice & Palliative CareCenter President, JoAnn Davis, responds, "We are so thankful to the SECU Foundation for their support of compassionate end-of-life care. SECU members are serving as a wonderful example to others in the significant support they have given to HPCC and others across the State. This is an extraordinary gift and we can think of no better way to commemorate this partnership than to rename our Palliative CareCenter the SECU CareCenter, in honor of State Employees’ Credit Union members."

Shirley Bell, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, "SECU members via the SECU Foundation are proud to assist with the Vital Connections Capital Campaign to expand two wonderful hospice resources in Winston-Salem. Projects like the SECU CareCenter align perfectly with the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy of the Foundation by assisting so many North Carolina families with end-of-life care."

Members Credit Union (MCU) raised $9,035 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes. In the three years MCU has participated in this event the credit union has amassed nearly $27,000 in donations.

"I’m extremely proud of our members’ and employees’ generosity even in these rough economic times," said Wendy Blakley, MCU’s Director of Member Services. "We are committed to helping our community and comforted by knowing that such a large portion of our contributions go directly to diabetes research."

JDRF is the top charitable organization for funding type one (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide, and uses more than 85% of their budget to support research and research-related education. JDRF’s mission to find a cure for juvenile diabetes and its complications has resonated with MCU employees primarily because of personal connections to the disease.

"When you’re young, you just want to be a kid. Diabetes won’t let you just be a kid," commented Blakley, who witnessed the hardships that her sister, Lynn, endured after being diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. "It was impossible for her to understand why she had to have three shots a day and get her finger pricked six to ten times a day."

Blakley is one of many employees who have seen first-hand the effects of juvenile diabetes. According to research conducted for JDRF, forty children per day are diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S.

"My granddaughter, Sara, was six years old when she was diagnosed with type one diabetes," explained Deborah Sayers, MCU Member Services Representative, who single-handedly collected nearly $2,200 for JDRF this year. "She once asked her mom, ‘does God have something against me?’ That’s my motivation."

"Our members can see our passion, and that makes them want to help," said Christina Marler, MCU teller. Marler, along with fellow MCU teller, Renae Jones, purchased 72 JDRF-branded teddy bears in an effort to raise money.

"For every $10 donation that we receive we are sending a special JDRF bear to Brenner Children's Hospital so that it may brighten the day of a patient," explained Jones. "This way, we are directly touching the lives of diabetes patients in our community."

Community involvement is not a new concept at MCU. As a four-time first place recipient of the prestigious NC Credit Union League’s Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award, MCU has been regularly recognized for corporate citizenship.

• Launched LGFCU Financial Partners, a full-service credit union service organization allowing LGFCU to make loans directly to local government units. In the past 12 months, it made 67 loans for more than $23 million.
• Committed as much as $50 million to N.C. municipal bonds to keep important infrastructure projects moving.
• Invested an additional $100,000 in its LGFCU Scholarship Program, bringing the total amount of money available to $120,000, while also increasing its School of Government Scholarship monies from $10,000 to $60,000.
• Partnered with the N.C. Association of Rescue & E.M.S. to launch a specially-structured Visa debit card exclusive to all North Carolina rescue/EMS workers and their families. With each swipe, the credit union makes a donation to the NCAR&EMS. LGFCU already has a similar debit card that generates money for the N.C. State Firemen’s Association.

"It is important that we are not only a real partner with North Carolina local governments, but also with the communities they serve," said Smith. "Being recognized for our impact in this area is a true honor."

In addition to his role at LGFCU, Smith also serves as vice chairman of the NC Credit Union League and recently completed a two year term as chairman of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation.

The clanging of coins in mason jars signaled the beginning of the first-ever Classroom Savings Challenge today at a pep rally held in the Rogers-Herr Middle School's gym. Durham Mayor Bill Bell endorsed the challenge with a proclamation and First Citizens Bank donated $500 for the campaign to purchase EE savings bonds.

"As a parent, I know how important it is that we provide our young people with the skills to understand the importance of being financially responsible," said Mayor Bell. "Today's classroom savings challenge serves as a wake-up call for parents, school leaders and others in the community that we can really make a difference, and I urge everyone to support these children in this initiative."

The Classroom Savings Challenge, which is an extension of an in-school curriculum called the Youth Financial Education Program (YFE), will encourage young people throughout the Durham School System to save their money by making daily or weekly deposits into their savings jar during class. Activities will correspond with scheduled YFE sessions and a class project. The teachers will coordinate with their students who will retain and track their deposits to determine the classes' total savings. Over the next two months, students will learn about money matters and how saving money is central to becoming a responsible adult. The winning class will be announced on Dec. 14.

To support the students' efforts, First Citizens Bank will provide an initial deposit of for each classroom.

"The Classroom Savings Challenge is a wonderful opportunity that highlights our commitment to education and community," said Armeer Kenchen, Chairman of The Support Center. "Through the in-class instruction, we hope that young people will learn how to make smart financial decisions and enjoy the spirited competition in learning that saving money is a family effort that can be both fun and essential. Parent participation is vital in helping the students save and the parents must remind their children to gather their coins and bring them to deposit into their savings jars."

The YFE Program, which has been active across North Carolina for six years, draws upon the expertise of volunteer educators affiliated with The Support Center and partner the Youth Financial Educators Council. In addition to the classroom lessons on financial literacy, the program also organizes Youth Savings Clubs.

"Pennies can really add up," said Kimberly Knox, director of YFE. "In an age dominated by news of personal bankruptcies, home foreclosures and poor savings rates, the practical lessons of the Savings Challenge will provide students with the skills to learn how to make sound financial decisions now - with the hopes that this knowledge will follow them into adulthood."

According to a Youth and Money survey conducted in 1999, 94 percent of young people say their parents are their primary source of financial education - yet 30 percent of those same students report that their parents "rarely or never" discuss saving and investing with them, and 47 percent say their parents "rarely or never" discuss household budgeting with them.

"The in-classroom instruction with real-life examples about financial literacy issues, such as household expenses, is made possible by the information, tools and resources that are given to our teachers," said Drew Sawyer, principal at Rogers-Herr Middle School. "We are excited to be participating in the Savings Challenge and look forward to an exciting year."

Studies show that managing personal finances can be a serious problem for young people. Fewer than half the teens in a 2006 Charles Schwab Foundation survey understood how to budget their money, and the average college freshman has $1,500 in credit card debt. The segment of the population filing for bankruptcy faster than any other? Americans under the age of 25. Those are the trends The Support Center aims to reverse through its YFE Program by explaining financial literacy issues to younger students.

"Young people love to ask their moms and dads for money to buy what they want," said Vince Shorb, founder of the National Youth Financial Educators Council and a motivational speaker who led event activities. "But with the recent changes in the economy it is important now, more than ever, that young people understand the practical financial skills that will make a true difference in their lives."

State Employees’ Credit Union members via the SECU Foundation are providing funding for a $1.1 million zero percent construction loan to assist with the renovation of an existing residential building in Winston-Salem, NC which will benefit pregnant and teen mothers. The Reynolds Cottage building, located on The Children’s Home campus at 1001 Reynolda Road, will be renovated with 6 one-bedroom suites, 2 efficiency apartments and common areas for residents including a kitchen, dining area, living and recreation rooms and laundry facilities.

SECU is partnering with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) for this supportive housing project, which is sponsored by The Children’s Home, a non-profit that provides housing and services to youth. NCHFA provides permanent financing to help North Carolina non-profits like The Children’s Home, Inc. build housing for persons with disabilities and/or special needs. My Aunt’s House will provide a safe, stable structured living environment for each mother and child with adult supervision, case management, and transportation to community services.

George M. Bryan, Jr., President of The Children’s Home, Inc. states, "We are very appreciative to the members of the Credit Union for their SECU Foundation assistance for My Aunt’s House. It is very exciting to have the opportunity to expand our services to bolster these young families with life skills that prepare them for more independent living situations and help them grow strong, healthy families."

David King, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, "My Aunt’s House is yet another wonderful NCHFA-SECU Foundation supportive housing project that represents the true ‘People Helping People’ cooperative spirit embodied by SECU members. My Aunt’s House will serve as a place of great support for homeless teen mothers and their children, providing them with basic necessities and aiming to help them during their crisis of homelessness through a variety of educational opportunities."

John Roberts, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Winston-Salem-Stratford Road branch adds, "It is great to see a well-constructed 100+ year old building renovated for such a wonderful purpose. The Winston-Salem community is really coming together in support of My Aunt’s House, and they are truly thankful to the members of SECU for their support of this worthwhile project!"

Contest winners Jean-Pierre Saintard & wife Rose Bachtel (center) are pictured with WECT-TV Anchor Frances Weller (left) and Alliance SVP of Marketing and Retail Delivery Emily Condon.

The Ugly Car Contest, spanning two months, was the first of its kind for Alliance Credit Union. It used a ‘Fan Page’ on Facebook to enable Alliance members to share pictures of their vehicles and enter the contest. Both members and non-members were allowed to vote. Mr. Saintard won the contest with 336 votes, beating out the runner-up by only 42 votes.

"It was a great injustice to have our car vandalized, but at least there is a positive ending to an otherwise negative situation," said Mr. Saintard. "We are so excited to be the winners of Alliance’s Ugly Car Contest – the timing couldn’t have been more perfect."

Alliance Credit Union presented Mr. Saintard and his wife, Rose Bachtel, with a $5,000 check on Saturday. The event, held at Alliance Credit Union’s Racine Financial Center located at 237 Racine Drive in Wilmington, N.C., also featured the winning car, music and a BBQ luncheon.

"With the success of the government’s ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program, Alliance realized how many people need help getting a new car," said Emily Condon, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Retail Delivery. "The ‘Ugly Car Contest’ is our small way of helping a member while keeping the spirit of the ‘clunkers’ program alive."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) continues its commitment to education through action. During the past year SECU invested $1.6 billion of members’ funds in N.C. Student Loan Bonds which helped the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) and College Foundation, Inc. (CFI) make education loans available to North Carolina students and parents. An additional $25 million pool of funds has been committed to help meet the higher demand for student loans for this school year.

"We are grateful that SECU stepped up to help make money available, and we also appreciate their genuine interest in helping educate families about the best ways to pay for college," said Steve Brooks, SEAA executive director. "Families need to understand the college financial aid process and how to find available Federal and State scholarships, grants and low-cost Federal loans before they consider other options. They also need a solid foundation in financial literacy to make good choices."

"SECU firmly believes that helping North Carolinians get an education is one of the best and most important investments we can make. Education opens up opportunities for individuals to increase their incomes and improve the quality of their lives," said Mike Lord, SECU Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting. "We support the CFNC effort to help North Carolina families ‘plan, apply and pay for college.’"

The two North Carolina private, nonprofit financial institutions and SEAA are also in the planning stages for SECU to help families with questions on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students and parents must complete a FAFSA form to be considered for Federal and State aid for college. SECU will help CFNC and the North Carolina Association of Financial Aid Administrators offer FAFSA Day at sites across the state in February 2010. Details on the joint efforts of these groups will be announced soon.

State Employees’ Credit Union members via the SECU Foundation are providing funding for a $500,000 zero percent construction loan to help build My Sister’s House, a licensed group home for pregnant teens and their children in Greensboro, NC. The 4,500 square foot group home will accommodate a combination of 10 residents (5 teen moms and 5 infants) and staff. The facility will be licensed under the Department of Health and Human Services as a Residential Maternity Home.

SECU is partnering with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) for this supportive housing project, which is sponsored by Youth Focus, Inc, a non-profit that provides a wide range of services to at risk youth and troubled young people ages 5-21. NCHFA provides permanent financing to help North Carolina non-profits like Youth Focus, Inc to build housing for persons with disabilities and/or special needs. My Sister’s House of Greensboro will provide a safe, stable, structured living environment for each mother and child with adult supervision, case management, and transportation to community services.

Bob Kucab, Executive Director of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency states, "In a difficult economy, the SECU Foundation is an extremely forward-looking partner. By offering interest-free construction loans for projects like My Sister’s House, SECU members support not just critical housing, but the entire community."

David King, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, "State Employees’ Credit Union members have partnered with NCHFA on a variety of supportive housing projects in North Carolina and we are very pleased to assist with the construction funding of My Sister’s House of Greensboro. This facility will provide teen mothers and their children with a supportive environment, giving residents the tools to succeed despite difficult circumstances. My Sister’s House will make a positive difference in the lives of these young people and is a project that certainly exemplifies the Foundation philosophy of ‘People Helping People.’"

The construction of My Sister’s House is also designed to meet Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) certification from the Green Building Rating SystemTM, which is the highest level of LEED certification. LEED homes and buildings are safer, healthier, more comfortable, and more durable than conventional construction. The benefits of LEED include economic benefits such as lower energy and water bills; environmental benefits like reduced greenhouse gas emissions; and health benefits such as reduced exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins.

Bobby Hall, SECU Senior Executive Vice President and NC GreenPower Board member comments, "NC GreenPower and SECU members via the Foundation have joined forces for various green initiatives and it is very rewarding to see additional projects that can complement the efforts of the many SECU Foundation partners for the good of North Carolina and its citizens. It is a great benefit to all!"

FAT CAT makes an appearance at a local elementary school with Kristy Spaulding, SECU VP of the Lumberton-West Fifth Street Branch.

Launched in 2000, SECU’s Fat Cat account was developed to foster a relationship with members at a young age and to assist parents in teaching their children the value of saving and managing money wisely. When Fat Cat members establish their accounts, they receive incentive items, as well as a passbook to track their savings. In addition to the Fat Cat website, www.cufatcats.org, and Fat Cat Paw Prints newsletter, SECU utilizes a Fat Cat Smart Money booklet as a teaching tool in many North Carolina elementary schools. With over 35 Fat Cat costumes across the State, SECU personnel take the mascot into the schools to help them teach basic money concepts.

SECU’s Zard teen program, started in April 2002, expands account and service options for members to include a checking account, ATM/debit card and other lending and savings products. Zard members also receive an incentive item, as well as useful financial information on topics such as budgeting, checkbook balancing and credit scores via its Money Matterz newsletter and www.teenzard.org website. To enhance the program, SECU personnel use the NEFE High School Financial Planning program and BizKid$ curriculum in North Carolina schools.

Leigh Brady, SECU Senior Vice President of Education Services, comments, "We are so happy to see the growing number of youth accounts at our Credit Union, as SECU personnel have worked diligently over the years to reach out to younger members. Our youth programs also allow us to expand our financial education efforts --- giving back to North Carolina through presentations to youth on money management topics. As SECU’s Fat Cat and Zard members grow older, we look forward to their financial success."

State Employees’ Credit Union’s (SECU’s) Bridge account, introduced in 2007, is helping transition savers into investors. The account provides an avenue for saving without the risk of loss associated with the stock market, by offering the security of NCUA insurance. With earnings tied to the quarterly change in the Standard & Poor’s (S&P’s) 500® Index, the account can earn as much as 3% per quarter and did so for the second quarter of 2009. With only one week left in the third quarter, it appears likely that maximum earnings will be paid for this quarter as well.

Currently more than 4500 members have Bridge accounts with assets totaling over $3.5 million. These accountholders are working towards accumulating funds needed to open investment accounts at SECU, which have seen much growth in recent months. As Credit Union members look for safe and secure options for their deposits, the Bridge account is an attractive alternative in today’s unpredictable market.

Bridge accounts can be opened with a minimum of $25 and will accept deposits up to $3,000. If market returns are positive during a quarter, dividends will be paid up to the maximum rate of 3% (12% APR/12.55% APY). If market returns are negative, no dividends will be declared for that quarter, but there will also be no loss.

Joan McCool, SECU Senior Vice President of IRA & Investment Services, comments, "The SECU Bridge account is an excellent no-risk tool to help members establish the savings needed to ultimately become investors. We certainly encourage our members to invest in their futures through the accumulation of long-term savings. The Bridge account provides a unique way for Credit Union members to work towards meeting their financial goals."

In recognition of their commitment to improving county government across North Carolina, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) has been honored with the Friend of the Counties Award by the N.C. Association of County Commissioners (NCACC).
 
The award was created in 2005 as a way to encourage non-county persons and organizations to take significant actions that advance the interests of counties and the association.
 
"LGFCU has been a strong partner with the association in our training and education initiatives for the past six years," said NCACC Executive Director David Thompson. "Not only do they make more than $60,000 a year in financial scholarships available to local government employees and elected officials to further their education, but they recently offered their support by taking over sponsorship of our Employee Productivity Awards program."
 
Now known as the LGFCU Employee Productivity Award, this program recognizes 10 North Carolina county employees with $1,000 awards for their efforts to improve the efficiency of county programs, services and general administration.
 
"Anything we can do to help county government thrive, we are happy to do," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "We are very appreciative of this award, and look forward to partnering with the association on these and other programs for many years to come."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has recently expanded its "green" program offerings to included a Green Second Mortgage. This new loan product is designed specifically for energy efficient improvements such as replacement windows, heating/air conditioning systems, insulation, solar water systems and Energy Star appliances. As much as $50,000 may be financed for up to ten years with at least 75% of the proceeds used for energy efficient improvements.

Phil Greer, SECU Senior Vice President of Loan Administration comments, "State Employees’ Credit Union encourages its membership to seek energy efficient home improvements in order to cut costs and save on their utility bills. It is important that we provide members with beneficial loan products to help them with these endeavors and we are very happy to have a Green Second Mortgage available specifically for such improvements. There are also some Federal and State tax credits and utility company rebates to assist homeowners who make energy efficient home improvements and we recommend that our members take advantage of those as well."

The Green Second Mortgage complements SECU’s other green loan products, which include a Green First Mortgage and Green Vehicle loan. The Credit Union also promotes a variety of environmentally friendly services such online E-statements and BillPay, Direct Deposit and Mobile Access for those with a web-enabled mobile device.

In addition to services, members of State Employees’ Credit Union support a variety of green initiatives through their partnership with NC GreenPower, a Raleigh-based non-profit that works with participants of electric utilities across the state to encourage the development of renewable energy through voluntary tax-deductible contributions. In 2007, SECU members via the SECU Foundation began a four-year commitment to support cleaner, renewable energy alternatives for North Carolina through the funding of one kilowatt hour of renewable energy production in the State for each member --- a commitment to renewable energy in North Carolina of over 5.2 million kilowatt hours!

NC GreenPower Board member and SECU Senior Executive Vice President Bobby Hall states, "NC GreenPower is very appreciative to SECU and its membership for their dedication to cleaner energy options for the citizens of North Carolina. The Credit Union’s initiatives to provide members with green loan products and services further emphasize SECU’s commitment to promote energy efficiency."

Funding from the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) will be used to expand First Legacy Community Credit Union's operations.  The credit union received $2 million to expand operations at its headquarters in Charlotte, open a branch in Gastonia, NC and relocate its Salisbury branch to a more visible section of town. 
 
"Our future evolution requires a diligent effort on our behalf to remain engaged with our members," says Saundra Scales, First Legacy CCU President. "Because we listen to our members, we stay informed of your challenges and needs. Our expansion is a direct response to our member needs and we are grateful to have the resources necessary to meet their needs." 
 
The mission of First Legacy Federal Credit Union (FLFCU) is to "Provide needed financial services to members in an ethical, efficient, and caring manner while maintaining sound operating principles".  We do this by providing services we feel are geared towards the African-American, low to medium wealth families in the following counties: Mecklenburg, Iredell, Cabarrus, Rowan, Alexander, Davie, Catawba, Gaston and Cleveland.

To increase the general public’s awareness of Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) and the value they provide to members, The Support Center is airing a radio campaign  this month titled "Save, Borrow, Learn."  The 60-second spots feature real-life testimonials illustrating the way CDCUs improve lives and benefit communities. The testimonials, available for listening at saveborrowlearn.com, spotlight three credit union members talking about the financial circumstances that each of them addressed with the help of a CDCU.

The Support Center hopes to reach approximately 71 percent of the state’s population with this informative campaign in both English and Spanish. In particular, the spots are meant to reach individuals ages 18 and older, encouraging them to consider CDCUs as the place to build their personal savings – to find affordable, life-sustaining loans – and to learn how to create personal wealth for themselves and their families.

The spots will air in the top three media markets in North Carolina, reaching the largest concentration of the state’s population. Additionally, public service announcements (PSAs) will air where available in rural communities to extend the reach of the message.

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of five new advisory council members to five of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

August’s appointees are:

Central Coast
Candice Conner, Craven County/Human Resources Technician

Eastern Carolina
Mary Jo Nimmo, Lenoir Memorial Hospital, MIS Director

Foothills
Heather Black, City of Shelby, Benefits Coordinator

North Triangle
Elgin Lane, Warren County, Human Resources Manager

Wake
Phyllis Jackson, Wake County, Benefits Specialist

Honored for their years of dedication and service to North Carolina’s firefighting community, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) is the proud recipient of the 2009 Presidential Award from the N.C. State Firemen’s Association (NCSFA).
 
The award, says NCSFA President Paul Miller, is the first ever of its kind, and won’t necessarily be given out every year.
 
"We came up with the idea for this award with LGFCU in mind," says Miller. "They have tirelessly supported our efforts for many years, whether it’s to provide fair and reliable financing to our state’s fire departments, or through their special debit card program, in which they forgo part of their profits and channel it directly to the association."
 
The specially-structured Visa debit card program to which Miller refers was launched in 2003. It works by donating 50 percent of the merchant’s transaction fee from every purchase to the NCSFA. To date, more than $250,000 has been raised for the association.
 
LGFCU has been providing commercial loans to fire stations since 2006. Since then, they have financed $26 million in loans to more than 80 fire departments for everything from apparatus to fire trucks to the construction of new stations.
 
"Firefighters represent one of the largest segments of our membership," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "It’s an honor to be able to serve this community any way we can, and to be recognized for it with this award makes this a truly great moment for our credit union."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) realizes there’s nothing cool and comfortable about being out for the summer with no paycheck. Thankfully, for many SECU members this wasn’t a problem. SECU serves public school employees who are paid on 10 or 11-month schedules, and in 2003 created the Summer Cash account, giving these employees a structured way to save for unpaid months. In 2009, over 26,500 members enjoyed the benefit and saved nearly $93 million for the summer!

Elementary school teacher Lauren McCall, states, "The Summer Cash account has been a lifesaver for me in years past.  Not only did it allow me to save the money I needed to pay bills and make ends meet during the summer, it also gave me the opportunity to earn interest on the funds and accumulate greater savings.  Even schools that offer 10-month employees a 12-month option can’t pay the interest that SECU’s Summer Cash account provides.  I highly recommend it for anyone who is eligible."

For Summer Cash participants, during the working months a portion of the member’s paycheck is sent to SECU electronically for deposit into their Summer Cash account. The amount is determined by the member based on how much savings is needed for the summer months. The deposits accumulate throughout the year, along with dividends that are paid annually at the end of the summer. During the summer months, funds in the Summer Cash account are transferred to the member’s SECU account of choice. Members use the same Summer Cash account number each school year, altering transfer amounts as needed.

State Employees’ Credit Union recognizes it can be difficult to save for those summer months on your own. With the Summer Cash account, SECU provides members a structured savings option, with a competitive interest rate, for those unpaid months! We are thrilled this account is making such a positive financial difference for 10 and 11-month employees and are glad to see so many members utilizing this budget-friendly option."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation have provided the Operation Kids on Guard Foundation with a Sport Utility Vehicle and trailer for its "Kids on Guard (KOG)" Family Readiness Program. The program will utilize the vehicle and trailer to travel to North Carolina National Guard armories or training sites to provide fun and educational outlets for the children of its Army and Air Guard members, helping to address fears and concerns many children have about their parent’s service.

Designed for military children ages 5-18, the goal of KOG is to reduce feelings of fear and isolation many Guard children experience during their parent’s deployment by allowing them to interact with other Guard children that are dealing with the same stressors. During these events, volunteer Soldiers and Airmen teach children about basic drill and ceremony, military occupations, and military training. The volunteers provide photos of places they have served and allow the kids to ask questions and share feelings or concerns. Soldiers and Airmen also bring in hands-on equipment or set up displays to give the children an understanding of the types of equipment their loved ones may use in the military. Some children even engage in challenging activities like sports and games, land navigation, rappelling from a tower and rocketry.

Dr. Al Wentzy, Advisory Board member of SECU’s Jackson branch comments, "I am so proud of my Credit Union and its members for supporting the ‘Kids on Guard’ program! If you want to be supportive of a combat soldier and those deployed in the name of freedom, take care of their family. Children of our uniformed service members don’t understand why ‘Daddy’ and ‘Mommy’ are gone; the SECU Foundation’s support of this Operation Kids on Guard Foundation outreach project enables the NC National Guard to help their children understand. It is so touching and reassuring to see SECU members caring for the children of those deployed – it is a clear example of the Credit Union practicing the precept of ‘Do the Right Thing!’"

"We are extremely grateful to State Employee’s Credit Union and its members for providing the Kids on Guard program with a Sports Utility Vehicle and trailer," said Alice Dean, NC National Guard State Child & Youth Coordinator. "Kids on Guard is a hands-on, face-to-face program that provides unique support for our youngest military family members. Since the program began, we’ve reached more than 1,800 military children throughout the State. Having a dedicated vehicle for our use will increase our impact in the State and allow us to further extend the program. This type of support helps further our mission to keep North Carolina’s military children resilient."

Deb McLean, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Carolina Postal Credit Union recently contributed to CUES (Credit Union Executives Society) new publication "CUES Cost Control Series: Marketing."   CUES new series of publications is in direct response to their members’ requests for research showing opportunities to cut costs without hurting growth.

"CUES Cost Control Series: Marketing" details several successful low-cost ideas from nationally known credit union marketers and advisory groups.  Also included are details on how growing numbers of credit unions are using the internet for both lowering costs and strengthening member relationships.

McLean’s contributions includes details on Carolina Postal’s "Priority Payday Checking Account"  and their very popular "Switch & Ditch" auto loan promotion.  Both promotions were inexpensive to produce and market and the initial promotions recouped impressive award-winning ROI’s.  Carolina Postal Credit Union was the only credit union that had two different campaigns used as best practices examples in the publication.

A complete catalog of CUES manuals, including others in the CUES Cost Control Series is available at cues.org/products/.

Carolina Postal Credit Union is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and has 10,000 members and $82 million in assets.  Carolina Postal Credit Union serves USPS, Federal and Military employees and is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.

A 20-year financial services Marketing Professional (she started working when she was 10); Deb McLean has been awarded CUES Marketer of the Year2002 , CU Times Marketing Trailblazer 2009, and CUES Future Leader 2008.

The Charles M. and Mary D. Grant Foundation awarded The Support Center a grant for $30,000. The grant will aid in the promotion of financial literacy and sound financial management in the state's LMI communities. "We are delighted to support The Support Center's financial literacy services and youth financial education program, says Casey Burgess, Program Offficer and representative for the Trustee, JPMorgan Chase.  

The Support Center will allocate a portion of the grant to host a Financial Literacy Summit in February 2010. Additonally, the grant will help build capacity for the Youth Financial Education program (YFE). The funding will help further the program's recent success by supporting volunteer recruitment, training and certification as well as promote youth savings intiatives. The YFE program will kick off a fall savings challenege at a Durham middle school this October.

On September 16, 2009, Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) launches its first ever essay writing and photo contests with an emphasis on savings as a topic to help foster a culture of saving among youth.  There are two separate contests (photo and essay) for each of the following age categories: 13-14, 15-16, 17-18.  Contest winners will receive award money, made available through a grant from the National Credit Union Foundation, in the form of a 24-month certificate of deposit to initiate a practice of saving. LCCU will award a total of eighteen prizes: first prize winners will receive $1,000; second place winners will receive $500; and third place winners will receive $250.  

The contest is open to anyone between 13 and 18 years old at the time of entry.  Participants can enter one or both contests, and have the option to submit their essays and/or photos online at www.latinoccu.org, by mail or in person at the branches. The deadline for submission is November 30, 2009. 

www.latinoccu.org, or send an email to contest@cooperativalatina.org .

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation have given a $250,000 challenge grant to the Friends of the Jackson County Main Library to assist with the Capital Campaign for the Jackson County Public Library Complex, providing needed library services to several Western North Carolina counties. 

For the project, the SECU Foundation partnered with the non-profit Friends of the Jackson County Main Library to provide services to citizens in Macon, Swain and Haywood Counties.  The complex will also benefit the local university and community college and other regional libraries.  The challenge grant will allow the Friends of the Library the opportunity to complete the fundraising goal needed for the construction of the 20,000 square foot library, which will be located next to the recently restored, historical Jackson County Courthouse.

Josie Bewsey, SECU’s Sylva Advisory Board Chairman comments, “The $250,000 SECU Foundation Challenge Grant demonstrates the commitment that State Employees’ Credit Union members have to North Carolina communities.  This generous offer will help to bring the Jackson County Library Project to fruition.  By giving back to the community in this manner, the SECU Foundation has also shown the commitment to enhancing the learning opportunities and quality of life for its members and the community of Jackson County, for generations to come.”

“The Friends of the Jackson County Main Library are thrilled by the generosity of SECU members,” said June Smith, president of the Friends.  “The $250,000 challenge grant is a strong incentive for our community to reach the $1.6 million we need to complete the new library complex.  Now, for every dollar given to the New Library Fund, the SECU Foundation will match it up to $250,000.  What a return on our investment!  Jackson County residents are generous people.  I know they will respond to this incredible opportunity to double their money when they contribute to the New Library Fund.”

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and its member-owners are partnering with the Center for Responsible Lending, the NC Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) and Capital Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to launch a major media effort to reach homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure.  The “Fight NC Foreclosure” campaign is designed to educate the public on the foreclosure crisis and give guidance on where to turn for help.  The campaign will include repeated public service announcements (PSAs) on prime-time television through WRAZ/Fox 50, combined with a visible presence on the WRAL.com website.  “Fight NC Foreclosure” is set to launch with a press conference on September 15th and run through December 2009.

The PSAs will highlight the State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project, bringing North Carolinians an awareness of resources available to prevent foreclosures.  The project aims to significantly increase the percentage of NC homeowners who save their homes, and also prevent consumers from becoming victims of foreclosure scams, especially scams affecting those with subprime mortgages.  While the Credit Union has never, and will never, originate subprime loans, SECU, as a non-profit cooperative, feels strongly about helping North Carolinians who may be in subprime situations.  And, SECU is going the distance to assist its own members who have experienced loss of income in recent months.  In February of this year, SECU launched a Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP), which offers members an opportunity to meet in person with a senior officer of SECU and develop an individualized financial plan if the member has concerns about future payments on their SECU mortgage.  The Credit Union is committed to meet with members whenever and wherever necessary and to investigate all opportunities to assist.  Options in MAP include mortgage loan extensions, mortgage loan modifications or refinances, and partial payment alternatives.  Budgeting, financial counseling and overall debt restructuring are also part of the MAP initiative – all without cost to the SECU membership.

Susan Lupton, Senior Policy Associate with the Center for Responsible Lending states, “Based on our most recent data, we estimate that one out of every twelve mortgage holders in North Carolina will face foreclosure between now and 2013 unless drastic steps are taken to reverse the trend.  The ‘Fight NC Foreclosure’ outreach campaign will hopefully make a tremendous difference in educating those who so desperately need the help to stay in their homes.   We are extremely pleased to have State Employees’ Credit Union as a partner on this campaign.”

Mark Pearce, Deputy Commissioner with the Office of the NC Commissioner of Banks adds, “Foreclosures don’t have to happen.  Even if our State’s citizens have experienced hard times, they may be able keep their home if they take advantage of available resources.  The State of North Carolina has a network of free counselors and partners like State Employees’ Credit Union, who have processes in place to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.”

Phil Greer, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Loan Administration department comments, “State Employees’ Credit Union understands the importance of helping members improve their financial lives – it’s the mission of SECU and goes hand in hand with the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy of the Credit Union.  And even if our cooperative was not part of the subprime debacle, we must help to educate all North Carolinians on the resources available to them during these difficult economic times.  The ‘Fight NC Foreclosures’ campaign is a great way to get the word out to all North Carolinians, letting them know of available assistance.  We strongly encourage all SECU members who are struggling with possible foreclosure or loss of income to reach out to the Credit Union.  We’re here to help!”

Braswell has held a seat on MCU’s Board of Directors for 30 years. He has also served on several credit union industry boards and committees during his illustrious career, including: the Political Action Board of Trustees, CUNA Mutual Policy Owners’ Council, Credit Union Service Corporation Operations Committee, various North Carolina Credit Union League (NCCUL) committees, the Northwest Chapter Board, and he currently serves as First Carolina Corporate Credit Union’s Chairman. In 2004, Braswell was honored with the NCCUL’s prestigious "Mark of Excellence Award" that recognizes a career dedicated to leadership in the credit union movement and marks.

Coastal Federal Credit Union and WRBZ Sports Radio 850 The Buzz kicked off the Scholar Athlete of the Month program for an 8th  consecutive year.  Each month during the school year, two winners will be selected from a pool of nominees who excel in both sports and academics.  Winners will receive on-air recognition and a commemorative trophy.  Additionally, Coastal will grant a $400 scholarship to each school in the student's honor.  
 
Nominations are currently being accepted from high schools within WRBZ’s large broadcast area from September through May 2010. Teachers, coaches and counselors can nominate a student, and nomination forms are available at www.850thebuzz.com/scholarentry.htm.  There is no cost to participate in this program.
 
In addition to the winners' trophy and cash award for the school, the students are interviewed for two-minute vignettes, which air on 850 The Buzz for a month, while biographies and pictures of all the winners are posted at 850thebuzzsuccess.com and www.COASTAL24.com.
 
The Scholar Athlete of the Month program launched in September 2002. To date, Coastal has awarded over $37,000 to area schools on behalf of the 90 students that have earned the award.

Summer camps in North Carolina proved to be ideal setting for the Youth Financial Education (YFE) to reach the state's youngest savers. Since June, YFE has reached approximately 350 students from ages 4-16. With support and assistance from First Legacy CCU, Generations CCU, Greater Kinston CU, Latino CCU, Local Government FCU and Self-Help CU, students were able to establish personal saving practices and engage in activities that allowed them to apply their financial education lessons for a greater understanding of money management.
 
The 2nd round of YFE summer camp sessions ended in August. In Durham, the savings challenge winners from Lyon Park Community Center were rewarded for their efforts and participation with an awards ceremony, CDCU tour and pizza party.  The 45 students, including 22 campers from a special population’s camp, were able to save over $130 in less than 3 weeks. "I’m so glad that I had this opportunity to actually engage with the community and do something positive with my free time," said Derek Williams. " The information that the YFE program provides is vital and I believe that without it many kids would have never been introduced to some of the concepts that we discussed."
 
In Charlotte, campers from summer camp operated by the Q Foundation, received YFE certificates and visited First Legacy Community Credit Union upon the completion of the program at their camp. “It was a pleasure working with Kimberly and the YFE program,” said Roger Davis, Roger Davis, Q Camp Director.  “The monies the kids saved were used on their field trip to Carowind’s as part of an end of camp celebration, which was part of their saving goal.”
 
The program also began its “train the trainer” series in August. Offered to member CDCUs and their volunteers, the workshops are in partnership with the National Youth Financial Educators Council (NYFEC).  The 3-part series will allow participants to conduct YFE endorsed financial education sessions in schools in LMI communities across North Carolina.  At the end of the series, each participant will receive certification as a National Youth Financial Educator.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) continues to rally in support of its National Guard employee-reservists as deployments continue and SECU’s men and women are called to serve our Country.  As an employer, the Credit Union offers one week paid military leave annually, provides a pay differential when an employee is deployed and keeps the benefits of soldiers active when they are mobilized.  In addition to the employer benefits, SECU staff members consistently send care packages to deployed employee-reservists to show their support for these dedicated soldiers, and assist the reservists’ families as needed.

Earlier this year, SECU was a recipient of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s  (ESGR’s) State Chairman’s “Above and Beyond” Award, which is presented to employers who have exceeded legal requirements for providing support to Service Members who serve in the Guard and Reserve.  1st Lieutenant Benjamin Liebermann, an SECU Operations employee who is deployed with the National Guard, nominated the Credit Union for the award.  In 2005, State Employees’ Credit Union received ESGR’s Five Star Recognition for its support of Guardsmen and Reservists.
Jamie Applequist, SECU Senior Vice President in Jacksonville, is a Master Sergeant in the Air Force Reserves who is being deployed this week.  Applequist states, “I have been an active reservist in the 916th Air Refueling Wing in Goldsboro, NC during my entire career at State Employees’ Credit Union.  Initially, I had concerns on how the two jobs could coexist, but from day one, SECU at all levels has gone above and beyond to provide maximum support for all employees who serve in the reserves.  Whether it is sending care packages or offering differential pay to those who are deployed, SECU leadership has recognized the importance of military service, especially during the past eight years that our nation has been at war.  Twice, the Employers Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) has recognized SECU for their outstanding efforts.” 

“As I prepare for my third deployment in ten years, the support I receive throughout the organization has only intensified.  Senior management continues to provide unwavering support and makes sure that the gaps are filled while I am gone.  Many of my coworkers will assume additional responsibilities in my absence.  The offers of support at work are also extended to my family.  It is hard to explain how much this means to me.  What is generally a difficult transition going from a civilian job directly into military service, the culture that has been established within the Credit Union eliminates this burden.  As far as I am concerned, SECU and the fine men and women within the organization are a vital part of the military team!”

Major General William E. Ingram Jr., The Adjutant General of the NC National Guard responded, “The great employers of our NC National Guardsmen… and the State Employees’ Credit Union is a sterling example... are true patriots, absolutely critical to our state and the nation's defense. We sincerely appreciate employers that provide the time, encouragement and support for our Guardsmen and their families so they can perform military duty.  Thank you for all you do for these remarkable men and women in uniform.”

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) congratulates 24 winners of its School of Government (SOG) Scholarship Award. The awards, given out three times a year, are applied toward conferences, classes and seminars offered by the SOG at UNC-Chapel Hill, the largest university-based local government training, advisory and research organization in the United States.
 
“The credit union strongly supports the School of Government because of their instrumental role in strengthening the job skills of local government employees, which in turn improves the communities in which they serve,” said LGFCU President Maurice Smith.
 
The award recipients are:
 
Ida Armstrong, Robeson County
Jessica Bryant, Robeson County
Maria Burpeau, Stanly County
Jonathan Chase, City of Havelock
Adrian Cox, Town of Mt. Pleasant
Jennifer Dowless, Town of Red Springs
Erris Dunston, City of Henderson
Tyran Fennell, City of Durham
Kevin Hill, Bertie County
Sandra Janssen, Onslow County
Jeff Jones, Town of Holly Springs
Chris Koltyk, Moore County
Tarasa Lewis, Edgecombe County
Edwin Madden Jr., Town of Elizabethtown
Helena McPhatter, Robeson County
Brian Parnell, Franklin County
Susan Sain, Lincoln County
Russell Scherer, Town of Rutherfordton
Mark Seelenbacher, Robeson County
Charles Smith, Town of Jamestown
Timothy Stoker, Town of Rolesville
Joshua Watkins, Town of Harrisburg
Stephanie Watson, Town of Long View
Tanya Weary, City of Oxford
 
The next application deadline is December 1, 2009. For more information, or to apply, contact the Financial Wellness staff at 877.367.5428 or visit www.lgfcu.org.

Charlotte Metro Federal Credit Union announced today that it will be featuring the Carolina Panthers’ Jake Delhomme in a new commercial designed to introduce consumers to its “You Can Do Better” marketing campaign and a new social media presence.

The commercial is scheduled to begin airing during the Panthers’ last preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on FOX Charlotte on September 3. In addition, it will air during several Panthers’ regular season games this fall and on other TV shows on other networks including WSOC-TV, WBTV and WMYT.

The campaign, which will be accompanied by full-page print ads, is designed to tempt existing bank customers with the potential for a better banking experience with Charlotte Metro.

“Our research indicates there is considerable dissatisfaction with banking in the minds of consumers,” said Bob Bruns, President and CEO of Charlotte Metro. “So there is a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate the depth and breadth of options available in the financial services world. And we genuinely believe we can help people in that world to do better.”

The new commercial features Delhomme helping a bank customer find her way into a more positive banking experience through membership with the Credit Union. Computer-generated graphics allow Delhomme and the bank customer to interact with Charlotte Metro customer service staff in a virtual Web site while he talks about the services available.

“We have a very complex marketing message to deliver,” said Nathan Tothrow, Chief Marketing Officer at Charlotte Metro. “But at its core is the simple message that, as a member-owned credit union, we are focused on the people. And I believe Jake is just the person to help us spread that message. He is well-known in this market as a kind and genuine individual with a sincere compassion for people. He is also a member of the Credit Union.”

Tothrow worked with Delhomme’s representatives from Priority Sports & Entertainment in Chicago to develop a script concept that sufficiently portrayed the sincerity both parties had for helping consumers in this tough economy.

While Charlotte Metro develops its creative advertising in-house, they hired a professional film crew to produce the 60-second commercial. It was co-directed by Joanne Hock of Emulsion Arts and Tony Elwood of Indievision, both of whom are based in Charlotte. Elwood also created the computer-generated special effects.

Charlotte Metro will also use the event to promote its new social media presence by including a “Find Us On Facebook®” tag at the end of the commercial. The new tag will also be displayed in print ads developed for the campaign.

“Social media is a brave new step for us,” said Tothrow. “We want our content there to be fresh, interesting and completely different from the information you would find on our Web site. Expect to see first-person narratives of current events related to the Charlotte Metro as well as candid responses to questions submitted by visitors to the page.”

Click here to view the commercial.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members and employees are continuing their support of SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals and recently celebrated the ongoing partnership with a tour of the house by SECU managers and volunteers.  During the tour, SECU representatives presented Family House Board President Dr. Tom Shea with a FAT CAT rocking chair for Family House guests.

Credit Union members, via the SECU Foundation, began supporting SECU Family House with a $2 million challenge grant for its capital campaign in 2005.  Opened in March 2008, Family House is the sole agency providing affordable, supportive, long and short-term lodging to UNC Hospital’s adult critical care patients and their families.  The house, located in Chapel Hill, offers 40 private bedrooms with private baths and common rooms including a large kitchen, family room, children’s playroom, library and more.  Since opening in 2008, SECU Family House has provided more than 21,000 guest stays to 1,448 patients/patient families from 89 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

SECU Family House, which receives no federal or state funding, relies on individuals, local businesses and foundations for the bulk of their funding and volunteer support.  Numerous SECU Advisory Board members and SECU employees are now giving their time, and SECU employees have also been instrumental in helping raise additional funds for Family House.  Branches in the Chapel Hill area sold SECU Family House ornaments during the 2008 holiday season and hold annual candy bar and plush animal sales to raise money for the cause.  In addition, SECU’s Raleigh Stonehenge branch is in the process of organizing a statewide SECU Family House cookbook sale.

Hill Scott, SECU’s Senior Vice President of the Raleigh Stonehenge branch comments, “SECU Family House serves people at such a critical time in their lives and gives them a warm, comforting place to stay.  When our branch staff decided to volunteer and prepare a meal for guests, I’m not sure any of us realized how deeply we would be touched by the Family House guests.  The volunteer experience was life-changing and we were compelled to do more when we realized the ongoing operational cost needs.  We are really looking forward to seeing just how much money we can generate for SECU Family House through the upcoming cookbook sale and hope to have cookbooks available in September in all SECU branch locations statewide.”

Dr. Tom Shea, SECU Family House Board of Directors President, adds, “SECU members were instrumental in getting this hospitality house built for adult critical care patients and their families.  The Credit Union’s membership and associates at the branch level continue to provide us with critical operating support.  You’ve done far more than putting your name on a building; you extend comfort, hope and housing to families from all over North Carolina – every day.”

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation have announced $125,000 in funding for production assistance of Biz Kid$, a youth-focused and credit union-funded financial education show on public television.  Preparing for its 3rd season, Biz Kid$ is a fun, fast-paced public television series featuring kids who teach middle school aged youth about money and entrepreneurship.  The program illustrates the importance of saving, budgeting, investing and giving back to the community.

In addition to SECU Foundation funding, State Employees’ Credit Union is currently providing Biz Kid$ curriculum training to its employees and various educational partners, bringing the TV episodes and corresponding learning activities to North Carolina’s middle schools.  The Credit Union is training nearly 200 employees statewide to begin reaching out to the State’s schools.  The curricular materials associated with the program build upon lessons gained through the content of television episodes, covering concepts including money basics, financial goal planning, credit, income, expenses, starting a business, and more.  SECU is working with the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation (CCUF) and UNC-TV on the initiative.  CCUF is helping to provide resources to school media centers and middle school teachers, and UNC-TV is working to promote the Biz Kid$ program through their media outlets.
The Biz Kid$ middle school program is set to complement SECU’s FAT CAT Program and FAT CAT Smart Money workbook being delivered to elementary students, as well as the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) High School Financial Planning Program currently being taught to North Carolina high school students. 

David King, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, “Financial education is critical to helping our youth develop the life skill of good money management.  In today’s economy, so many adults are struggling with finances and many of them have never had the opportunity to learn the basics of good financial management.  We must begin the educational process with our youth, and Biz Kid$ is a program that is making a huge difference.  SECU and its members have always placed a huge focus on financial education programs and providing funding for Biz Kid$ is a wonderful way to expand our reach in this area.”

 John Slack, Executive Director of Carolinas Credit Union Foundation states, “Our credit unions have discovered that Biz Kid$ is an entertaining and engaging way to teach middle schoolers about money and how to make it work for them.  It is our intention to help break the cycle of dependence and entitlement and give as many kids as possible a chance to be financially successful.  Use of Biz Kid$ resources will play a big role in those efforts and we are very appreciative to SECU members for their support of this great program.”

Summer campers at Camp Calvary recently completed their first small business project as part of the YFE program.  The students, grades 1-8, sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts as a means of understanding how to operate a business. "The idea was to teach them the basics," said YFE Intern Derek Williams.  "We helped them identify a ‘loan’ from an investor so they could purchase the doughnuts. Then, they had to determine how much to sell in order to repay the loan as well as how much they wanted to earn in profit.  Once that was determined, each class was given a sales goal.  It was all very exciting for them."
 
Self-Help Credit Union served as the official investor of the business project for the 41 campers.  Seperated by grade level, each of the 5 classes were given a sales goal of 20 boxes at $6 per box.  In total, the camp sold 82 boxes and earned $517.25, including donations. The camp agreed to divide the money up for four causes: 1) charity, 2) savings, 3) a party, and 4) profit for the “mini merchants.”
 
Throughout the duration of the business venture, Williams taught the students various business concepts. Students gained an understanding of business terms such as revenue, profit margin and investment loans among others.  “I wanted my students to understand that in order for McDonald's and Krispy Kreme to be as large and as widespread as they are today, Ray Kroc and Vernon Carver Rudolph had to start small,” Derek explains. “It takes a lot to establish a start-up.”
 
"Projects such as the Krispy Kreme venture help our students connect to the lessons taught in a fun and insightful manner," says Kimberly Knox.  "I believe that the excitement and the feeling of accomplishment they enjoy during and after a project will lead them to become thoughtful and successful money managers."

The Canton office is the collection site for supplies and the credit union has had a great response from its members, both in donations and in positive comments about the community support provided by Champion Credit Union.

Champion Credit Union will continue their collection of supplies until Christmas 2009.

Blue Star Mothers is a group of mothers who now have, or have had, children honorably serving in the military. For more information about Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., please visit their national website: www.bluestarmothers.org.

State Employees’ Credit Union members via the SECU Foundation have approved funding for a $470,000 zero percent construction loan to help build Rowan Way, a licensed group home which will serve as permanent housing for six persons with traumatic brain injury or developmental disabilities. The 3,120 square foot, six-bedroom design will be constructed on a .41 acre site in northwest Charlotte. The groundbreaking for Rowan Way was held July 2nd.

SECU is partnering with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) for this housing project, which is sponsored by Autism Services of Mecklenburg County, Inc. (ASMC). NCHFA provides permanent financing to help North Carolina non-profits like ASCM build housing for persons with disabilities and special needs. The construction loan will be repaid by permanent financing previously committed to the project, allowing the funds to be recycled and available for future housing projects.

"In a difficult economy, the SECU Foundation is an extremely forward-looking partner," said Bob Kucab, Executive Director of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. "By offering interest-free construction loans for projects like Rowan Way Group Home, SECU members support not just critical housing, but job creation and the whole community. Our Agency is proud to be working with the SECU Foundation."

David King, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, "SECU members are very pleased to partner once again with NCHFA to provide Foundation funding for this much needed housing project to benefit North Carolinians with traumatic brain injuries and developmental disabilities. Rowan Way Group Home will provide many supportive services to its residents, including life skills, educational opportunities and job training. The SECU Foundation is committed to making a positive difference for our state’s citizens and Rowan Way is a project that will have a tremendous impact on the lives it touches."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of 10 new advisory council members to seven of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to management regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

July’s appointees are:

Central Piedmont
Alexis Greer, Town of East Spencer, Town Clerk

Coastal Plain
Christopher Barnette, Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant
Robert Brim, City of Clinton, Chief of Police
Sue Driver, Sampson Regional Medical Center, Medical Staff Development Coordinator
Samuel Jones, Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, Captain

Foothills
Jeanine Barus, Town of Connelly Springs, Town Clerk

Northern Coast
Clarann Mansfield, Camden County, Finance Officer

South Piedmont
Loran Schulte, City of Kannapolis, Park Manager

Wake
Bryan Alexander II, Town of Morrisville Fire Department, Engineer

Western Mountain
Kelly McKee, Town of Dillsboro, Town Clerk

This summer, The Support Center held a savings challenge at four of Durham Parks & Recreation's (DPR) participating summer camps as part of the Youth Financial Education Program (YFE). The program conducted over three weeks, focuses on on four areas: wants vs. needs, saving, good & bad debt and good money management. The savings challenge was held for 2 of the 3 weeks from June 29-July 10. Students designed their individual savings jar and were allowed to make regular deposits into their jars, which remained onsite. Each child received a $1 dollar donation from Generations CCU for deposit to help get them started. To help them develop good money management practices, students received a ledger to record their deposits and keep track of their balances.

The winning site, W.I. Patterson saved nearly $100 over the two week period. For their winning effort, the twenty-four savers took part in a tour of three CDCUs in Durham as well as enjoyed their own pizza party, made possible by a donation from Local Government Federal Credit Union.

The tour began with a presentation on lending at Self-Help Credit Union by Roberta Boyd-Norfleet and Teresa Dickey. Together, they answered some insightful questions from the young savers on subjects such as foreclosures and credit. "I was impressed with the questions they asked," explained Boyd-Norfleet. "It was great to see our babies understanding money. It will take them far!"

After additional visits at Latino CCU and Generations CCU, the savers celebrated their win with pizza and doughnuts from Dunkin Doughnuts. After a round of YFE jeopardy, and before returning to the camp, each student was awarded a certificate of achievement from The Support Center, presented to them by their YFE Camp Educator, Ryan O'Connor and Director of Marketing & YFE, Kimberly Knox. "Hazaah!!!!," said O'Connor. "I appreciated their willingness to learn from what I was teaching and I was happy to see that they were still bringing in their money to put in their jars even though the competition was over. It was a great end to a fantastic summer."

The YFE program began its second rotation at DPR sites on July 20. Some of the participating sites will take part in the 3 week program as well as compete in the savings challenge. Others will take part in a one-day YFE presentation and meet with Q Foundation Founder and youth Empowerment Coach/Author Stephán Askew.

To learn more about the (YFE) Youth Financial Education program, contact Kimberly Knox at kknox@ncmsc.org.

Also receiving Leadership Awards and joining Zapata in representing North Carolina at the NICE Conference are Courtney Gray from Cary, sponsored by NC State Grange; Kendrick Presnell from Burnsville, sponsored by French Broad EMC; Taylor Woolard from Washington, sponsored by Tri-County Telecom; and Jessica Gentry from Glade Valley, sponsored by Skyline TMC. Alternates selected were Baker Stanley from Vilas, sponsored by Skyline TMC and Denise Cashwell from Mt. Olive, sponsored by Tri-County EMC. These leaders were selected from 38 youth representing North Carolina cooperatives at the June conference.

The state conference focused on helping students build leadership skills while learning about cooperatives. Attendees heard several distinguished speakers representing soybean, electric, telephone and farm credit cooperatives. They also enjoyed a coastal experience by visiting Wilmington for the day to tour the USS North Carolina Battleship and the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, sponsored by Surry-Yadkin EMC and the NC Credit Union League. They ended the fun day at the White Lake Water Park with a cookout sponsored by Star Telephone.

Along with the usual camp activities, the youth received extensive training in the operation of cooperatives as a form of doing business. They organized a T-shirt cooperative, sold shirts to fellow campers, and donated the proceeds to Breast Cancer Research and the SPCA. Elizabeth Faulkner, sponsored by the NC State Grange was elected the co-op President, with Uriah Ward, sponsored by the NC Credit Union League, serving as the General Manager.

Counselors for the week were provided by cooperatives. They were: Marsha Williams, Carolina Farm Credit, Wilkesboro; Katie Wilson and Charles Barrett, AgCarolina Financial, Raleigh; and Scott Lee, Carolina Farm Credit, Statesville.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) continues to help North Carolina charitable organizations save thousands of dollars through the use of its no cost coin sorter machines. Many charitable groups hold penny drives and various coin collection events throughout the year, which can result in large volumes of change needing to be counted by a non-profit group. Typical coin sorter fees begin at 7%, with some as high as 10%... that’s where SECU comes in, as the Credit Union offers its sorters at no charge and helps charities make more of a positive impact in North Carolina communities. To date, SECU coin sorters have taken in approximately $317,000 in coin from charity groups, saving them nearly $25,000!

The Knights of Columbus is an organization that regularly utilizes the coin sorter at SECU’s Raleigh-Stonehenge branch. Jerry Powell with the Knights of Columbus comments, "Our group sponsors campaigns to assist organizations that support people with disabilities. The main campaign is the Tootsie Roll campaign, which is an example of how donations of any coins will amass and make a significant impact in just a couple of weeks. SECU makes it practical, enabling us to deal with the coins through the use of their coin machines. The folks at SECU show they are committed to the needs of others by helping us in this manner."

The coin sorters, initially installed in 2005, are located statewide in each of the Credit Union’s 225 branch offices. The machines feature FAT CAT, the mascot of SECU’s youth program, which is designed to promote saving at an early age. In addition to helping charitable organizations, the machines have provided a much-needed service to the membership and continue to be very popular at the Credit Union.

Leigh Brady, SECU’s Senior Vice President of Education Services responds, "State Employees’ Credit Union members and staff are very active in their local communities and support numerous charities throughout the State. The FAT CAT coin sorter machines offer one more opportunity to make a positive difference for some very worthwhile causes, and offering this no-fee service to community non-profits certainly aligns with our Credit Union philosophy of ‘People Helping People’!"

Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) was recently recognized at the local, state and national level for its outstanding social and financial success. The following is a list of their recent acknowledgements.

• LCCU was one of two finalists in the national E Pluribus Unum Prizes, awarded to exceptional initiatives that promote immigrant integration. For more information, go to: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_55822.shtml.  
• LCCU received first place in the statewide Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award. This recognizes credit unions’ social responsibility efforts within the communities they serve. LCCU won the award in the $50 to $100 million-asset category for Angelica’s Dreams, which was a film created to show community members the process that many Latino families experience when buying a home. The movie also helps Latino families better understand the financial services industry in America. LCCU will now compete with similarly sized credit unions for the national award.
• The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce presented LCCU with its Circle of Influence Diversity Award. This award recognizes individuals and businesses for their commitment to diversity in the workplace and community. Here is a link to Durham Chamber of Commerce Awards Press Release: http://www.durhamchamber.org/resources/pdfs/circle-09followup.pdf.  

When 120 Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) members head to school this fall, they will either have brand new laptops or $1,000 for textbooks—their reward for winning an LGFCU Scholarship.

In its 11th consecutive year, the LGFCU Scholarship Award recognizes a student’s academic excellence by maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, as well as high achievement in extracurricular activities; financial need is also a consideration. Graduating high school seniors and post-secondary students must be LGFCU members to qualify. The awards can be used to advance their education at the university, community or technical college of their choice.

"We have always been an avid believer that education is the key to a bright future," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "By helping these students pay for most—if not all—of something for school, we hope we are relieving them of one more burden so they can focus on their academics and turn out to be great contributors in the community."

The winners, which are selected by a committee of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, are announced each year in May. The next application deadline will be announced later this year. Visit www.lgfcu.org for updates.

The award recipients are:

Allison Alston (Fuquay-Varina)
Anthony Arazo (Elizabeth City)
Emily Ash (Cary)
Bret Baldwin (Concord)
Ryan Barkley (Richfield)
Taylor Bickford (Cana)
Lindsay Boles (Yadkinville)
Eriel Bridges (Raleigh)
Sharon Britt (Laurinburg)
Anna Browning (Canton)
Julia Burton (Stoneville)
Seth Byrd (Traphill)
Tamara Cagle (Flat Rock)
Michael Camenga (Matthews)
Courtney Campbell (Gastonia)
Alexander Carr (Holly Springs)
Sydnee Chavis (Albemarle)
Landon Cline (Lenoir)
Megan Collier (Southport)
Caleb Cooper (Brevard)
Ashley Copeland (Elizabeth City)
Sarah Couch (State Road)
Margaret Crumpton (Sanford)
Samuel Culler (Mount Airy)
Anna Dang (Huntersville)
Kendre Davis (Lewisville)
Courtney Deal (Statesville)
Leilani Deaver (Franklin)
Brian Deese (Morrisville)
Adam Dyles (Thomasville)
Kara Edwards (Charlotte)
Dylan Edwards (Caswell Beach)
Kaitlyn Eldridge (Winterville)
Elizabeth Elmore (Leicester)
Allan Faircloth (Chapel Hill)
Jessica Falls (Smyrna)
Katia Fletcher (Rowland)
Williard Frazier (Linwood)
Erin Frye (Conover)
Jonathon Fulmore (Fayetteville)
Deborah Gainey (Lexington)
Seneka Gibbs (Elizabeth City)
Heather Griffin (Macclesfield)
Elizabeth Guthrie (Burlington)
Danielle Hall (Elm City)
Michael Hammerstein (Garner)
Kathleen Hankins (Raleigh)
Megan Harris (Pembroke)
Tianna Harrison (Tarboro)
Camille Harrison (Newton Grove)
Ryan Hatch (Conover)
Heather Hill (Aydlett)
Joshua Holloman (Clayton)
Kelly Hughes (Rougemont)
Emily Jordan (Kinston)
Jessica Joyner (Winterville)
Joshua Kearns (West End)
Renika Kenan (Rose Hill)
Velonda Kenan (Chinquapin)
Miranda Kennedy (Castle Hayne)
Timothy Kinlaw (White Lake)
William Knell (Boomer)
Brian Lackey (Charlotte)
Whitney Lanier (Shelby)
John Ledford (Lincolnton)
Kaitlyn Leger (Conover)
Jarred Lehr (Hendersonville)
David Livengood (Thomasville)
Taryn Looper (Granite Falls)
Carrie Mahoney (Hickory)
Gwendolynn Markolf (Matthews)
Jacqueline Martin (Willkesboro)
Taylor May (China Grove)
Haley McArtor (Raleigh)
Colby McClellan (Hickory)
Jennifer McGee (Mocksville)
Zach McGhee (Hendersonville)
Nathaniel McKeel (Durham)
Andrea McKerlie (Apex)
Garry Medford (Rocky Mount)
Hayley Mikkelson (Salisbury)
Michael Miller (Richlands)
Jessica Mobley (Beulaville)
Seth Morris (Salisbury)
Denise Newkirk (Dunn)
Sarah Nunez (Asheville)
Elizabeth Pittman (Lincolnton)
Kelsey Poorman (Boone)
Thomas Ray (Dunn)
Sumner Rhodes (Gastonia)
Justin Roberson (Williamston)
Charles Romines (Charlotte)
Christina Samuel (Forest City)
Thomas Schneeberger (Lexington)
Jordon Shook (Candler)
Chavis Sims (Shelby)
Delisa Staps (Walstonburg)
Sierra Stokes (Windsor)
Madison Strickland (Clinton)
Jason Strother (Franklinton)
Varonda Strouth (Lilllington)
Amanda Styers (Franklinton)
Javan Sutton (Waynesville)
Kaitlyn Thomas (Sanford)
Kimberly Threadgill (Thomasville)
Angela Truehill (Jacksonville)
David Tuttle (Stoneville)
Mariah VanEssendelft (Pantego)
Michael Vesely (Fletcher)
Lauryn Waldroop (Franklin)
LeAnn Walker (Greenville)
Emily Ward (Willow Springs)
Donna Waterman (Winterville)
Elizabeth Whitaker (Dobson)
Danielle Whitman (Lexington)
Daniel Wiggins (Raleigh)
Aaron Wiggins (Wilmington)
Tyler Willams (Wingate)
Ben Williams (Greenville)
Jewuan Williams (Margarettsville)

An Open House Dedication was recently held for Maple Court Apartments, a transitional housing complex to benefit homeless veterans in Durham, North Carolina. SECU Foundation partnered with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) last December to provide permanent financing for the project. The complex was developed by Volunteers of America of the Carolinas, with support from the City of Durham and Veterans Administration (VA).

The Maple Court project responds to a large number of homeless veterans served by the VA Hospital in Durham who are disabled or have chronic health problems exacerbated by the lack of safe, decent, affordable housing. Maple Court Apartments offers 24 rental units on a 1.6 acre site located in North Durham, and the nearby Travis Porter Veterans’ Resource Center at Maple Court is available not only for Maple Court residents, but also veterans living at the adjacent LIFE House, a facility developed by Volunteers of America for persons with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities.

David King, SECU Foundation Board of Directors Chairman comments, "SECU members, via the SECU Foundation, are very pleased to have joined forces with NCHFA and Volunteers of America to provide financing for housing to benefit our North Carolina veterans. The Maple Court project epitomizes the SECU Foundation philosophy of ‘People Helping People’ and is making a difference for North Carolinians who have served our country so valiantly."

Steve Longholz and Buster, the bomb-sniffing dog for the city of Greensboro. Longholz and Buster paid a visit to GMCU during its "CU Goes to the Dogs" promotion.

The credit union, particularly the project coordinator Karen Caviness, partnered with the group Food for Paws and in the span of a few weeks collected 338 pounds of pet food, pet food coupons, containers for transporting the food and $180.25 to purchase additional pet food. "We were so excited to be a part of this event and to see how our members pitched in to help," said Judy Hurt, who is GMCU's vice president.

GMCU held the fundraiser to honor the Greensboro Police Department's K-9 Unit, plus Ember, the city's fire dog. The credit union received a visit from a police dog handler and two canine cops in order to generate excitement.

"A lot of people are struggling to make ends meet right now, and that's especially true for seniors and disabled persons on a fixed income," said Jerry Wise, CEO. "We thought this would be a nice way to make things a little easier for seniors, and call attention to the needs of pets in our community."

Visit The Support Center's new Youth Financial Education (YFE) webpage. The YFE page provides information and fun activities to support the development of youth financial wellness. There, you'll find a blog chronicling the financial education sessions currently underway at summer camps in partnership with Durham Parks & Recreation, First Legacy CCU, Greater Kinston CU and The Q Foundation.

The current issue of the "Rainy Day Reporter" is available on the webpage. The youth newsletter is made available to all community development credit unions (CDCUs) for distribution to their young members. The newsletter is also provided to area schools and community youth programs in low-moderate income (LMI) communities.

The Western Chapter will be selling tickets for Asheville Tourist baseball games in the coming weeks. The chapter project will help raise money for Eblen Charities, which credit unions have supported generously for many years.

General admission tickets will be sold for $5 each and are good for any regular season games except July 4th & 5th. Please click here for more information.

In addition, the chapter will gather August 15th at McCormick Field for WNC Credit Union Night.  

Over 200 attendees of the North Carolina Credit Union League Annual Meeting pledged their commitment to credit unions and in the process raised $500 for the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation.

CUNA Mutual Group made the donation in honor of the league annual meeting attendees who demonstrated their commitment to credit unions by adding their signature to a "Sign of Commitment." The display was set up in the exhibit hall on throughout the expo.

"It’s truly amazing to see credit unions help us raise awareness of the commitment and support we all have to this great industry, and how we each help make a difference in members lives," said Robin Kolvek, CUNA Mutual sales manager.

John Slack, president/CEO of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, said these funds and additional support provided by CUNA Mutual will help support the vision of the foundation of making a better tomorrow by helping people help themselves. "We are fortunate to be associated with a cause driven organization like the CUNA Mutual Group.  Their ongoing commitment to the credit union industry is greatly appreciated and will no doubt have a positive effect on many lives," Slack said.

Attendees of the league’s annual meeting who added their names to the Sign of Commitment were given a wristband to wear as a symbol of their commitment to the credit union movement. Well over 50% of attendees signed the display, which was how the donation amount was determined.

Out of 284 nominations, Local Government Federal Credit Union proudly announces it was ranked the 26th Top Small Business in North Carolina by Business Leader Media, a leading business-to-business media and information company serving executives and entrepreneurs through magazines, Web sites, events and market intelligence.

Demonstrating significant business achievement and community involvement within the state of North Carolina, LGFCU’s award submission focused on its top five business achievements over the past year:

• The launch of LGFCU Financial Partners, LLC, a full-service credit union service organization (CUSO) that allowed the credit union to make $14.5 million in loans directly to North Carolina local governments in 2008
• The commitment of $50 million to purchase North Carolina municipal bonds to keep important infrastructure projects throughout the state moving
• The introduction of a specially-structured Visa debit card that works by donating 50 percent of the merchant’s transaction fee from every purchase to the N.C. Association of Rescue & Emergency Medical Services
• Increasing the LGFCU Scholarship Program by $100,000, bringing the total amount of money invested in graduating high school seniors and post-secondary students to $120,000
• Partnering with State Employees’ Credit Union to launch a Mortgage Assistance Program to keep members in their homes

LGFCU demonstrated its commitment to community involvement by highlighting the free seminars and workshops it conducts for local government units throughout the state, as well as its support of fallen police officers and firefighters in North Carolina.

"The fact that this award not only focuses on growth, but also on how that growth is achieved—responsibly and with the community in mind—makes this a real honor," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith.

Business Leader limited the award criteria to include only companies with 100 employees or less that do the majority of their business in North Carolina. In addition to business achievements and community involvement, each company's one- and five-year revenue growth was also evaluated. A community vote amongst finalists was used as part of the criteria in determining the rankings 1-100.

During the months of April and May, Alliance Credit Union Helping Hands volunteered in the community, increased awareness for several causes, and raised money for local charities.

The spring was packed with a spirit of volunteering. On the east coast, North Carolina staff participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies walk on April 18, 2009, raising over $1200 for the organization. The Alliance Helping Hands NC also volunteered on April 25 for Hands on Wilmington – a public service day where members of the community work together to make a difference. Alliance volunteers worked at the local YMCA helping build a new outdoor track.

Other spring activities included a flower sale benefitting Wilmington’s Carousel Center for Abused Children ($300 raised) and a food drive for the Wilmington Food Bank.

Back on the west coast, Alliance held its Second Annual Bike Raffle and BBQ benefiting TurningWheels for Kids. From April 1st through May 15th, members and employees purchased raffle tickets for the chance to win one of two cruiser-style bicycles. The raffle took place during the BBQ held at the Curtner Financial Center on May 15. The Bike Raffle and BBQ raised over $2700 for the San Jose-based charity that distributes bicycles to underprivileged youth.

Finishing off the month of May was the Relay for Life – a 24-hour walk for the American Cancer Society. Alliance Helping Hands CA participated in the walk and raised over $600 for the fight against cancer.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) employees completed a record setting year for its Triangle March Of Dimes March for Babies fundraising campaign, collecting over $52,000 for the charity. Approximately 250 SECU team members turned out for the 3-mile March held May 2nd at Nortel Networks in Research Triangle Park. This year, SECU branch and operations employees also participated in numerous fundraising efforts including bake sales, raffles and other creative activities to raise money for March of Dimes. SECU’s 2009 contributions exceeded the previous year by an amazing $9,000!

Tina Prince, SECU Triangle Area Team Captain responds, "This charity is very close to my heart, as I am the mother of a very healthy 7 year old who entered this world 15 weeks premature, weighing a mere 2 lbs, 3 oz. Every year, I am in awe of the tremendous efforts that SECU employees give to this wonderful fundraiser. Just when I think our team can’t possibly surpass the outstanding efforts of the past, this group manages to once again pull out their ingenious creativity, their infectious spirit, and an unmatched determination to not only top the previous year, but surpass it by thousands of dollars. I am proud to be the team captain for such an extraordinary group of people!"

"Each year, more than half a million babies are born too soon, too small or too sick in the United States; that’s one in eight babies, or 26,000 babies in North Carolina. The outstanding fundraising efforts of the SECU March For Babies Team help bring us closer to the day when every mother can realize the dream of having a healthy, full-term baby," said Sarah T. Moore, Executive Director of the Eastern Carolina Division of the March of Dimes.  "This was truly a record-breaking year thanks to the SECU Team and we are so grateful for their generosity of time and spirit, as well as funds!" Moore said. "The March of Dimes focuses primarily on research to find ways to prevent premature birth, and education to help women reduce their risks of having a premature baby.  The success of our mission depends on the generosity of our volunteers like the caring and committed employees of the SECU March for Babies Team.  Their hard work and dedication help us give every baby the best possible start in life."

On Thursday, June 11th, the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina (CRA-NC) hosted a free festival in Durham as part of a national effort to advocate for financial reforms. Latino CCU and The Support Center were among the exhibitors during the downtown event, advocating for continued support of community development credit union (CDCUs) services in North Carolina. Stella Adams, CRA-NC Board Member and Executive Director of North Carolina Fair Housing Center served as the official host of the festival.

Adams’ message for the day… "This is a chaotic time at both the federal and state level and the financial future of the communities we care about are under tremendous attack." Her message was cumulated as representatives from each organization spoke about their organization and their need for continued support. Organizations on the agenda included the Center for Responsible Lending, Self Help CU, NC Institute for Minority Economic Development, NC Justice Center and NC Housing Coalition as well as The Support Center. Many of the nonprofits and community economic development (CED) organizations that spoke are awaiting final budget or legislation approval from the state or federal level to continue delivering their services to low-moderate income (LMI) individuals in communities across the state.

The Support Center uses funding support from the General Assembly to provide essential investment capital and capacity building resources to its member CDCUs. As a result, CDCUs have been able to provide critical financial services to over 90,000 members statewide. Recently, The Support Center has awarded grants to Latino CCU to expand its service reach to 8,500 LMI individuals in underserved communities as well as provide 335 affordable mortgage loans. Similarly, a grant from The Support Center allowed First Legacy CCU to implement its Recue Mortgage Program, which has helped their members come out of high interest subprime mortgage loans, relieving the threat of losing their homes. Combined, the network of CDCUs has afforded over 6,568 loans over the last two years, for a sum of $71 million for housing and consumer financing to individuals and families whose only other alternative would have been sub-prime lenders.

SECU members via the SECU Foundation pledged $300,000 to complete construction of Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care located in Dobson, North Carolina. Mountain Valley is the first freestanding hospice facility in Surry County, serving terminally ill patients and their families in 16 counties.

Denise Watson, Executive Director of Mountain Valley Hospice states, "We truly appreciate the generosity of SECU members and will make the best of this SECU Foundation gift to serve our patients and their families."

Mountain Valley Hospice has twenty patient and family suites to provide a safe and comfortable place for patients who are no longer able to remain at home, and require a higher level of care and support through the dying process. The facility is located in the midst of peaceful farmland with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Lilnette Phillips, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Mount Airy branch comments, "The SECU Foundation and our members are proud to partner with Mountain Valley Hospice to provide this area's first freestanding Hospice facility to serve Surry, Yadkin, and surrounding counties. This facility will provide compassionate, tender end-of-life care for patients and support for their loved ones. The SECU Foundation was founded on the philosophy of ‘People Helping People’ and we know the funds for Mountain Valley Hospice will have a direct positive impact on growing numbers of families and residents seeking hospice care. "

Earning one of the highest honors bestowed upon credit union leaders in North Carolina, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) President Maurice Smith took home the prestigious Mark of Excellence Award at the 74th annual meeting of the North Carolina Credit Union League (NCCUL).

The Mark of Excellence Award recognizes sustained leadership among people in the North Carolina credit union industry. Eligibility is limited to past winners of the Ronald J. Hutchins Credit Union Person of the Year Award who have at least 25 years of service in the credit union industry. A committee made up of statewide credit union leaders selected Smith to receive the award.

"Maurice has been a key leader in the NC credit union movement for many years," said NCCUL President/CEO John Radebaugh. "His wisdom, combined with his passion for credit unions, truly sets him apart, and I am personally grateful for the opportunity I have to work with him on the League board. This award demonstrates both his leadership qualities, and the respect his peers hold for him. The League congratulates Maurice on this well-deserved award."

Smith’s credit union career stretches 30 years, when he began as a loan officer with State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU). He later moved on to become SECU’s vice president of marketing before joining LGFCU in 1992 as the executive vice president. He has served as president of the $945 million federally-chartered credit union since 1999, where his goal has been to advance the credit union philosophy. At LGFCU, that means to improve the lives of members using financial services as a catalyst to spur economic development and create opportunities for jobs, retail and quality affordable housing, and also pay tribute to local government employees who are instrumental in making a community livable.

In addition to his service to LGFCU, Smith is also a distinguished leader within the state- and nationwide credit union movement. He currently serves as vice chairman of the NCCUL, as well as chairman of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation.

Mountain Credit Union, headquartered in Waynesville, earned statewide recognition for its community service & financial education programs at the 74th Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Credit Union League in Pinehurst. Mountain's awards were presented at a special banquet June 15th.

Mountain received honorable mentions in the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award and Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award categories for both the credit union's community involvement and commitment to financial literacy.

The annual Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award recognizes and promotes credit unions’ social responsibility efforts within the communities they serve. Credit unions enter the program in separate asset categories, which allows them to compete fairly against credit unions of equal size and resources. Mountain won honorable mention in the $50 to $100 million-asset category for its fundraising efforts to benefit the family of a NC Highway Patrolman who was killed in the line of duty. As a result of Mountain’s efforts, more than $35,000 was raised.

In addition to its community service award, Mountain Credit Union won honorable mention in the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award. This award recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of youth financial literacy. It considers all activities supporting the personal financial education of young members and non-members. Mountain received honorable mention in the $75 to $250 million-asset category. In announcing the award, the League cited Mountain’s Youth Financial Education Advisory Committee. This committee works diligently throughout the year to provide financial educational opportunities to young people in western NC.

Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union Chairman Eddie Veale (left) joined Shelor's daughter Sherre Costello and son Rick Shelor in accepting the award. Shelor's son Randy was not able to attend the ceremony.

Former Carolinas Telco FCU President/CEO Roger Shelor received the Larry Johnson Order of Merit Lifetime Achievement Award from his peers in the NC credit union movement. Shelor, who was chosen for the award by his credit union peers, passed away last month before he was able to accept the award. Shelor’s son and daughter were on hand at the 74th Annual Meeting of the NC Credit Union League (NCCUL) to accept the honor in his memory.

The Larry Johnson Order of Merit Lifetime Achievement Award, which is the State’s highest individual credit union honor, recognizes individuals who have dedicated their careers to promoting the credit union philosophy, and whose leadership to NC credit unions and related organizations has been or was sustained throughout their career. The award is named to honor former NCCUL President Larry Johnson. Nominees for the award must receive a minimum of two peer endorsements.

Johnson, who retired from the League in 2003, was on hand to present the award to Shelor’s children. Johnson and Shelor worked together for many years to advance the ideals of credit unions.

Shelor spent more than 40 years at CTFCU. During his credit union career, he served in a variety of leadership roles on the state and national level, including serving as NCCUL chairman, and chairman of the NC Credit Union Commission.

Alliance Credit Union is pleased to announce the winners of its 13th Annual Rose M. Ratka Memorial Scholarship: Conrad Egan of San Jose, CA; Danielle Boles of Palo Alto, CA; and Monet Hardison of Hampstead, NC. Each were awarded $2,000 scholarships to help complete their studies at various universities in a variety of impressive subjects from Media Arts to Environmental Studies and Elementary Education.

The scholarship program was developed to honor the late Rose M. Ratka who was President/CEO of the credit union from 1978 to 1996. An astute business woman who achieved remarkable success in the industry, Rose strongly believed in continuing education. Scholarship funds are awarded to those students who best exemplify Rose’s courage, spirit and dedication. The scholarship is awarded annually, in the summer, for application to school the following fall.

"Rose Ratka was an incredible leader, and close personal friend of many people here at Alliance," says Eileen Lewis, current President and CEO of Alliance Credit Union. "She donated her time to many causes, but was most dedicated to increasing the opportunities for individuals who want to better themselves through education. When Rose moved here in 1961, she learned English from watching television and talking to people. It’s a testament to her energy, courage and commitment to education that she was able to rise to the head of this credit union and become an industry leader. We look for that same spirit in our scholarship recipients."

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of nine new Advisory Council members to eight of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to management regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory Council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

May’s appointees are:

Central Coast
Sid Weiner, New Bern Number 7 Township Fire and Rescue, Secretary/Bookkeeper

Central Piedmont
Mark Wilkinson, Statesville Fitness and Activity Center, Fitness Director

Central Mountain
Bob Boyette, City of Marion, City Manager

Coastal Plain
Patania Eiland, Cumberland County, Human Resources Analyst

Northern Mountain
Susan White, Town of Elkin, Administrative Assistant

South Piedmont
Charvetta Ford-McGriff, Mecklenburg County EMS Agency, Human Resources Recruitment Specialist

Southern Mountain
Gene Bell, Asheville Housing Authority, Chief Executive Officer

Triangle East
Jimmie Farmer, Goldsboro Housing Authority, Director of Development/Safety Director
Gordon Joyner, N.C. Association of Rescue and E.M.S., Executive Director

LGFCU is also proud to announce the addition of Matthew Brown of Vanceboro to its Youth Advisory Council, Our Generation—Speakin’ Up, which comprises North Carolina middle and high school students. With 10 members, this group is instrumental in assisting the credit union in the development of a new generation of products and services for children, teens and young adults.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has unveiled plans to enhance the current economy and build for the future in North Carolina. The project, a planned 12-story branch and office facility, will be located on Salisbury Street in the State Government Complex in downtown Raleigh. The new 240,000 square foot building will include a six-story parking deck, a credit union branch and approximately 77,500 square feet of office space reserved for future growth. Plans are to begin construction in fall 2009. SECU’s Board has considered construction of the facility for several years and has decided to move forward at this time in order to bolster the NC economy and to take advantage of the much lower level of current construction costs.

The Credit Union facility is being developed in conjunction with the State of North Carolina, which plans to build new offices for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and to expand the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, which are adjacent to the Credit Union site. Coordination of construction planning on the overall project will create substantial cost savings for both the State and the Credit Union. An existing SECU branch facility on the site has been demolished in preparation for the new development.

Bobby Hall, Senior Executive Vice President of State Employees’ Credit Union, states, "SECU acquired this site in 1960 as the location of the first Credit Union branch office at a time when the Credit Union served less than 75,000 members and had assets of less than $25 million. Our strategy at the time was to build a large 15,000 square foot facility to house the Credit Union and lease the additional space, allowing for future growth. That branch served the Credit Union as an operations facility from 1962 until 1984 and has continued as our ‘home branch’ facility to this date. While SECU has grown to over 1.5 million members and 224 branches throughout the State, our Board has chosen to re-adopt that same initial facilities strategy and plans to occupy 13,000 square feet in the new building, while renting the excess space until the Credit Union grows into it. Even though SECU now has $18 billion in assets and no debt, the branch strategy is still much the same --- rooted in the past, built for the present and designed for the future."

SECU currently owns five operations support facilities in the Raleigh area encompassing over 400,000 square feet of space. All existing facilities are operating at capacity, while the Credit Union continues to grow at double digit annual rates.

Patty Munns, Senior Vice President of Facilities Services at SECU, comments, "In addition to this unique project in the State Government Complex, the Credit Union continues to build additional branches throughout the State. We are slated to add approximately fifteen new branches to our network within the next fiscal year. After 40 years of working to expand our member convenience through local SECU offices, the Credit Union will have at least one office in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties by the end of fiscal year 2010. SECU continues to believe strongly in local service, local convenience, local people, and local control."

Ed Hoffman, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Salisbury Street branch office, adds, "This construction has brought the Credit Union ‘full circle.’ Prior to construction of the original Salisbury Street facility in 1962, the Credit Union had been housed in the NC Agriculture Building, since first chartered in 1937. We are delighted that during construction the NC Department of Agriculture has agreed to temporarily lease us space for our operations. So, we truly are back to our roots in that rental space in the Ag Building! Our branch looks forward to the completion of a larger Credit Union facility to meet the growing needs of North Carolina’s State employees. This building project is a huge undertaking for our organization, but one that will provide great benefits to the members for years to come. That same strategy certainly worked tremendously well in 1962 and we feel confident that it will also work well in the 21st Century."

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation have provided a $200,000 investment to the Mitchell County Courthouse Foundation for renovations to the historic courthouse, making way for the SECU Virtual Learning and Communication Center. The Center will house a state-of-the-art telecommunications and public access computer system, providing area residents access to educational, cultural, and economic development opportunities that are not currently possible.

Located in Bakersville in the mountains of western North Carolina, the Mitchell County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department of the Interior. The renovation and restoration process, coordinated by the Mitchell County Courthouse Foundation, is designed to transform the existing property into a place that can serve the area citizens, while still preserving the historic significance of the building.

Dr. Daniel Barron, Mitchell County Courthouse Foundation Chairman states, "The SECU Foundation’s investment towards the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse has enabled this small rural community to access education and opportunities it would not have been able to otherwise.  The receipt of this funding was the most critical part of our campaign and without it this project could have been held back for well over the next year or possibly longer.   This is all possible through the SECU Foundation’s belief in our project."

Shirley Hise, Chairman of SECU’s Spruce Pine Advisory Board comments, "We are pleased and excited to have the SECU Foundation members’ support for a Mitchell County project. This courthouse is a landmark in our area and the Mitchell County Courthouse Foundation has worked very hard to make the redevelopment one which will benefit all the citizens in this county. The SECU Foundation funding will aid in the preservation of this historic site."

LCCU held its Financial Education Graduation and Annual Assembly on May 9, 2009. At this event, 60 Hispanic adults graduated from LCCU's financial education workshops. The graduation ceremony coincided with the Member's Annual Assembly, where the members reelected three members of the board of directors for LCCU.

These classes have been very interesting, very instructive and very much enjoyed. Those of us that came in search of the American Dream and a better life, need to consider that education, knowledge and information are indispensible in this country," said Vivian Chalco about her financial education workshops.

All of the graduates have completed the Financial Education program offered by LCCU. This program is free and open to the community. It includes the following topics: The benefits of your checking account and debit card, How to save and develop a good budget, Learn about your credit history, Credit cards: advantages and disadvantages, Tips on how to buy the ideal car and Getting ready to buy a home.

LCCU is planning on opening its 8th branch in Garner, North Carolina next month! This follows the 7th branch opened in Charlotte in December 2008, and the 6th branch opened in Winston-Salem in August, 2008.

Latino Community Development Center, the membership base of LCCU was just awarded $500,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for its financial education program.

Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union is pleased to expand the Credit Union Service Center to all of its branches starting May 18, 2009. With the success of the Credit Union Service Center at the Spring Lake branch, this is a logical and beneficially expansion for our Cumberland County citizens. This will meet the needs of Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union members, as well as our military and defense contractor community.

Credit Union Service Center is an opportunity for members from participating credit unions to have thousands of convenient locations to perform transactions just as if they were in their home credit union. This allows for members to always have a credit union nearby.

Demonstrating their commitment to North Carolina county government, Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) has become the corporate sponsor of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioner’s Employee Productivity Awards Program.

Now known as the LGFCU Employee Productivity Award, this program recognizes 10 North Carolina county employees (five managerial staff and five line staff) with $1,000 awards for their efforts to improve the efficiency of county programs, services and general administration.

Productivity improvements are defined as achieving one of the following:

· The same level of service delivered at a lower cost
· A higher level of service delivered at the same cost
· Avoidance of future cost increases

"Now in its 18th year, this awards program has generated more than $100 million in savings or cost avoidance in the 1,350 applications submitted," said LGFCU President Maurice Smith. "Given the program’s popularity among county employees—and the widespread transfer of winning best practices among county governments—we are happy to assume corporate sponsorship and support this mission to help county governments thrive."

Winners will be recognized at the North Carolina Association of County Commissioner’s Annual Conference August 27-29 in Catawba County. The application deadline is June 19, 2009. Visit www.ncacc.org for more information and an entry form.

Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition of five new Advisory Council members to five of its 22 councils across the state.

The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay feedback to management regarding available/potentially available products and services, delivery of service and member needs.

Advisory Council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and non-members and LGFCU management.

April’s appointees are:

Coastal Plain
David Clack, Sampson County, Finance Officer

Northern Mountain
Angela Eggers, Ashe County, Assistant Finance Officer

South Piedmont
Regina Davis, Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Human Resources Recruiter/Paramedic/Event Planner/Internal Communications Specialist

Triangle
Patty Gravinese, NC Biotechnology Center, Director of Accounting and Purchasing

Wake
Richard Salentine, ElectriCities, Manager of Support Services

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is purchasing land for a new branch building at the historic Lowe’s Grove Rural Credit Union site in Durham, North Carolina. Branch construction is set to begin this summer. SECU chose this location for its rich history and significance to the credit union movement --- a move that will bring SECU back to the original credit union roots in North Carolina! Lowe’s Grove Rural Credit Union, which opened for business on January 20, 1916, was the first rural credit union in the South.

Durham banker John Sprunt Hill was the guiding force behind a bill passed by the legislature in 1915 to authorize the charter of Lowe’s Grove Rural Credit Union. Mr. Hill had studied the credit cooperative concept in Europe as part of a commission appointed by President Woodrow Wilson and saw the value it would be to the agriculture community in North Carolina. Through his initiative, a meeting was called at the farm life school at Lowe’s Grove in December of 1915 and the Credit Union opened for business the following month. A North Carolina Highway Historical Marker, dedicated on December 12, 1999, currently identifies the credit union site. The late Tom Ellis, a long-time SECU Advisory Board member and strong credit union advocate, was an instrumental part of the group responsible for the Lowe’s Grove Highway Historical Marker, serving as the liaison between SECU and the Lowe’s Grove Historical Marker Committee. The two groups joined forces to bring focus to the historical credit union landmark.

SECU member and Lowe’s Grove resident, Gus Godwin served as the Chairman of the Lowe’s Grove Historical Marker Committee. Regarding SECU’s land purchase, he comments, "We are very excited that the Credit Union has selected this parcel of land to build a new branch. It is a wonderful tribute honoring the importance this area holds for the credit union movement in North Carolina."

Shirley Bell, Chairman of SECU’s Board of Directors adds, "SECU has been looking to purchase land in the Lowe’s Grove area for quite some time and we are thrilled that this property became available. The Lowe’s Grove Rural Credit Union site is a historical landmark for the community and SECU is honored to carry on the credit union tradition that began in Durham 93 years ago."

Generations CCU has set goal to raise $4 million in general deposits in response to the growing demands of its membership, which resulted from the nation’s economic crisis. To help meet the demand, The Support Center has engaged several partners and orchestrated trainings for Generations’ staff, which has led to the credit union receiving over $2 million in deposits to date. "We’re providing efficient solutions to meet challenges CDCUs face and reinforcing the value of CDCUs," said Support Center President Paula McCoy.

The Support Center‘s technical assistance, marketing and capital support loan fund programs are designed to aid its affiliates in securing the funding they need to meet all of their operational and lending needs. Since the start of 2009, the organization’s efforts to help Generations’ reach its deposit goals include:

• Engaging current and potential institutional depositors
• Applying for funding from The Kellogg Foundation and other foundations
• Executing a deposit marketing campaign in collaboration with the NC Credit Union League, The National Federations of CDCUs, the Community Development Banking and the Association of Enterprise Opportunity
• Partnering with Self-Help CU, NC Association of CDCs and the NC Center for Nonprofits to target their members for deposits
• Coordinating trainings for managers to help them mobilize and maximize the efforts of their local advisory councils
• Provide workshop on deposit marketing during recent CDCU retreat
• Designed promotional rate ads and coordinated placement with local radio and newspapers
• Conducted three Local Advisory Council trainings on deposit marketing
• Created training module for local advisory councils and managers on deposit marketing
• Provided TA to several managers about ideas for membership and deposit cultivation attendance at meetings for local SRI investors and fund advisors promotion of GCCU with the Triangle Community Foundation

Invariably, The Support Center will affirm the significant financial services and proven effectiveness of CDCUs in North Carolina. Through its advocacy, programmatic, legislative and marketing efforts, it will remain a prevalent resource for the state's CDCUs, so that they can increase their capacity to embrace their members’ growing demands, thereby allowing them to prevail in today’s society and economy.

NC CCUE Designees

On May 9, 2009, sixty Hispanic adults will graduate Latino Community Credit Union’s (LCCU) Financial Education workshops. The graduation ceremony will be held at The Durham Armory, located at 220 Foster Street in Durham. Just as last year, the graduation ceremony will coincide with the Member’s Annual Assembly, where they will reelect three members of the board of directors for LCCU. The graduates will arrive, along with their families, from many parts of the state of North Carolina.

"These classes have been very interesting, very instructive and very much enjoyed. Those of us that came in search of the American Dream and a better life, need to consider that education, knowledge and information are indispensible in this country," said Vivian Chalco about her financial education workshops.

All of the graduates have completed the Financial Education program of offered by LCCU. This program is free and open to the community. It includes the following topics: The benefits of your checking account and debit card, How to save and develop a good budget, Learn about your credit history, Credit cards: advantages and disadvantages, Tips on how to buy the ideal car and Getting ready to buy a home. The people that complete all the workshops receive a certificate of recognition and are invited to the graduation. The next series of workshops will begin on the 1st of June.

Selina Murrell and students from Rogers Herr Elementary School.	Felicia Solomon and students from Southeast Elementary School.

For a second year, Greater Kinston participated in National Youth Credit Union Week. Greater Kinston’s Administrative Assistant Linda Williams and The Support Center Director of Marketing, Kimberly Knox led the groups on April 21 and 22. Williams gathered the students in a conference room dedicated to former district Congresswoman Eva Clayton to share information on the credit union’s history and services. Later, she gave them an opportunity to win prizes in a quiz session. Winners chose from prizes provided by The Support Center.

Students from Rogers Herr Middle School were led by The Support Center on a tour of Latino Community Credit Union (Latino) and Generations Community Credit Union (Generations) on April 24. Latino VP of Strategy and Services Erika Bell and Staff Development Specialist Rebekah Friesen met with the students to discuss the importance of their financial services to Hispanic immigrants in North Carolina. Later, Generations' VP of Operations Jelani Thompson treated students to popcorn during his presentation, which highlighted the credit union's growing services. Member Services Representative Rashida Griffin explained her role and daily member relations responsibilities. Each student received a VISA gift card and other giveaways

The board game, CA$HFLOW® was the highlight of the tour. As part of a working lunch, students were divided into teams to play the game. Selina Murrell and Derek Williams instructed students how to play the game. Murrell and Williams are actively involved with The Support Center's Youth Education and Outreach program.

Rounding out the day's events, each member of the winning team automatically received an additional VISA gift card. However, everyone had opportunity to win an additional gift card if they were able to correctly answer questions about their tour experience. Eighth grader Cincere White was especially grateful for the experience. "Thanks for the wonderful tour through your building. Thank you also for teaching me so many things about a credit union that I did not know, for the food, and the cool game you showed us. Once again, thanks so much for the wonderful Friday- it was way better than being at school."

By the end of National Youth Credit Union Week, affiliate CDCUs reached approximately 200 students to convey the importance of sound financial management and saving. By the end of the 2009 school year, approximately 480 students will have participated in The Support Center's youth education program.

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is pleased to announce that all SECU member credit cards now comply with the “Safe Credit Card Standards” recently issued by The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Safe Credit Cards Project.  The Safe Credit Card Standards are designed to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices and to help educate consumers on how to evaluate competing credit card offers for financial fairness.  The SECU Board of Directors approved adoption of the Safe Credit Card Standards for all SECU credit cards effective May 1, 2009.  As a member-owned cooperative, SECU fully supports strong, reasonable consumer protection guidelines for all credit card services. 

The general guidelines of the Safe Credit Card Standards include: 

• Cardholders will be charged only the interest rate they agreed to pay.
• Fees will be imposed responsibly and will be transparent to the cardholder.
• Cardholders will have sufficient time to review and pay their bills.
• Payments will be applied first to balances carrying the highest interest rate. 
  

The Pew Charitable Trusts partnered with the Sandler Foundation in 2007 to address growing concerns about abuses in the credit card industry.  The team spent more than a year researching consumer credit card usage, conducting economic analyses of credit card practices and revenue, reviewing hundreds of credit card products and meeting with numerous credit card providers and consumer groups.  Industry reports show that between 2007 and 2008, some issuers raised interest rates on nearly one quarter of credit card accounts, using practices that the Federal Reserve has deemed unfair and deceptive, costing consumers more than $10 billion.  While the Federal Reserve ban on unfair card practices is not required until July 2010, SECU knows that cardholders are vulnerable to abusive card practices and often lose hundreds or thousands of dollars per year in account fees. 

Shirley Bell, Chairman of SECU’s Board of Directors, comments, “State Employees’ Credit Union has been working with representatives from The Pew Charitable Trusts for over two years and is pleased to see the Standards for Safe Credit Cards released.  The Credit Union is also pleased to support pending credit card legislation that will help all consumers.  SECU’s cooperative philosophy has always helped guide our Credit Union to provide the most consumer-friendly products and services.  By showing our support of the Pew initiative and pending credit card legislation, SECU is helping to safeguard working North Carolinians’ finances.” 

Leanne Phelps, SECU’s Senior Vice President of Card and Record Services states, “State Employees’ Credit Union’s credit card program not only meets, but actually surpasses the ‘Safe Credit Card Standards.’  While there are many unscrupulous practices being utilized in the credit card industry, SECU has always operated under a ‘Do the Right Thing’ approach to all member products and services, including credit cards.  In addition to providing members with a good value credit card, the Credit Union also places a major focus on educating members on how to choose consumer-friendly products and services.  We want members to know what to look for in a credit card and what to avoid so they can make the best financial choices.  By adopting and promoting the Safe Credit Card Standards, SECU hopes to help establish a benchmark for fairness which members can use for comparison.” 

“With more and more Americans relying on their credit cards to pay for everyday living expenses in this economy, we need to make sure the cards they’re using are safe and fair,” said Nick Bourke, manager of Pew’s Safe Credit Cards Project.  “Our research makes it clear that legislation is needed urgently to reform credit card practices.  We are pleased that State Employees’ Credit Union has adopted the Safe Credit Card Standards and is committed to fair credit card practices.” 

On Friday, April 24, golfers teed off in Marine FCU's 15th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. Held at the Jacksonville Country Club, this year's event raised $86,000 for the USO and Hope For The Warriors.

Many thanks to all the companies and individuals who sponsored this event and the golfers that played in it.

Learn more about the USO and Hope For The Warriors online at uso.org and hopeforthewarriors.org