Posted by Ron Jooss

I fell behind on my trade pub reading, but recently over my oatmeal I read about California credit unions accepting state government IOUs and, just as importantly, banks not accepting them. I had heard about this before, but not until I read the article did I realize what a great opportunity this was for credit unions—all credit unions.

Posted by Lisa Hochgraf

By Christopher Stevenson

This week, the New York Times reported that USAA, the master of customer service, will allow its customers to use its iPhone app to deposit checks. All the customer has to do is take a photo of each side of the check and press "send." That's it. The deposit happens immediately.

Posted by Christopher Stevenson

Have you seen Brand Tags? It's a Web site that shows you a logo and asks you to submit the first word or phrase that comes to mind. Your answers are added to a tag cloud that visually represents all answers related to that brand's logo. The premise is laid out on the home page: "The basic idea of this site is that a brand exists entirely in people's heads. Therefore, a brand is whatever they say it is."

By Lisa Hochgraf

When I posted "Tractor Tales: Who's Your Mentor?" I was ever so pleased when Dennis Pierce, CEO of $1.7 billion CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Lenexa, Kans., commented that his father had been one of his key teachers.

Posted by Lisa Hochgraf

You wouldn't knowingly sell an alcoholic a beer, right? So would you market a credit card to a chronic abuser of credit? Is abstinence the best way in both of these cases?

Posted by Lisa Hochgraf

Posted by Christopher Stevenson

By Lisa Hochgraf

Last week, while my husband and son were enjoying a biking and camping trip, I lived it up. Specifically, I invited other moms on my street over on Tuesday for a quiet, post-children's-bedtime game of Scrabble (and a relaxing glass of wine).

One of my neighbors, also named Lisa, showed up wearing this Scrabble tile necklace (except hers had an "L," of course).

By Jamie McMahon