By Ted L. Thames

Most of our management time today is spent dealing with immediate operational challenges. Liquidity is improving but funding costs remain high. Uncertainty about home values and consumer confidence continue to slow member borrowing. New membership is difficult to attract and member loyalty continues to slip away in a hyper-competitive environment. Fraud risk is increasing and expensive to mitigate, and there is always another audit to prepare for.

When Brent Taylor, the new president/CEO of WEOKIE Credit Union, spoke at the retirement party of his predecessor, Marv Cottom, Brent said he had asked Marv what he wants his legacy to be. Marv told Brent he doesn't want a building or a conference room named after him. To Marv, people matter most. His legacy is his staff.

Posted by Lisa Hochgraf

Credit unions are getting into the blogosphere. Most of the blogs I see in CU land are either 1) written by CU executives for other CU executives and cover credit union management strategies or 2) written by one credit union's executives for their institution's members and cover personal finance and community-related subjects.

But variations on this theme are coming.

Posted by Christopher Stevenson

In a recent conversation with my three-year old son, he noted that he and I were both wearing flip-flops. Putting my foot next to his, I asked him whose sandal was bigger. He said, "Mine."

"Oh, yeah? How do you figure?" I asked.

"Mine's size large."

Posted by Lisa Hochgraf

On Friday my son and I visited the nearest branch to my home of Canadaigua National Bank and Trust, even though I'm not a customer there.

Why did I go? It was 90 degrees outside and the branch has a wonderful Brio wooden train table, plus an electric toy train running on a track above our heads. My son was in train heaven and I got to look around and think a little.

Posted by Christopher Stevenson

By Christopher Stevenson

Posted by Christopher Stevenson

When newcomers move to Madison from other places, especially the coasts, it's not unusual for them to miss their old hometown (Madison's got a small-town feel), worry about our tornadoes (they're not that bad), and feel a little alone (it's always hard to make your way around a new town).  The appropriate Madisonian response to our new neighbors is, "Have you been to the farmers' market? Man, you've gotta go to the farmers' market." 

By Mary Auestad Arnold

Two exciting pieces of news to share today about CUES' blogging endeavors. First off, check out our retooled marketing blog, Nexus Connection.

Posted by Christopher Stevenson