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Australian CUs have experienced strong growth in retail deposits at the expense of their regional banking rivals. http://ow.ly/goIE 1 day ago

Yakima Valley CUs have benefited from larger banks troubles as membership, deposit growth, and overall presence expand. http://ow.ly/goHD 1 day ago

Florida Central CU names CUNA board member Laida Garcia as president, CEO. Garcia succeeds the late Ed Gallagly. See http://ow.ly/gnw7 2 days ago

WesCorp detailed cost-saving initiatives-- including roughly 90 layoffs--that aim to roll back expenses to 2003 levels. See July 6 NN. 2 days ago

Wash. State CUs have seen a 313% mortgage loan increase over the last 10 years, with lower car loan, savings deposit increases. See Mon. NN. 2 days ago

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President Bush asked to note NCUSIF

WASHINGTON (9/25/08)—President George W. Bush was asked by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Wednesday to instruct those within his administration to included federal credit union share insurance in messages meant to reassure Americans about the safety of their federally insured deposits.

"In recent days through a variety of the media, Secretary of the Treasury (Henry) Paulson, Federal Reserve Board Chairman (Ben) Bernanke and you have been quoted as saying that consumers should consider their deposits safe in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FDIC, insured accounts," CUNA President/CEO Dan Mica wrote in his Sept. 24 letter.

"I would respectfully draw your attention to the fact that credit union members' funds in federally insured credit unions are just as safe as those that are insured by the FDIC," Mica wrote.

Credit union members' funds at the nation's 7,972 federally insured credit unions are guaranteed under the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) to the same levels and safety as the FDIC insured accounts. NCUSIF, like the FDIC, is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

The CUNA missive also highlighted that credit unions are gaining increasing recognition for the fact that they have not contributed to this crisis, having remained faithful to sound loan underwriting and avoiding subprime lending.