Five executives from credit unions in Mexico recently traveled to Meriwest Credit Union to compare management best practices. Arranged by the World Council of Credit Unions, the visit was intended to help the visitors learn the details of how U.S. credit unions are managing the various forms of risk, loan underwriting, loan collections, as well as understanding marketing, branding and branch development. The day-long visit also included a tour of Meriwest home office in San Jose, Calif. led by ...

It’s never quite as simple as “grab your gear, get a truck and go,” but co-op officials say the mutual aid response to Hurricane Irene is the muscle that’s making a difference during widespread power restoration efforts. “Cooperative lineworkers receive identical training nationwide, which helps to streamline restoration efforts,” said Jane Pritchard, director of corporate communications at the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives. “Our crews are able to enter ...

Making its largest financial commitment in its history, the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust will pump $134 million into the historic Penn South Cooperative to ensure 2,820 housing units in Midtown will remain affordable for an additional 20 years. The union's pension capital will be used to renovated the 10-building complex and create 610 union construction jobs in the process. Wells Fargo​ has partnered with the union on the loan.

Credit unions on the East Coast in the Northeast continued Tuesday to recover from the effects of last weekend's Hurricane and Tropical Storm Irene. While the impact along the coast was limited primarily to power outages, areas of the Northeast experienced flooding. Vermont was among the hardest hit areas. A branch of Vermont State Employees CU (VSECU) located in a state office building in Waterbury, Vt., was closed due to flooding. The branch is inaccessible, according to Terry Fields, VSECU ...