Tech CUSO, Item Processing Firm Combine Forces
(Credit Union Times © 05/13/13)
MnIPC, an item processing company, and CUsource, a technology services CUSO, said they have linked up to help combine deposit item volume and help control cost for credit unions ...

Minnesota Credit Unions' Growth Continues in First Quarter
(CUNA New Now © 05/08/13)
Minnesota credit unions improved their financial strength in nearly every indicator during the first quarter, according to the Minnesota Credit Union Network ...  

Minnesota Attorney Opposes Cook Area CU Student Branch
(CUNA News Now © 05/06/13)
An attorney working for the North Woods School in Cook, Minn., has advised the school district not to enter into an agreement with Cook (Minn.) Area CU to provide a student-run credit union branch at the school. The credit union says it is a misunderstanding.

Student-Run Credit Unions in Minn. Teach Value of Cash
(KSTP © 04/20/13)
April is Financial Literacy Month, a time for people to learn about money – how to spend it, and how to save. In Minnesota, more than 200,000 people don't have access to a bank accounts. At metro high schools, that's starting to change ...

GMCU shares job hunting advice
(Mille Lacs Messenger © 04/09/13)
Greater Minnesota Credit Union, which has offices in Isle, Ogilvie, Mora and Milaca and offers a free financial education and counseling program, shared some advice with members last week. If you're one of the many Americans who is unemployed, it can be intimidating to start looking for a new job. While it might end up being a long and frustrating process, it's important to focus on your future and get started ...

Twin Cities teachers' credit unions merge
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 04/09/13)
Two Twin Cities teacher credit unions in Apple Valley and St. Louis Park have merged. Apple Valley-based United Educators Credit Union acquired Park Schools Credit Union in St. Louis Park on April 1 ...

Bank of America settles for $165 million with credit union regulator
(MSN Money © 04/02/13)
Bank of America Corp. agreed to pay $165 million to settle charges by the National Credit Union Administration –  the U.S. credit union regulator –  involving sales of mortgage-backed securities to corporate credit unions that led them to fail, the NCUA said this week ...

Metro Lender's Longtime Leader Stepping Down
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 04/01/13)
The longtime leader of one of Minnesota's largest credit unions is stepping down at the end of the year. TopLine Federal Credit Union CEO Harry Carter has been chief executive of the Maple Grove-based lender since 1999. He'll retire at the end of 2013 ...

Turning the Tables, HomeTown Hosts Open House for Realtors 
(Credit Union Journal © 03/25/13)
While most people might think of an open house as an event hosted by a Realtor, $106-million HomeTown Credit Union turned the tables a bit and welcomed real estate professionals into two of its branches with open houses of its own. The relationship-building effort is the result of a partnership between HomeTown CU and AmeriCU Mortgage Co. ...

40 under 40: Previn Solberg, Financial One Credit Union (login required)
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 03/15/13)
 In 2009, Financial One Credit Union seemed headed for failure after racking up $1.4 million in losses. But when Previn Solberg joined the team, things started looking up. Within two years of his taking the role as president and CEO, the company ended 2012 with more than $580,000 in net income. The company's Visa portfolio nearly doubled within 18 months, and the credit union started raking in industry awards ...

Matz Congratulates Minn. CUs on Turning Economic Corner
(CUNA News Now © 03/11/13)
National Credit Union Administration Chairman Debbie Matz congratulated credit unions on turning an economic corner during an open forum meeting Friday with more than 50 credit unions representatives from Minnesota at the Minnesota Credit Union Network's offices in St. Paul ...

CO-OP Shared Branching Hits Milestone 5,000 Branches
(CUNA News Now © 03/07/13)
The CO-OP Shared Branching network has reached 5,000 "live teller" branch locations nationwide, just over three years after reaching 4,000 in February 2010 ...

Nearly 80 TopLine Members Leave More Than $1 Million in Debt Behind
(Marketwire © 03/05/13)
In the past five years, nearly 80 members of TopLine Federal Credit Union have succeeded in paying off a staggering $1,159,065.73 in debt -- thanks to personal financial coaching and debt management plans they've received through LSS Financial Counseling...

St. Paul Postal Returns Nearly 20% of 2012 Earnings in Member Payouts
(Credit Union Times © 02/28/13)
St. Paul Postal Employees Credit Union in Woodbury, Minn., said it deposited $535,000, or nearly 20% of its 2012 earnings, into members’ accounts on Jan. 10, 2013. Through its VIP program, the 46,000-member credit union, which has $540 million in assets, said it paid out cash dividends of between $5 and $800 in automatic deposits to individual members’ accounts....

Affinity Plus finds value in hiring universal employees
(CreditUnions.com © 02/25/13)
The concept of a universal employee is catching on at credit unions as a way to provide quality services to members more efficiently. A universal employee is the worker who can do it all, the person who moves from one task to another seamlessly, taking members through each step of a transaction instead of shuffling them between departments. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union ($1.60B, St. Paul, MN) and Grow Financial Federal Credit Union ($1.83B, Tampa, FL) both hire and train universal employees to serve their members....

Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union named Large Business of the Year by LF Chamber of Commerce
(Morrison County Record © 02/24/13)
The Little Falls Chamber of Commerce has named Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union (MMFCU) as the large business of the year. "MMFCU understands the importance of being involved in the community”, said Chamber CEO Debora K. Boelz. "People do business with people who they know. For MMFCU to experience 54 percent growth in the Little Falls branch in just four years, that involvement is paying off.” ...

Postal Credit Union opens inside Tartan High School 
(KARE 11 News © 02/20/13)
It took nine years worth of convincing to finally give the kids access to cash in the school. That sort of perseverance paid off in dividends Wednesday with the opening of the school's credit union. ...

Tartan High School's in-school credit union targets student savers 
(Star Tribune © 02/20/13)
A group of entrepreneurial-minded students at Tartan High School in Oakdale are tackling what could be their biggest challenge yet: running an in-school credit union. Woodbury-based Postal Credit Union (PCU) officially launched the student branch Feb. 20 at Tartan ...

CU's Student Branch Wins Progress Minnesota Award
(CUNA News Nows © 02/13/13)
Hometown CU has been recognized with Finance and Commerce's Progress Minnesota award for opening the state's first student-run, in-school credit union branch...

Topline FCU effort prompts $800K+ in grants for community
(CUNA News Nows © 02/03/13)
TopLine FCU in Maple Grove, Minn., was recognized as an important community partner when Brooklyn Park, Minn., received a $294,000 Affordable Housing Program grant for 2013 from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB)...

Governor Pledges to Protect Credit Unions’ Tax Exemption in Minnesota
(Credit Union Times © 02/01/13)
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton at Credit Union Day in St. Paul on Tuesday. Speaking at the Minnesota Credit Union Network’s annual political advocacy event in St. Paul, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said he will protect the credit unions’ tax exemption..

Governor praises CUs for service to Minnesotans
(CUNA News Now © 02/01/13)
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton this week joined other state legislators and officials in praising the services and support credit unions provide consumers. Dayton also stressed that his proposal for tax reform does not involve credit unions' tax exemption, said the Minnesota Credit Union Network...

MnCUN Helps Expand Shared Branching Locations (login required)
(Credit Union Times © 01/31/13)
The Minnesota Credit Union Network in St. Paul, Minn., said it helped expand the availability of shared branching with the addition of two branches of the $90 million Minnesota Valley Federal Credit Union’s in Mankato...

Minnesota's CUs boost lending in 3Q
(CUNA News Now © 01/17/13)
Members of Minnesota's credit unions borrowed more during the third quarter, a reflection of the state economy's gradual improvement, according to the Minnesota Credit Union Network's quarterly report...

Minn. legislators aim to close book on foreclosure horror stories
(Star Tribune © 01/16/13)
MnCUN Vice President – Governmental Affairs Mara Humphrey provides legislators insight on how a foreclosure bill will negatively impact small banks and credit unions...

MnCUN adds to shared branching network
(CUNA News Now © 01/16/13)
The Minnesota Credit Union Network expanded the number of Shared Branching locations in its state to 36 with the addition of Minnesota Valley FCU. With MnCUN's most recent addition the nationwide network now offers nearly 5,000 service centers nationwide...

WOCCU taps nine International Exec Volunteer Corps leaders
(CUNA News Now © 12/27/12)
World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) has inducted nine credit union professionals into its International Executive Volunteer Corps (IEVC). Minnesota inductees include MnCUN President & CEO Mark D. Cummins, MnCUN Vice President – Association Services Kristina Wright and SouthPoint FCU President & CEO Dick Nesvold...

Noreen posthumously awarded Minn. CU Builder award
(CUNA News Now © 12/19/12)
Walter Noreen, former volunteer at Postal CU, Woodbury, Minn., was posthumously honored with the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation's (MnCUF's) Credit Union Builder Award this month...

Credit unions receive pre-session insight from Rep. Atkins
(CUNA News Now © 12/19/12)
Minnesota credit union representatives received an insider's look at the upcoming legislative session at a meeting with state House Commerce leader Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) Monday. As incoming chair of the House Commerce and Consumer Protection Policy and Finance Committee, Atkins works closely with credit unions on legislation impacting them and their members...

Minn. CUs find ally in new congressman
(CUNA News Now © 12/12/12)
Newly elected U.S. Rep Rick Nolan (D-Minn.) has declared himself "a big believer of credit unions," according to the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN)...

Banks escalate credit union feud (login required)
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 12/07/12)
The Minnesota Bankers Association (MBA) is stepping up what its leader called an "assault” on credit unions as they continue to lure customers from banks. Credit union and banking leaders recently flew from Minnesota to Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers on pending legislation that would allow credit unions to expand business lending...

Thrivent bank completes rare conversion to credit union
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 11/27/12)
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans said Monday it has received approval from federal regulators to complete the conversion of its bank subsidiary to a faith-based, member-owned credit union...

Thrivent's bank will become a credit union
(Star Tribune © 11/26/12)
Federal regulators have given Thrivent Financial for Lutherans the final green light to turn its bank into a not-for-profit credit union, an unusual change that creates one of the largest faith-based credit unions in the country...

NCUA Charters Thrivent Financial Bank's Return to Credit Union Charter
(Credit Union Times © 11/26/12)
The NCUA has approved the change of charter of the roughly $500 million Thrivent Financial Bank into the Thrivent Financial Federal Credit Union. The Wisconsin bank is a subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the largest mutual insurance company in the country and has been operating since 2001, when the insurer formed it out of two existing credit unions...

MnCUN President & CEO reelected as AACUL secretary
(CUNA News Now © 11/21/12)
During its Annual Meeting Nov. 15-17, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL) reelected MnCUN President & CEO Mark D. Cummins as its secretary...

Credit union gets comfy in Roseville
(Star Tribune © 11/19/12)
The state's credit unions are on a roll, and nowhere is it more apparent than the Roseville branch that Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union just opened. The co-op's $6 million two-story building near Rosedale is something of a showcase of the latest thinking in customer comfort...

Minnesota CUs see 93% success rate in 2012 elections
(CUNA News Now © 11/15/12)
Minnesota credit unions demonstrated their political power and influence last week when 93 percent of credit union-supported candidates were elected to the Minnesota Legislature. These winning candidates were supported by contributions to MnCUN’s Credit Union Volunteer Fund (CUVOL), which ensures that the credit union voice is heard at the state Capitol by supporting those who believe in and will advocate for the movement...

Top Women in Finance: Kelly McDonough
(Finance & Commerce © 11/02/12)
Finance & Commerce recently named First Alliance President & CEO Kelly McDonough as one of its 2012 Top Women in Finance...

Boom Underway for Minn. Credit Unions
(Channel 5 News © 11/01/12)
A year after a social media movement prompted people across the country to pull their money from big banks and put it in credit unions, membership at Minnesota credit unions has increased. The Minnesota Credit Union Network says membership has increased at rates not seen in years...

Affinity Plus FCU Opens 22,000-Square-Foot Branch (login required)
(Credit Union Times © 11/01/12)
Affinity Plus FCU unveiled its new 22,000 square-foot branch in nearby Roseville, the largest of the $1.5-billion credit union’s 26 branches...

Credit union gets rid of the teller line but keeps the human touch
(Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal © 11/01/12)
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union's newest and largest branch is missing one noticeable feature: the teller line. But the omission at the credit union's new Roseville branch was intentional...

Richfield Bloomington Credit Union employee joins leadership program
(Sun Current © 10/31/12)
An employee at Richfield Bloomington Credit Union has been accepted into a leadership program designed to inform future leaders about critical issues facing their communities while giving them the tools to make a difference regarding those issues...

Russ Plunkett Retires as President/CEO of Postal CU After 20 Years (login required)
(Credit Union Times © 10/26/12)
Russ Plunkett, who served as president/CEO of the $541 Postal Credit Union for 20 years, has retired. Brian Sherrick, a 28-year employee of PCU, has been named the new CEO/president of the Woodbury, Minn.-based credit union...

One-Time College Intern Takes Reins At Minnesota’s Postal CU (login required)
(Credit Union Journal © 10/25/12)
Postal CU announced this morning that Brian Sherrick, its chief operating officer who joined the credit union as a college intern in 1984, has taken over as president and CEO of the $540 million credit union...

International Credit Union Day: Minnesota’s Governor Makes it Official (login required)
(Credit Union Times © 10/17/12)
Thursday is International Credit Union Day around the world, and in Minnesota it’s now official. Gov. Mark Dayton signed a proclamation last week declaring Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, as Credit Union Day in his state, home to 137 credit unions with more than 1.5 million members...

Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar Meets With State Credit Union Leaders (login required)
(Credit Union Times © 10/03/12)
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) met last week with a group of credit union leaders at the Minnesota Credit Union Network headquarters in St. Paul to discuss industry issues and legislative matters surrounding the elections...

Meeting Employees' Needs at First Alliance CU Is Driving ROI (login required)
(Credit Union Journal © 10/01/12)
First Alliance CU here seems to have found a way to balance work and home life for its employees, and it says the ROI is clear to see...