League Announcements
For use at Chapter Meetings
State Legislative Update (click here)…
Important Dates and News. . .
ICUL elects table officers; ICU Foundation, CUPAC elect boards. At its 78th Annual Convention last week, ICUL elected its table officers for the coming year. John Bratsakis, senior vice president of business development for Baxter CU in Vernon Hills, was elected as chairman for a one-year term. He will also serve in this capacity for the ICUL Service Corporation (LSC). Bratsakis has served on the league board since 2001 representing the Thomas W. Doig Chapter of Credit Unions. Outgoing chairman, Carl Sorgatz, will continue his term as ICUL director for the Aurora Chapter of Credit Unions, a position he has held since 1993. Sorgatz is CEO of Hawthorne CU in Naperville. Dennis Hall, CEO of I.H. Mississippi Valley CU in East Moline, was elected as vice chairman. He has been on the league board representing the Illinois Quad Cities Chapter of Credit Unions since 2001. Hall will also serve as LSC vice chairman. In addition, Geraldine Burek, CEO of South Division CU in Evergreen Park, was elected as secretary/ treasurer. Burek has served as ICUL director representing the Southeast Chapter of Credit Unions since 2003. In addition, Barry Schmidt, Vice President of Lending at Decatur Earthmover CU, was elected to a three-year term as Director of the Greater Decatur Chapter to replace Vernon Mowry, who will be retiring. Barry was elected by acclimation at the chapter level on February 19. Elections went into effect after the Delegates Meeting at the Annual Convention.
Also as part of the convention, the Foundation held its annual meeting and elected new officers and one new director. They included: Ed Jacob, ICUF chairman and CEO, North Side Community FCU, Chicago; Greg Worthen, ICUF vice chairman and director of lending, Olin Community CU, Bethalto; and David Mooney, ICUF secretary/ treasurer and CEO, Alliant CU, Chicago. Current board members include: Peggy Cummins, CEO, Three Rivers Community CU, Mt. Carmel; John Fiore, CEO, Motorola ECU, Schaumburg; Janet Francoeur, CEO, Riverside Community CU, Kankakee; Katherine Hoeper, CEO, KONE ECU, Moline; and Steve O’Mara, US ECU, Chicago. In addition, Geraldine Burek, CEO, South Division CU, Evergreen Park, was elected to a three-year term as a new member on the board.
In addition, CUPAC elected its board of directors at its annual meeting, also during the convention. Officers elected to one year terms included: Frank Padak, CUPAC chairman and CEO, Scott CU, Collinsville; Karen Woods, CUPAC vice chairman and marketing director, Decatur Earthmover CU, Decatur; Brenda Crane, CUPAC Secretary and COO, Credit Union 1, Rantoul; and John Fiore, Treasurer and CEO, Motorola ECU, Schaumburg. Board members re-elected to one-year terms included: Tom Enos, business development director, First Northern CU, Chicago; Pete Fauth, vice president/ CFO, Financial Plus CU, Ottawa; Mike Frye, chairman, Shell Community FCU, East Alton; and Robert Schroeder, CEO, Illinois Community CU, Sycamore. In addition, Christine Dickover, CEO of H-F CU, Country Club Hills; and RaeAnn Love, CEO, Commonwealth CU, Bourbonnais, were elected to one-year terms as a result of two directors retiring from the board.
iBelong Campaign set to kick off. iBelong, the biggest image and awareness campaign ever conducted by credit unions in the state of Illinois, is set to kick-off very soon! Full support of and participation in this initiative by credit unions will help ensure positive growth in credit union membership in our state for future generations. To date, nearly $817,000 has been raised! For credit unions that have contributed at the suggested level for their asset category, a marketing kit has been mailed to you with all of the details about the campaign and how you can connect to iBelong and maximize its impact for credit unions across Illinois. If your credit union has not yet contributed, you can still get on board! Two advertising flights are scheduled for May and August of 2008. Your participation in this program allows for maximum coverage and exposure for the campaign. With full participation ($850,000) from Illinois credit unions, we anticipate:
- 2,236 newspaper ads in 270 newspapers reaching 3 million readers each run;
- 4,400 radio spots on 104 stations statewide;
- 98 billboards on roadways in 19 counties and 12 major markets in Illinois;
- 5,500 Cable TV advertising spots on popular channels throughout the state.
Our positive message about credit unions will reach our target market in every corner of the state so that nearly 70% of the population of Illinois – peak borrowers (females, ages 25 - 44) – will hear our message four or more times by the end of the campaign.
As part of the iBelong campaign, a PR activity, Shred Month, will be held in June 2008. All credit unions with branches in Illinois and all chapters are encouraged to participate! This event will help extend the life of the iBelong campaign and will add credibility to the message we're sending through advertising. Shred Day is easy to plan, coordinate, and implement. For more information about the campaign, media buys, statewide coverage, funding, and Shred Day, see the League’s Web site.
Wrigley Field Batter’s Eye Suite Baseball CUPAC Fundraiser (formerly the Rooftop Event). CUPAC's Major League Baseball fundraising event has been revamped for 2008. This year, the event is being held inside Wrigley Field in the new "Batter's Eye" suite. The "Batter's Eye" is in center field, below Wrigley's historic scoreboard. Guests have access to a climate controlled suite area (with plasma televisions, private restrooms) as well as seats in the bleachers. The event will be held Thursday, May 15 (1:20 p.m. game time) when the Chicago Cubs play the San Diego Padres. This event is limited to the first 100 participants, so register now! See the League’s Web site for more details.
Educational Opportunities. . .
The Using the Telephone for Fun & Profit QuickBites session on May 6 will discuss how to work with the pitch and tone of your voice to add credibility to your telephone conversations. Learn what to listen for in conversations with prospects and clients as well as how to listen so that callers feel heard by you -- which strengthens their relationship with both you and your credit union. This session will also cover the key differences in the ways men and women communicate, and how you can adjust to make a better connection with members of both genders.
CUES members: don’t forget to mark your calendars for the CUES spring conference, which will be held at the Eaglewood Resort in Itasca May 7 & 8. The topic for this meeting is “The Mortgage Meltdown: What it means to your credit union.” We have invited two experts in the field to provide their views and answer your questions: Jack Brick of Brick & Associates and Ron Koza, Chief Investment Officer of Members United Corporate Federal Credit Union. Please check the ICUL Web site or contact Greg Framarin for details.
Join us on May 14 for the ACH Fundamentals and More QuickBites. In this session, you’ll get a high-level overview of the various rules and regulations governing the ACH Network and how those rules apply to each participant so you are prepared to handle member questions about electronic payments.
Asset/Liability Management ratios can be complex and overwhelming, yet credit unions need ratios to analyze the past and make decisions for the future. The numerous software packages available provide a variety of ratios and produce stacks of reports but can be overwhelming. Your decision makers need concise data to make sound decisions. Get the information you need at the ALM telecourse on May 21.
According to CUNA, only one in five young adults ages 18 -- 24 is a credit union member. “Gen Yers” are likely to use the Internet to research financial products, but then rely on family and friends for advice and recommendations. Attracting and retaining this group estimated to be 80 million in size is critical to the future of credit unions. The Membership Retention in a Gen Y World QuickBites session on May 29 will help participants learn how to appeal to this very diverse group through life events and guerilla marketing tactics.
Looking ahead to next month, join us for the Marketing in a Click Click World QuickBites session on June 4. Have you taken advantage of the opportunities to reach your members through their mouse? Kick-start your internet marketing plan with tips and techniques for effective cyber-marketing. You’ll learn about how to use popular e-blast programs and their effectiveness in growing your membership. Gather some ideas for internet-based promotional programs and driving traffic to your website.
Identity theft continues to be a major concern for consumers and financial institutions. Millions of consumers have become victims of identity theft over the last several years. Although the number of victims has been declining in recent years, the severity of the losses to businesses and financial institutions continues. Be sure to register for the Identity Theft QuickBites session on June 10 to get all of the latest details.
Auto dealers have been charging different rates to different people for years, yet we in the credit union community have not fully embraced the concept of differentiating an individual’s interest rate based upon their creditworthiness. Risk Based Lending is a program that every credit union needs to consider and offer to its members. The Risk Based Lending telecourse on June 17 will enable you to offer a Risk Based Lending program in order to be able to more effectively compete for your member and their loan business.
Rounding out June will be the Sustained Loan Growth Thru Innovation QuickBites session. The lending environment is constantly changing. Have you changed your lending programs to keep up? You will learn innovative approaches to the following components of your lending operation: Product Design, Delivery Channels and Underwriting Approach.
For a complete calendar of QuickBites, telecourses, and other Educational opportunities, please see the League’s Web site.