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Tackling the Elephant in the Room - Transforming Board Education at your Credit Union

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The Skills Board Chairs Need Now: Leading Through Complexity, Not Control

NCOFCU Podcast   Grant Sheehan CCUE | CCUP | CEO-NCOFCU The role of the board chair has quietly—but fundamentally—changed. A decade ago, success was defined by experience, authority, and strategic judgment. Today, those traits are still relevant—but no longer sufficient. The modern board chair operates in a world shaped by competing stakeholder demands, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasing scrutiny. What emerges is a role that is less about control—and more about navigating complexity. Below are the core capabilities that now define effective board leadership. 1. From Authority to Orchestration The most important shift is conceptual. Board chairs are no longer expected to be the smartest voice in the room. Instead, they are expected to make the room smarter . This requires the ability to: Synthesize large volumes of information Reconcile conflicting perspectives Facilitate high-quality dialogue Traditional strengths like executive experience matter les...
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It All Starts in the Boardroom

It all starts in the boardroom—but the consequences are felt far beyond it. When Governance Breaks Down, Members Pay the Price Credit unions are built on a simple but powerful idea: they are owned by their members. Unlike traditional banks, where shareholders drive decisions, credit unions are meant to operate democratically—guided by a volunteer board elected by the very people they serve. But that model only works when participation exists. A governance breakdown happens when the people elected to oversee an institution stop truly representing the people who own it. In credit unions, this breakdown doesn’t usually come from scandal or sudden failure. It happens quietly, over time—through disengagement. The Root of the Problem: Low Engagement Most credit union members don’t vote. Board election turnout is typically in the low single digits. In some cases, it’s barely measurable. That means a very small percentage of the membership is effectively deciding who governs an institution th...
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On Stablecoins, NCUA Has Opportunity to Strike Right Balance and Get it Right

By Grant Sheehan As digital payments continue to evolve, the National Credit Union Administration’s (NCUA) efforts to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins mark an important step forward. For credit unions, especially those serving mission-driven communities like firefighters and first responders, access to emerging financial technologies is not just an opportunity but a necessity to remain competitive and relevant. The  National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions  (NCOFCU) appreciates the  thoughtful input  provided by both America’s Credit Unions and the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) on the NCUA’s proposed stablecoin framework. We find strong merit in the recommendations of both organizations and believe their combined perspectives offer a constructive roadmap for getting this right. Important First Phase, But… At its core, the proposal represents an important first phase in implementing the stablecoin provisions of the GENIUS Act. Establishing a...
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It's Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy Month—a time dedicated to empowering individuals and families with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions. Whether you're budgeting, saving, managing debt, or planning for the future, improving your financial literacy can have a lasting impact on your well-being. We invite you to explore our Consumer Education website, where you'll find helpful resources, tips, and guidance to support your financial journey. If you find it valuable, please share it with your family and friends—because financial knowledge is even more powerful when it’s shared. https://www.ncofcu.org/financial-literacy  ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with  NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: Annual Conference First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's Advocacy  
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Sunday Reading - Why the IRS is necessary

  'Taxman'   Why the IRS is necessary The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, is a division of the US Treasury Department created in 1862   that enforces the Internal Revenue Code —Title 26 of the US Code, a compilation of federal statutes—and, effectively, oversees tax collection. In 2024, the IRS's roughly 75,000 employees collected roughly $5T in tax revenue.   Given its role in diverting household income streams, it also has a bad reputation. Half of Americans had an "unfavorable view" of the IRS as of 2024 ( see data ). In a ranking of 16 well-known federal agencies by popularity that year, t...
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How Your Bank/Credit Union Can Fight ‘Soft Switching’ — and Even Steal a Few Accounts of Your Own

Your Members Aren't Leaving in a Huff, They're Just Fading Away. Here's How to Stop It. “Soft switching” is picking up as Americans’ financial activity continues to fragment among multiple players, according to new research from JD Power. This trend has implications both for banks and credit unions that want to retain and grow existing relationships, as well as those that would also like to expand by snapping up accounts from other institutions. Key risk:  Once someone establishes a relationship with another provider, their one-time primary financial institution risks slipping into second place — or even losing the relationship entirely. Need to Know: The average checking account customer now has three deposit accounts at different institutions, the study found. One out of five consumers moved money away from their primary financial institution in the past three months, according to the study, an increase over the 17% rate seen in the previous edition. Departures aren’t sud...
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Where are your children banking?

  Grant Sheehan CCUE | CCUP | CEO, NCOFCU The B reach  Between Purpose and Experience Just recently, I came across a story that has stayed with me. It wasn’t dramatic in the traditional sense. There was no scandal, no crisis, no headline-grabbing failure. In fact, it was something much quieter than that. It was simply the story of an eighteen-year-old leaving his credit union. On the surface, that might not sound remarkable. Young people move their money frequently. They open new accounts, experiment with apps, follow trends, and often make financial decisions influenced by the digital tools at their disposal. But this story was different. This young man had been a credit union member since he was a few weeks old, as many credit unions do. His mother has spent her career working inside the credit union movement as an executive. For eighteen years, his financial life was connected to a credit union. If anyone might be expected to remain a lifelong member, it wou...
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Lots of Interest in Crypto, But 60% Say They Don’t Understand It, Survey Finds, Even As…

10/31/2022 CUTodayu WILTON, Conn.–Cryptocurrency investors are attracted by the opportunity for growth, but a high level of skepticism and lack of understanding remains, according to new research. In fact, 60% of respondents to the survey of more than 10,000 people admitted they don’t understand cryptocurrency The research by consumer insights provider  Toluna  surveyed people between the ages of 18 and 64 years from four regions and 19 markets to understand consumer perceptions around cryptocurrency during August 2022. The survey builds on previous waves of research carried out in December 2021 and June 2022, and examines how perceptions of cryptocurrency have continued to develop and change over time, the company said. ...
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Here’s What Independent Businesses are Reporting About Plans for Employee Compensation

WASHINGTON–The National Federation of Independent Business is reporting its July jobs report  has found a seasonally adjusted net 33% of small business owners reported raising compensation in July, down five points from June and the lowest reading since April 2021. It further found a net 18% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, down four points from June.  “Fewer small business owners are planning to raise compensation in the coming months, and plans to hire remain stable,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said in a statement. “July marks the second month of net gains in employment on Main Street, and the number of firms with open positions remains exceptionally high.” The Findings According to...
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NCUA REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR CREDIT UNION BOARD CHAIRMEN AND MANAGEMENT

Letter to Federal Credit Unions (20-FCU-03) Amended Field of Membership Application Requirements for Combined Statistical Area and Core-Based Statistical Area Dear Boards of Directors and Chief Executive Officers: On October 14, 2020, amendments to the NCUA’s chartering and field-of-membership rules ( 12 CFR Part 701 Appendix B ) will go into effect. These changes will allow a credit union applying for NCUA approval of a community charter, expansion, or conversion to designate a Combined Statistical Area (CSA) or an individual, contiguous portion of a CSA as a well-defined local community (WDLC) if the area has a population of 2.5 million or less. Beginning October 14, 2020, prospective and existing federal credit unions seeking a community charter may use a CSA or portions of a CSA (within certain limitations, as defined in the rule) as a basis for defining their proposed service area without documenting how a CSA’s residents interact or sha...
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