This spring, Norman Halls, chairman of the board of STCU Credit Union, made news by stating the case for the cooperative value of credit unions on the business page of The Westfield News, (April 2, 2012).

Halls tells the story of the beginnings of the credit union movement of over 100 years ago. Then, credit unions were born of banks’ disregard for the needs of the workers. He describes the current situation as “déjà vu all over again” as banks are again unwilling to help the average consumers.
[FULL STORY]
 

Southern Mass Credit Union (SMCU), recently held its 90th Annual Meeting at its main office in Fairhaven.

David S. Darmofal, chairman of the SMCU board of directors, opened the meeting by welcoming members and thanking them for their continued support of the credit union over the past year. He stressed that SMCU is very strong, well-capitalized, continues to grow, and members’ deposits are safe, secure, and insured. He also noted that in 2012 Southern Mass Credit Union is celebrating its 90th year of providing continuous service to its membership. He then opened the business portion of the meeting where the following individuals were unanimously re-elected to SMCU’s Board of Directors for three-year terms: Pamela Bourgault, David Darmofal, John S. Mitchell, and Mark Sylvia.
[FULL STORY]
 

Surprising customers at Dunkin Donuts on Lakeview Avenue in Dracut on a Friday morning, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union employees performed a random act of kindness by handing out free t-shirts and $5.00 Dunkin Donuts gift cards.

Turning Friday the 13th on its head, from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. on April 13th, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union President and Chief Executive Officer Mark S. Cochran and a number of employees handed surprised customers a $5.00 gift card and a free Jeanne D’Arc t-shirt, telling customers it was their “lucky day.”
[FULL STORY]
 

UMasssFive College Federal Credit Union wants to help them become the “Super Savers” they are meant to be! By working with the whole family, the credit union aims to make the subject of money management easier and fun for everyone.

UMassFive’s new program will include components that really engage kids in every age group. To start, “Super Savers” focuses on ages 6–9 years, when kids begin to understand more about the concept of money. Kids get their own cool Super Savers passbooks, stickers, and prizes as they move through their Super Saver adventure.
[FULL STORY]
 

Hanscom Federal Credit Union supported a welcome diversion from adult seriousness over a weekend on Hanscom Air Force Base, sponsoring a two-day youth basketball tournament with a charitable bonus.

More than 500 players and family members descended on the Youth Center for the third annual President’s Day Basketball Tournament, with 12 seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ travel teams from communities throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts competing. This year, teams brought donations for deployed military personnel.
[FULL STORY]
 

“This is a tremendous donation, which puts us closer to our goal of completing our project of providing quality workspace for our clients,” said Mary Heafy, president and CEO of The ARC of Opportunity of North Central Massachusetts.
[FULL STORY]
 

Industrial Credit Union (ICU) announced the winners of its 19th annual College Scholarship Program. Susan Wornick, news anchor at WCVB-TV Boston, participated by drawing the winners’ names at 5 TV Place, Needham. The program was named in honor of John J. Campana who served as ICU Treasurer for more than 50 years.

Ten winners were each awarded $1,000.00 scholarships that can be used to pay for college tuition, books, and/or fees. Applications for the upcoming year 2013 scholarship program will be released this summer.
[FULL STORY]
 

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union announced that the winner of the latest “Give a Click” campaign located on the website – WeShareACommonThread.org – is Table of Plenty in Chelmsford, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing community with those in need. Its volunteers serve a free weekly meal in a welcoming environment to help alleviate hunger and social isolation for individuals and families.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union understands the value of community and working together. On the WeShareACommonThread.org website, community members can read about three worthy nonprofit organizations and then vote for the one they would most like to support. The charity with the most votes then receives a $1,500 donation from the credit union. Different charities are posted every quarter to encourage people to keep returning to WeShareACommonThread.org to help their favorites gain a much-needed donation
[FULL STORY]
 

Hanscom Federal Credit Union played a role in a pair of well-deserved celebrations at Hanscom Air Forc e Base.

The credit union was a major sponsor of the 66th Air Base Group Annual Awards Banquet, where 38 individuals and four teams were honored following a two-day sightseeing tour of Boston for all the nominees.
[FULL STORY]
 

After hitting a monthly low of 15.2% in March 2011, credit union auto lending market share has climbed, maintaining above 17% each month since May 2011, according to CUDL's quarterly Auto Lending Trends & Credit Union Analysis.

CUDL, part of Ontario, California-based CU Direct Corp., presented the findings in a webcast March 27 that outlined key metrics on auto financing trends for credit unions and competing financial institutions, provided a fourth-quarter 2011 credit union auto lending market analysis and discussed auto manufacturer and sales trends.
[FULL STORY]
 

CO-OP Financial Services is introducing CO-OP Bill Pay, the company’s first online bill pay product line for credit unions, featuring competitive pricing, superior service and product option flexibility.

“CO-OP Bill Pay is the result of our acquisition, in January, of Corporate Network eCom, LLC, enabling us to offer our clients a robust line of bill pay products right now,” said Stan Hollen, president/CEO of CO-OP Financial Services. “The new line is a perfect extension of our e-commerce solutions, and will help our clients compete even more effectively against banks in terms of access and convenience services they can offer their members.”
[FULL STORY]
 

Leominster Credit Union recently announced that Gordon R. Edmonds, president and CEO, has indicated to the Board of Directors his intentions to retire effective September 30, 2012. Edmonds joined Leominster Credit Union in 2001 as Senior Vice President of Lending. He was appointed President and CEO in June, 2007.

Chairman of the Board, Amedeo (Butch) Bilotta, credits Edmonds with leading Leominster Credit Union through a period of extraordinary growth. “Gordon Edmonds has been an exemplary president. Under his leadership the credit union has nearly doubled its asset size, and he was the leading force behind the construction of its new state-of-the-art executive and operations building in downtown Leominster,” said Bilotta. “He is well-respected throughout the credit union by directors and employees alike, and is highly regarded in the local communities where he has been involved with a number of civic organizations.”
[FULL STORY]
 

The Board of Directors of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union recently elected Susan Green to the Board of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. She started in April 2012.

Susan Green is the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, since 2009, and had practiced as a Certified Public Accountant at Mullen and Company and Deloitte & Touche, LLP. She earned her graduate degree in taxation from Bentley College and her undergraduate degree in accounting from Salem State College.
[FULL STORY]
 

Tan brings over 11 years of experience in the credit union industry, working most recently with Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union. In her new position, she will market and support AMG’s products and services with a focus on developing key business relationships throughout AMG’s footprints. Irene earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from Green Mountain College, Vermont.
[FULL STORY]
 

If you would like to have your job listed on the League’s website, please submit to jobs@cucenter.org.