Volume 27, Number 4                                     February 28, 2007

HEADLINE NEWS

CUNA GAC Draws Crowd
     Delaware’s contingent to the Credit Union National Association’s Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington on February 25-28 was enthusiastic about all the information they were able to obtain for their credit unions. More than 4,200 people, including 21 from Delaware, attended the annual conference. The Delaware credit union attendees:
     American Spirit – Maurice Dawkins
     Delaware – Duke Strosser, Tara Jackson
     Delaware Alliance – Dawn Sutcliffe, Betsy Cole
     Delaware State Police – Steve Cimo, Antonio Williams
     DEXSTA – Marie Davis, Jerry King, Peg Conway, Kevin Freeman, Christine Trincia, Dave Marianelli, Wayne Smiley
     ICI America – Tony Casarino
     Sussex County – Pam Fleuette, John Lewis, Charles Gleason, Allen Riley
     Delaware League – Patrick Mahaney.
     Important legislators and policymakers and notables such as Brit Hume, Martin Sheen, Michelle Singletary, Mary Matalin and James Carville addressed the conference attendees.
     On Wednesday afternoon, five additional Delawareans joined the other participants for our annual “Hike to the Hill”: Jack Cable and Jim Green – American Spirit; Savannah Jarrell – Delaware Alliance FCU; George Fitzgerald – DPL FCU; and Alice Smith of the League.
     During the conference, Delaware also received the CULAC Capitol Circle Award for the eighth straight year for exceeding our fund-raising goals for the Credit Union Legislative Action Council. In 2006, CU members in Delaware surpassed our goal of $5,260.11 by contributing $5,337.25, which was 101% of our goal.  
     After 30 years, 2007 was the final time the Washington Hilton & Towers will host the CUNA event. It moves to the Washington (D.C.) Convention Center in 2008.

DCUL Annual Meeting Registration
     National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) board member Gigi Hyland will deliver the keynote address at the League’s 2007 Annual Meeting. The Friday session will feature information-packed education sessions and our traditional trade show. Registration is now open for the Annual Meeting, which runs April 19-21 at the Baycenter in Dewey Beach. You can find information about the meeting on the League website by clicking on http://www.dcul.org/creditunions/annual_meeting_2007/annual_meeting_07.htm. An information packet and registration form – addressed to the CEO – has also been mailed to all credit unions. A golf outing will again be held on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at the Rookery in Milton, Delaware.

Professional/Volunteer Awards Nominations Due March 26
     The Delaware Credit Union League is now accepting nominations for the 2006 Outstanding Professional and Volunteer Awards. Presented at the League’s Annual Meeting in April, these annual awards recognize dedicated service and professionalism of credit union staff and board members.
     The Outstanding CU Volunteer Award is given to recognize the noble service of one CU volunteer who best exemplifies the credit union spirit through dedication to and belief in the credit union movement. The Outstanding CU Professional Award is given to recognize one CU professional who has selflessly given time, effort, and talent to support and promote the CU ideal and the betterment of CUs in Delaware.
     Information and nomination forms have been mailed to all credit union CEOs and board chairmen and must be returned to the League office no later than Monday, March 26. A committee comprised of former award recipients will select the winners. For more information or a nomination form, please contact Alice Smith at the League office.

NCUA NOTES

NCUA Board Meeting Summary
•  Share Insurance Fund Dividend. On February 15, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Board met and received the quarterly National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund report for year-end 2006. It included the Fund's equity ratio of 1.31%, which means a Share Insurance Fund dividend will be paid to credit unions.
•  Interim Final Rule – General Lending Maturity and Other Financial Services. The NCUA Board finalized a rule change to Part 701 extending the general loan maturity limit from 12 to 15 years and permitting federal credit unions to provide certain, limited financial services to nonmembers within the field of membership.  Implemented last year as an interim final rule effective October 27, 2006, the rule change was required by the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006. The final rule permits federal credit unions to offer the following services to those within the field of membership, regardless of membership status:
     1) Selling of negotiable checks including travelers checks, money orders, and other similar money transfer instruments (including international and domestic electronic fund transfers); and
     2) Cashing of checks and money orders and receiving international and domestic electronic fund transfers for a fee.
     This final rule is effective March 26, 2007.  More information is contained on CUNA’s website,
http://www.cuna.org/compliance/member/eguide/eguide_ncua_lending_sum.html.
•  Del-One’s Community Charter Application Denied. The Board also rejected Del-One FCU’s (Delaware FCU) application to convert to a community charter to serve the entire state. Although the request would only include three counties and 800,000 people in the Diamond State, NCUA ruled a statewide charter violates provisions of the Federal CU Act and its Field of Membership and Chartering Manual, which bars statewide charters. The manual requires that a community be a single, geographically well-defined area where individuals have common interests or interact. However, NCUA ruled that the state is actually two distinct communities separated by the C&D Canal: the northern part of the state being urban and the rest of the state mostly rural. NCUA made the same ruling in 2000 when the CU’s request for state chartering was also rejected.

NCUA Issues HMDA Compliance
     NCUA has issued a regulatory alert that addresses compliance issues with regard to the filing of 2006 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data as they pertain to filing deadlines and the late submission of HMDA data. For information to determine if your credit union must submit HMDA data, go to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) website: http://www.ffiec.gov/hmda/default.htm?_loopback=
     Credit unions subject to HMDA requirements for 2006 activity must have submitted loan/application register (LAR) data to the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) processing center by March 1, 2007. Depository institutions with assets of $36 million or less as of December 31, 2006, are exempt from data collection in 2007. After March 1, 2007, the Fed will provide a list of delinquent filers to NCUA. Credit unions appearing on this list may be subject to civil money penalty assessments – NCUA just assessed 22 monetary penalties for incorrect filling in 2005. Questions regarding submission of HMDA data may be sent to the Fed by email at hmdahelp@frb.gov. Go to NCUA’s website for a copy of NCUA Regulatory Alert 07-RA-02, which gives more HMDA details: http://www.ncua.gov/reg_alerts/2007/07-RA-02.pdf

Walters to Replace Dupcak as NCUA Region II Director
     Jane Walters has been named by NCUA to replace Edward Dupcak, who retired at the end of last year as Region II director after 33 years of agency service. Walters, currently NCUA deputy executive director, joined the NCUA in 1981 as an examiner in Chicago and has since held positions as director of special actions in Region II in 1987, associate regional director of Region IV in 1990, and in 1994 as NCUA controller. She has also served as regional director of Region II, Region VI, and most recently Region V before being selected as NCUA deputy executive director in 2006, assisting the executive director in managing the daily operation of NCUA. As Region II director, Walters becomes responsible for the supervision and examination program of credit unions in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

DELAWARE NOTES

NEW CASTLE COUNTY SCHOOL EFCU held a ribbon cutting on February 20 for its new office at 113 West Sixth Street in New Castle. The two-story building has 8200 square feet of office space, which includes private offices for each area of operations, plus a teller line with expanded security. General manager Terri Keene comments: “I would like to thank the staff for all of their hard work and the Board for their support. I'd also like to thank BZ Construction for their work. They were wonderful to work with, very professional and quick.”

Heather Ebaugh of DEL-ONE (Delaware) FCU was one of two finalists for the Information Technology Executive of the Year Award, in the Credit Union Times Leadership Awards Program. “These finalists are just a tremendous group. They beat out many candidates to make it to the finals. They each have a story that other credit union leaders can learn from. That is why we are featuring all of the finalists in the Feb. 28 issue. They are all winners in my book,” said Credit Union Times Editor/Publisher Paul Gentile.

DEL-ONE FCU will again recognize outstanding students through its scholarship program. For the 2007-2008 academic year, Del-One will award two $1000 scholarships, based on academic excellence, community involvement, credit union participation and financial need.

Help Jerry's Kids and a fellow credit union manager. Vanessa McCall, manager/CEO of NEWPORT SITE EFCU will be "jailed and bailed out" on March 14, 2007, at the Iron Hill Brewery to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy. Please help Vanessa help the kids by donating "bail money" for this worthy cause. Checks can be made out to Muscular Dystrophy Association or MDA and mailed to Newport Site EFCU, 205 S. James Street, Newport, DE 19804. Donations are tax deductible, and you will be mailed a receipt.

Congratulations to Debbie Jewell, DEL-ONE FCU business development manager and her husband, Bubby, on the birth of a son, Mason Edward Jewell.

Condolences to the family and friends of Jim Ellison, who recently passed away. He was very involved as a volunteer in the 70s and early 80s with the Federal Employees of New Castle County FCU, which later merged into Dover FCU.  

Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Reviews Now Available
     The Delaware League is offering Bank Secrecy Act reviews to its member credit unions through an arrangement with the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association. 
     The BSA review will assess the credit union’s system of internal controls and procedures that are used to maintain compliance with financial record-keeping and other requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act. The Bank Secrecy Act is a combination of various statutes that require credit unions to retain certain records, as well as report certain financial transactions to the Federal government. NCUA examiners may be checking to see that your credit union has done this annual review.
     For more information on the scope of the review and pricing, contact Jane Bailey at the League office or email jane@dcul.org.

CU Security Issues Training Video
     "Technology Security: Targeting Cybercrime and Identity Theft" was developed to help front-line staff recognize the warning signs and handle situations where members' accounts are at risk of being, or have been, jeopardized. A series of best practices and technology security guidelines for CUs are outlined, along with a step-by-step process to follow should a credit union suspect that one of its members is already a victim of identity theft. 
     The 22-minute DVD covers a wide range of security topics to help credit unions understand, detect, and prepare for the future, such as:

1. Identity Theft
2. Fraud
3. Cyber Fraud
4. Phishing
5. Spamming
6. Viruses
7. Remote Access Fraud
8. Audio Response System
9. ATM Fraud, Accounts Fraud, Credit Card, and Check Fraud

     Additionally, the training video covers information security, technology security, and biometrics, along with identifying available teller and member training opportunities. "Technology Security: Targeting Cybercrime and Identity Theft" sells to credit unions for $150. To order, go to buy.cuna.org, and enter "CUTV152" in the Product Finder search engine, or call (800) 356-8010, and press 3. The League also has a copy of this DVD.

FIRST LEAGUE BOWLATHON

Ten teams participated in the first League bowling event held at Bowlerama in New Castle on February 16.

Pre-Bowling Dinner	The "Ladies of Louviers" Team (left to right): Torie Fortunato, Loretta Sturgis, Beverly Gibson, and Dorothy Bean
	Individual winners (left to right): Edie Merced, American Spirit FCU – Most Unusual Bowler Female; Joe Sisofo, Wilmington Police & Fire FCU – Highest Game Male (210); Joe Reiner, Mid-Atlantic Corporate FCU – Most Unusual Bowler Male; Kate Toner, Wilmington Postal FCU – Highest Team Score; and Linda Foraker, GMAC Mortgage – Highest Game Female (228)

CREDIT UNION JOB POSTINGS

Lending & Collections Manager. Delaware community federal credit union is seeking a Lending & Collections Manager. Reporting directly to the CEO, this position is responsible for all lending operations, including consumer and real estate loan growth, product development, compliance, collections, and managing the lending and collections staff. Candidates must have 5 years experience in a senior lending position with a financial institution. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Please send resume with cover letter and salary requirements to: HR Manager, DEXSTA Federal Credit Union, 300 Foulk Rd., Suite 100, Wilmington, DE 19803, or email to hrmanager@dexsta.com.

Branch Manager. Sussex County FCU has an opening for a Branch Manager located at their main office in Seaford, DE. Candidate should have a minimum of at least three years' managerial experience, with an emphasis on business development. Must be goal oriented and a team player. Please send resume and salary requirements to J. Kirwan, Sussex County FCU, PO Box 1800, Seaford, DE 19973, or email jkirwan@sussexcfcu.com.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

March/April QuickBites Teleconferences
One-hour sessions – 11 a.m.-noon
•  3/1  Your Members’ Experiences: Win, Wow, Worry
•  3/7    Tattoos: Ultimate Proof of Successful Brands
•  3/20 Top Ten Collection Tips
•  3/29 Decedent Accounts
•  4/3    Check Fraud
Two-hour session – 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
•  3/14 Disciplining and Documenting Employees
•  4/5    CU 101: Introduction to Credit Unions
The fee for one-hour sessions is $99; the two-hour session is $169. Deadline to register: one week prior to the session. Call Bernadette Hines to enroll.

Building a Better Credit/Debit Card Portfolio – Wednesday, March 7, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the League office. Topics: processing monthly invoices, managing inactive accounts, cleaning up your cards program, and implementing new strategies. Fee: $135. Seating still available. Contact Jane Bailey.

Council Meetings
•  Collection Council. Tuesday, March 13. Topic: strategies to assist pre- and post-judgments. R.S.V.P Bernadette Hines.
•  Marketing Council. Thursday, March 22. Speaker: Ronni Cohen on the Delaware Money School and First State Saves (new consumer savings initiative). R.S.V.P. Alice Smith.
     Sessions are held at the League office from 10 a.m.-noon, ending with lunch. There is no charge for council members. Non-council members can attend for a fee of $75.

TOGETHER is published on the 15th and 30th of each month by the Delaware Credit Union League, 4 Quigley Boulevard, New Castle, DE19720. Information to be published should be sent or phoned into the League no later than the Monday of the week preceding the publication date. Telephone: (302) 322-9341 or (800) 292-7875. This newsletter can also be found on the League website: www.dcul.org. Hard copies of the newsletter will be mailed to each credit union CEO/manager for distribution to those without computer access. Readers can receive a reminder when the newest edition is posted to the Web by emailing susan@dcul.org. Editor: Alice Smith (alice@dcul.org).