Like most people, I am getting tired of the regulatory onslaught. But, we need to stay diligent. There are advantages to paying attention. First and foremost, you might be able to influence the regulator and reduce the adverse consequences of a new rule. The industry spends a lot of time and a lot of effort […]
Credit unions engage third party vendors for a variety of reasons. Some third party vendors bring expertise to the table that allows the credit union to offer products and services to its members that it would not otherwise be able to offer. Other vendors provide products and services in a manner that is more cost […]
Many have heard that the NCUA is setting its sights on CUSOs because CUSOs are playing a more important and influential role in the credit union industry. You may have read the transcript of Chairman Matz’s testimony before the Senate, or you are experiencing it first hand with a zealous examiner shining his or her […]
“We must all hang together or we will surely hang separately.” Benjamin Franklin uttered these words as he signed the Declaration of Independence and faced the wrath of King George. The colonies were at a crossroads. Despite divergent and competing interests, the colonies recognized that together they had a chance for survival and alone they […]
The vast majority of people who work at NCUA and the state credit union regulatory agencies fully appreciate that credit unions need economies of scale and more expertise in order to survive and thrive in today’s regulatory climate. Combining operational services can be very effective. Many credit unions have collaborated in such services as business […]
This is a post by Kirk Drake (with a little input from me) on the Ongoing Operations Blog which you should check out. http://ongoingoperations.com/blog/ Earlier this year, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) conducted a voluntary CUSO exam of Ongoing Operations. Overall, the experience was a positive one with the Regulators having the opportunity to […]
This is a 1:36 minute presentation on the Firm’s fee structure. Our Fee Structure from Messick & Lauer on Vimeo.
The title character in the Pogo comic strip once uttered the now famous line, “We have met the enemy and it is us.” He could have been talking about credit unions. There are many external threats to the industry (e.g., threat of taxation, diminishing margin spreads, excessive regulation) but the real threat is our inability […]
Sometimes things are so clear that they are almost self-evident. For credit unions it is clear that the credit union business model is transforming in front of our eyes. For most of the 20th Century consumer financial services were offered on a local scale by community banks and credit unions. There was a simple set […]
There is a lot of interest in cooperative CUSOs these days, CUSOs that are owned by multiple credit unions. Most of these CUSOs provide operational services which can significantly reduce operating costs while increasing operational efficiencies. Some cooperative CUSOs provide non-traditional financial services which drive alternative revenue streams and offer valuable services to members. The […]
