“Is This Heaven?” … “No, It’s A Small Credit Union.”

I’m fresh off the road from a 340-mile round trip trek from Greensboro to Kinston, where I had the great privilege of meeting Jennifer Howard, the CEO of Greater Kinston Credit Union. What an awesome woman she is! Jennifer is very passionate about helping credit union members who have had a hard time gaining access [...]

The California Wildfires: When Disaster Strikes, Your Brand Is at Stake

All of us watched with sadness and horror the scenes from Southern California last week. Wildfires raged across that part of the country, destroying countless homes and causing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.
Not since Hurricane Katrina have scenes like this unfolded on American soil, and our hearts went out to the victims.
Two [...]

Your Policies Are Powerful Messages

Recently, a glitch in my direct deposit account at the credit union reminded me of the powerful implied messages that policies deliver. I had set my bill pay up to pay the cable bill the day after a direct deposit was scheduled to arrive in my checking account. At the time this payment was processing, [...]

“To See How Credit Unions Are Different, Please Click ‘A’ on Your Remote …”

 
Charlotte Metro Credit Union has taken the standard television ad campaign one step further, adding interactive links to the mix for Time-Warner Cable subscribers with specially-enabled digital cable boxes in the Charlotte area. A standard 30 second ad featuring former NBA star Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, who is also a CMCU member, debuted on the cable system earlier this fall.
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Filene i3’s Community Impact Center … A Lifeline for Towns Like Grover?

I grew up in Grover, a small town west of Charlotte and right on the border with South Carolina. My grandfather, like many people in Grover, worked at Minette Mills and farmed on the side to make ends meet.
It was quiet, but a cool place to be a kid. My friends and I would ride [...]

Putting the Orthodoxy Up for A Recall Vote

Last week, it was my great privilege to attend the Partnership Symposium in Indianapolis. The Symposium, jointly sponsored by Forum Solutions and Trabian, focused on innovation in a Web 2.0 world.
The place was screaming with about 150 innovators and big thinkers. Frankly, I’m not sure how I ended up there, but like the high school [...]

In the South, We’ll Use Duct Tape on Anything …

… even a viral marketing campaign as it turns out. Yours truly got the “press kit” for Carolina Postal Credit Union’s “I Love My Hoopty” campaign … which includes the bumper sticker and duct tape.
So what’s a Hoopty? Well, this video should give you an idea …

So what’s a cheap, clunky [...]

Social Media Spotlight … Man, Those Canadians Have Got It Workin’!

The Partnership Symposium wrapped up last week in Indianapolis, and what a show it was! The folks at Forum Solutions (the Forum CUSO) and Trabian combined to produce a conference spotlighting current innovators and future trends in credit unions.
The contingent of credit union folks from Canada really grabbed a lot of attention during the symposium. [...]