Public Hearings to Correct the Merger Free-for-All
Amidst a wave of mergers and little-to-no-information provided to members, Chip Filson calls for the creation of public hearings as a part of the merger approval process, to both enhance accountability and transparency by the credit union and encourage member participation.
A Past and Present Story to Make Every Credit Union Member Proud
Continuing Credit Union History Month, Chip Filson reflects back on Latino Community Credit Union’s example on how credit unions should lead with a passion for cooperative movement at heart.
A Conversation About the Times
Chip Filson shares the outcome of a long conversation with a credit union CEO on the industry shift from member-focused organizations to growth-driven ones, and how the industry can start shifting back toward its cooperative foundation.
A Member’s Question
In response to a member’s observation, Chip Filson discusses the shift in credit union politics from a member-lead democracy to a board-run authoritarian regime.
Taxation is Not a Systemic Threat to Credit Unions
As the industry celebrates the recent tax-exemption win, Chip Filson issues a stark reminder that taxation is not the biggest threat the industry faces. Instead, the real danger is coming from inside the industry and the erosion of the member-owner role.
The Art of the Steal
Chip Filson shares the consequences of regulation without enforcement: unchecked mergers doling out hundreds of thousands to executives while paying credit union owners less than they’re due.
An Annual Meeting that Owners Stand in Line to Attend
Chip Filson asks what your credit union is doing to create excitement about annual meetings, and shares two examples, big and small, if organizations doing their best to respect their owners.
What Trump’s Removal of NCUA Board Members Means and Actions Now Needed
Chip Filson speaks out against the recent firings of NCUA board members Tanya Otsuka and Todd Harper, and calls for credit unions to begin taking action to protect the industry and the NCUA’s status as an independent regulator.
Form Follows Function Even in Credit Unions
Like the Wainwright Building in Chicago or many species of animal on Earth, credit unions were originally formed to function in a certain way. But has the form evolved away from that function and what does that mean to the future of the industry, Chip Filson wonders.
The Power of Community
In the race to grow, credit unions might be losing out on an important aspect of what makes them so impactful: their local effect. Chip Filson shares how credit unions parallel local press in that way, and reinforces the importance of community.
