A Cooperative DEEP in Formation
Chip Filson shares the story of a recently opened grocery cooperative and the optimism it engenders. Where communities pull together to provide cooperative solutions, credit unions should be there to support them along the way.
What Credit Unions Can Learn from Morris Plan Banks
Morris Plan banks, which began the same time as credit unions, were the original consumer bank lending success. Their growth far surpassed credit unions. There are none left today. Is there a message for credit unions seeking scale by buying whole banks in this example? Chip Filson looks into the now extinct banks.
Experts Predicting Doom: A Perennial Practice
Predicting the potential doom of a thing is easy. Predicting its certain doom is silly. Chip Filson suggests listening to doomsayers for warnings, then moving forward towards progress.
An Open Secret: NCUA, Oxymorons, and Merger Truths
Could the NCUA really be said to be helping credit unions when in 2014 they published “Truth in Mergers”? Chip Filson points out the oxymorons that litter the publication, and asks whether NCUA will change its tune in the future.
America’s Most Responsible Credit Unions
Should credit unions evaluate themselves not just on their key financial metrics, but also on their cooperative score? Chip Filson sees the need for credit unions to reexamine how they compare themselves against one another.
An Unexpected Surprise From a Competitive Board Election at Frontwave
Chip Filson recounts the recent surprise one credit union faced when it received an unexpected response to a call for board candidates. What can credit unions learn from Frontwave to boost the candidate pools of their own board elections?
The NCUA’s Most Important Function Needs Transparent Reassessment
Recent high profile embezzlement cases and NCUA’s reticence to disclose information about them suggests a major problem, says Chip Filson. NCUA’s examination process has failed.
A Critical Role for America’s Credit Union Museum
America’s Credit Union Museum may never be more important to the industry than it is now, says Chip Filson. The industry must learn from its early history, or risk losing its critical place in society.
What Bubble?
Chip Filson thinks current market conditions have been seen before, harkening back to the 70s just before the inflation crisis. How would credit unions weather the storm should it hit again?
NCUA Leadership is in a Rut, Part 2
Chip Filson continues his criticism of NCUA leadership, policy, and top-down mandates that offer no input from the credit union community.
