Going Public: A Credit Union, Their CUSO, and a SPAC
What happens when a credit union-owned CUSO is sold? Chip Filson looks into the 2022 sale of Safe Harbor Financial to special purpose acquisition company North Lights Acquisition Corp.
When Less Is More: NCUA Board’s Mid-Year Operating Budget Review
According to Chip Filson, the NCUA is guilty of consistent budget increases and out-of-control spending. But with a budget review on the horizon, will the board opt to change this?
A Compensation Revolution Started by a CEO
Chip Filson ponders the idea of reinventing employee pay, starting not by analyzing minimum wage, but with the CEO’s pay.
Are Credit Unions Democratic? Does it Matter?
Are credit union elections simply a scam? Are credit unions simply going through the motions to provide the idea of democracy even where none exists? Chip Filson weighs in on the debate.
Leading with Competence, Not Position or Authority
Chip Filson recalls then NUCA chair Ed Callahan’s wise words to the industry back in 1982 and how they should impact and inspire credit union leaders today.
Charitable Giving by Individuals and Credit Unions
Chip Filson covers the types of charitable donation accounts offered by credit unions and what the most donated to causes are.
Is Credit Union Marketing Lost, Forgotten, or Misunderstood?
Chip Filson contemplates the motive behind current day credit union marketing and the transition from education through connection to education through ads.
An Opportunity for Credit Union Disruption
Chip Filson analyzes how a decline in bank branches might be a result of credit unions’ disruptive market strategies, following in behind banks and FinTechs to offer better service and cheaper products.
Cooperative Design’s Two Unmatchable Advantages
In the financial forest, Chip Filson discusses the two elements that have led to the successful growth of the credit union system: ownership and relationship.
What Can We Learn from the Oldest FCUs?
22 of the 100 original charters the NCUA granted after the passage of the Federal Credit Union Act are still in business—a rate almost double that of all FCUs. Chip Filson ponders the reason behind this and what lessons we can take from history.
