It’s Not About Growing Bigger, It’s About How We Can Grow Together

It’s Not About Growing Bigger, It’s About How We Can Grow Together

Credit union mergers have received a lot of negative attention in recent years. Canvas Credit Union CEO Todd Marksberry argues that mergers can be both a viable growth strategy and a means of better serving credit union communities.

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CUNA Committee: Small Credit Unions Face Daunting Challenges

CUNA Committee: Small Credit Unions Face Daunting Challenges

Small credit unions play a vital role in the credit union community, but they face daunting challenges that larger institutions find easier to conquer, the Credit Union National Association said in a new report, reports David Baumann of the Washington CU Daily.

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What Airline Disasters Teach Us About Decision Making Under Stress

What Airline Disasters Teach Us About Decision Making Under Stress

Are credit unions staying situationally close-minded by using mergers as the only way out of a “bad” situation? NACUSO’s Denise Wymore thinks so, and suggests that the industry needs to look up from the blinking lights to find alternative means of succeeding.

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Merger or Acquisition: The Importance of Word Selection

Merger or Acquisition: The Importance of Word Selection

Merger, acquisition, are they really that different? Chip Filson thinks so, and says bank acquisitions are not in the interest of existing members.

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Scale and the Law of Diminishing Returns

Scale and the Law of Diminishing Returns

What can Houston’s highway system teach credit unions? Chip Filson says sometimes seeking scale to solve perceived issues can have unintended consequences.

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Thoughts on Mergers: The Tallest Candlestick Ain’t Much Good Without a Wick

Thoughts on Mergers: The Tallest Candlestick Ain’t Much Good Without a Wick

Is the race to merge folly? Chip Filson believes that by discarding member focus and legacy for the sake of growth we undermine the public’s faith in cooperative design. And that might spell disaster for credit unions in the long run.

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The Myth of Efficiency and the Allure of Scale

The Myth of Efficiency and the Allure of Scale

Do mergers and bank purchases, by increasing scale, also increase efficiency and lower operating costs? Or are credit unions focusing on the wrong method? Chip Filson argues the latter.

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Credit Unions and Farming: What We Can Learn About Business Sustainability

Credit Unions and Farming: What We Can Learn About Business Sustainability

Contrary to the cliché that size is equal to success, Chip Filson argues that various credit union sizes serve to make the industry stronger. Relating credit unions to the co-op method of community supported agriculture, he reminds us that scale is no substitute for community.

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Strategy: How Important is Scale?

Strategy: How Important is Scale?

Are credit unions losing focus on what really matters in the never-ending pursuit of scale? Chip Filson considers where credit unions may be going astray as they prioritize growth over members.

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Mergers: a Credit Union Marketplace Trend

Mergers: a Credit Union Marketplace Trend

Mergers are a hot topic in today’s credit union world. Barb Cooper dives into how perception of mergers has changed over time, why a merger strategy might be beneficial, and what steps should go into ensuring success.

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