Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit

Promoting Our Business Partners

2012-02-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

“By the way, I've been to a million CU conventions over the last nearly 10 years, none of them, and I mean none, have been run as professionally as yours. You have great communication and seem to take every effort to promote your business partners (vendors), in every means possible! We all have limited budgets, so we always want to spend our budget with events that give us the most visibility. Your event offers the most visibility that I have ever seen (including the GAC)! So I really appreciate all of your efforts.”

Sent from a 2008 Exhibiting Vendor

Renaissane Hotel Long Beach Site of 2012 Conference

2011-11-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Firefighters National Credit Union Summit will hold its 2012 conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, CA.The program runs from October 7-10, 2012.

We expect another record breaking crowd so plan to make your hotel and conference registrations shortly after the first of the year. The target date for distribution of the conference brochure is around April 1. We will let you know when it's in the mail.

About Long Beach

Long Beach is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257. In addition, Long Beach is the second largest city within Greater Los Angeles and a principal city of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area.

You can reach Long Beach through five different airports. Long Beach Airport serves the Long Beach area. It is the West Coast hub for JetBlue Airways. Los Angeles International Airport is the nearest airport with international service. John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California is another alternative to the airport. Other airports with scheduled service are Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario.

The city was recently named "Aquatic Capital of the Nation." It wields substantial influence critical to the global economy. The Port of Long Beach is the United States' second busiest container port and one of the world's largest shipping ports.

Long Beach is located about 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown Los Angeles and 105 miles north of San Diego.

The average high temperature there in October is 78 degrees with an average low of 58. Rainfall in October is minimal, but picks up in November through March.

Long Beach Transit operates the Passport shuttle routes. All four Passport shuttles are free within downtown Long Beach west of Alamitos Ave and require the standard fare otherwise. Bus stops are right outside our hotel door.

The red Passport mini-shuttles carry passengers to the Aquarium of the Pacific, Pine Ave, Shoreline Village, the Long Beach Convention Center, the Queen Mary, Catalina Landing, the East Village, and other points of interest.

National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions Elects First Board

2011-11-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here are the 2011 board of directors of the National Coalition of Firefighters Credit Unions. This is the first board elected by the membership and is an excellent representation of the firefighters credit unions across the country.

Top Row; Eugene Benick, CEO Newark Fireman FCU, David Lantrip, Director Houston, Sean Costello, Director Boston, Jerry Horwedel, Director LA Fireman's, Scotty Shelton, Director Baton Rouge FCU, Grant Sheehan CEO NCOFCU,

Bottom Row; Michael McCormick, Director San Diego Firefighters, Frances Reed CEO, Firefighters Credit Union Tulsa OK, Linda Williams, CEO Akron, Michael Tobler, CEO Albany Fireman’s FCU.

Officers; Michael Tobler President, Jerry Horwedel VP, Michael McCormick Secretary, Eugene Benick Treasure.

Firefighter CU Attendees - New Orleans 2011

2011-10-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Firefighter CUs Hit Record Crowd at Annual Conference in New Orleans

2011-10-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit had more than 220 people in attendance at their annual conference on October 9-12, 2011. The program was held in New Orleans at the Ritz-Carlton. The program included speakers from NAFCU, NCUA, individual CU CEOs, roundtable discussions, breakout programs, vendor exhibits, networking opportunities, technology show and tell and a lot more.

The first meeting of the National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions was held during the conference. The Coalition is the only organization exclusively representing firefighter's credit unions that collectively serve over 650,000 member with asses in excess of $8 billion. Information on the Coalition is available from their website at http://ncofcu.org/.

Firefighter Credit Unions Prep for Summit in New Orleans October 9-12

2011-09-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

From Credit Union Times:
The 10th anniversary conference of the National Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions, scheduled for October 9-12 in New Orleans, will provide these first responder CUs a chance to swap notes about the common challenges they face.

The Firefighter Credit Union Summit, as the conference is known, will also mark the start of a formalized trade structure for the group by electing board members, replacing an advisory committee.

“With election of directors, we’re hoping we can do lots more to sustain the firefighter network and help our members survive,” explained Grant Sheehan, executive director of the coalition and former president of Miami Firefighters FCU.

Sheehan said that among the nation’s 110 firefighter CUs those in the $10-$20 million range continue to find the roughest going on income generation “and yet we have some larger ones that are doing just fine.”

In a separate development related to the conference, two consulting firms, William Rogers & Associates of St. Louis and Support Processes Corp. of Washington which put on the annual firefighter event. said they have added a third firm, Menton Consulting Co. of Tulsa, Okla. to provide added “speaker and organizational input.”

Rick Menton, who heads up the firm and is a veteran state league executive, will be speaking at the New Orleans conference drawing on his training and strategic planning experience covering such areas as charter expansion, executive recruitment and sales.

Menton is former senior vice president of the Oklahoma Credit Union League and has served as trustee and chair of Consumer Credit Counseling of Minnesota.

In an interview, Sheehan acknowledged that talks have continued over the years about affiliating Police CUs into the organization but there is nothing pressing at the moment “although we have members who would like to get police credit unions to join up.” There is no formalized police CU federation based on his knowledge, he said.

Some of the People at Firefighters CU Summit 2010

2011-09-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

Click on Photos to Enlarge

Click here to view all photos from the 2010 Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit

http://picasaweb.google.com/101951860377909039736/Firefighters2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbmzcux84K5TA&feat=directlink

2011 Conference Set for New Orleans

2011-09-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Firefighter Credit Unions will be "puttin' on the Ritz" at their annual summit set for October 9-12, 2011 in New Orleans. The location is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Mark your calendar to join the growing network of firefighter credit union officials from across the country. The 2011 summit will the the 10 annual gathering. The first conference was held in New Orleans in 2002 attended by about 30 representatives. The attendance at this year's program was over 100.

Is Training Your Board of Directors Really Important?

2011-02-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

By James M. Warren
As a credit union CEO for 20 years, I can emphatically say that having the right volunteers and providing them with ongoing training is a critical element of the success of every credit union. It helps each director live up to their potential and funnel the expertise they bring from other industries to best serve the members.

In an industry with 100s of billions of dollars in assets and millions of members, we have no minimum qualification requirements for those selected as board members. With that said, how can we not require continuing education for those directors? Even as a Little League coach, I was required to take continuing education courses.

We have a moral and ethical responsibility to invest and spend our member's money wisely and in their best interest. Requiring continuing education for volunteers is undeniably the right thing to do. Even the best volunteers with sound moral character and a strong sense of commitment can't be effective without good training.

Some executives believe adding training requirements will make it harder to find people to volunteer, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 63 million people volunteered last year, despite the recession. That seems like a pretty good pool of candidates to me. When it comes to volunteering for a credit union compared to volunteering for the United Way, American Heart Association or hospice, take my word for it, for the engaged director, the credit union gig is a sweet deal.

In my opinion three basic concepts are essential for effective director training:
Purpose--to remind volunteers of our not-for-profit status and that the tax benefits should be returned to our members in the form of lower fees, lower loan rates and higher dividends;
Risks--fundamental training on understanding a basic financial statement (as the NCUA has recently done);
Ethics--training on the many conflicts of interest facing volunteers today and recommendations about how to avoid them.
An acquaintance of mine who is responsible for volunteer training at a credit union trade association recently made a statement that made quite an impression on me. He said, "I know 100s of very good volunteers eager to learn and who understand the importance of their roles, and then … there are 1,000s of unknowns who do absolutely nothing and don't even have a simple awareness of what is going on."

The goal of this type of training is to increase director confidence and independence, and to strengthen the volunteer's ability to hold management accountable. I do not expect this to be a popular concept with some in upper management who would rather be left to make their own decisions on credit union matters. It will also not be popular with the "1,000s of unknowns who do absolutely nothing" who serve on boards around the country. This blog is not aimed at those people; it is for those who wish to make a positive impact on their credit union and the industry as a whole.

New Orleans Results Are In for Its Food!

2010-11-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

New Orleans confirmed its reputation as “The Big Easy” in a recently released 2011 New Orleans Restaurants Survey, at least when it comes to your wallet. The city is the nation’s most affordable dining locale, with costs well below other food meccas like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles (which might explain why the city’s diners are the nation’s best tippers, leaving an average of 19.7%, compared to the 19.2% national average).

Though eaters in NOLA are a picky bunch, they’re not letting the recent oil spill get in the way of their love of seafood. In fact, it’s the city’s favorite cuisine, topping the list with 17% of the vote. A whopping 92% of respondents trust the safety of the Gulf’s seafood. This is additionally crucial for the industry’s recovery since 71% of respondents say that locally sourced food is important to them.

The Survey covers 577 spots, and is based on feedback from over 3,000 local diners.

2010 Conference Photos Available

2010-10-12T12:05:00.003-07:00

Click here to view all photos from the 2010 Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit

http://picasaweb.google.com/101951860377909039736/Firefighters2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbmzcux84K5TA&feat=directlink

Look Who's Supporting Firefighter Credit Unions

2010-07-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

Burns-Fazzi, Brock - http://BFBbenefit.com

Children's Miracle Network - http://www.ChildrensMiracleNetwork.org

Credit Union Retired Executives - http://www.curetiredexecs.com

CUPromos - http://www.cupromos.com

CUNA Mutual Group - http://www.cunamutual.com

Financial Service Centers Cooperative - http://www.fscc.com

IWS – Intercontinental Warranty Services - http://www.iwsgroup.com

MAP – Member Access Pacific - http://mapacific.com

MShift, Inc. - http://www.mshift.com

Vining Sparks - http://www.viningsparks.com/

You can visit with these credit union suppliers during the Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit in San Antonio on October 3-7, 2010.

Visit the Firefighter Credit Union Coalition website at: http://www.ncoffcu.org

Firefighter Credit Union Coalition Comes of Age as It Sets Conference

2010-06-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

CU Times; Jim Rubenstein

Linda Williams, president/CEO of the $20 million Akron Firefighters Credit Union in Ohio, is a headliner at this October’s National Coalition of Firefighters Credit Unions for good reason.

By all accounts, Williams represents a common-bond CU in this fiercely member-loyal clan that has come of age in 2010 to perfect new marketing skills and forge a positive new community image.

"We’re glad Linda is on our program to relate how a small credit union has succeeded as a marketing innovator, reaching out to an expanded member base but never forgetting the roots of her credit union," explained one of her peers, Grant Sheehan, retired president of Miami Firefighters CU and the coalition’s executive director.

Akron’s low-cost car magnet and decal promotion, "I Love My Credit Union," and Web remake might seem like small potatoes in some locales but the ad campaign has given the Ohio CU unprecedented exposure and a $5 million new deposit payoff.

"We have built a brand that has created a buzz throughout our community," said Williams, who will be the opening workshop speaker at the Firefighters Coalition Conference. A record 180 people are expected to attend the conference, scheduled for Oct. 3-6 at the Omni La Mansion del Rio in San Antonio.

"Given the economy, that kind of attendance demonstrates the robust growth of many of our members," said Michael Mastro, president of the $889 million Los Angeles Firemen’s CU.

Williams said she expects to explain in her remarks how, linking up with CUPromos, a local marketing firm that provides low-priced branding materials, put her CU on a path to expand its base to all first responders. That has meant emergency, medical, utility and police employees have been joining the CU.

"Now we get calls from people saying they noticed our car decals all over Akron and Canton and wanting more information about the credit union," said Williams.

Williams, who is married to a fireman, said her CU has also chartered new territory as a financial counseling center helping its members cope with the recession’s impact on consumer finances. The CU has a certified financial counselor on staff so "we can understand and relate to what are members are going through."

The push for community outreach by firefighter CUs has gone far beyond Akron, coalition leaders said.

In Connecticut, for example, the $57 million Waterbury Firefighters FCU is today posting healthy profits and has a positive image after undergoing a near-death struggle for survival more than six years ago.

The crisis focused on an "insolvent" community taken over by the state in a "financial emergency" as Waterbury drastically cut payrolls, including firemen’s.

Visit the Firefighter Credit Union Coalition website at: http://www.ncoffcu.org

Mark Your Calendar

2010-03-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Firefighter CU CEO To Shave Her Head For Charity

2010-03-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

Diana Dykstra, CEO of San Francisco Fire CU, has agreed to shave her head as part of a fundraiser for the California’s Children’s Hospital – providing she is able to raise $10,000 from friends and family first.

Shutts & Bowen starts new credit union practice

2010-03-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

Two attorneys who specialize in financial services left Miami-based Adorno & Yoss to start new roles in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen. Partners Bruce M. Boiko and Michael Lozoff will work in the firm’s Financial Services Industry Practice Group. Lozoff, who has practiced law since 1980, will chair the firm’s new Credit Union Practice Group. (Pictured is Michael Lozoff)

Bowman Brown, a partner at Shutts & Bowen and chairman of the firm’s executive committee, said in a news release that the two “will add experience and depth” to the firm’s focus on financial services.

Said Lozoff in a news release: “Although we tremendously appreciate our experience at Adorno & Yoss, and leave our partners and friends there with a great sense of sadness, we are excited about the opportunity to join a firm so preeminent and innovative in the financial services industry.” Lozoff has been a popular speaker on several conference programs for Firefighter Credit Unions in recent years.

Lozoff serves as general counsel to numerous credit unions in Florida and other states. He is a board member of classical South Florida radio station WKCP and is on the board of the Fellowship House, Fellowship Foundation.

Boiko, who has practiced law since 1973, has represented clients in state and federal credit unions, as well as in real estate, business and commercial transactions, according to a news release. He is national chairman for the Grievance Committee of the U.S. Tennis Association.

Shutts & Bowen is slated to celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

Both firms have consistently ranked in the top 10 for the South Florida Business Journal’s list of largest law firms in South Florida. On the 2009 list, Shutts & Bowen ranked fifth, with 125 attorneys in the region, while Adorno & Yoss ranked seventh, with 120 attorneys.

2010-02-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Coming October 3-6, 2010

http://www.firefightercuconf.com/

Firefighters Coalition of Credit Unions

http://www.fcocu.org/

Firefighters' CU National Summit

2010-02-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Coming October 3-6, 2010

San Antonio, Texas

Municipal Credit Union Heats Up the Kitchen With New York City’s Bravest

2010-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

From CU Times
By Lindsey Siegriest

Municipal Credit Union helped New York’s bravest turn up the heat by sponsoring The New York Daily News “5 Alarm Cook Off” competition for New York City Firefighters.

Each New York City borough had its own competition, with the winners going on to compete against other borough’s on “The Rachel Ray Show.” Food network personalities Sissy Biggers, known for the show “Ready, Set Cook” and Amanda Freitag from “America’s Next Iron Chef” hosted the five borough-wide competitions. Over 60 firefighters submitted recipes to be a part of the competition and contestants had an hour to prepare and present their meals. The competitions were judged by local chefs, restaurant owners and representatives from Municipal CU.

Each borough winner received a 52-inch flat-screen television for his firehouse.

The competition recipes included meals like flank steak pinwheels with a teriyaki ginger glaze from Jimmy Lowe in the Bronx, pan-seared scallop and shrimp Asian spring rolls from Steve Brunner in Manhattan, pork meatloaf with pineapple topping from John Sierp in Brooklyn, jumbo shrimp a la Terry Diablo named after firefighter Terry Farrell who died on 9/11 from Keith Young in Queens and chipotle jambalaya from Sal DePaola from Staten Island.

DePaola was crowned the winner on Ray’s show and received a new kitchen full of gourmet appliances for his firehouse. Also, all of the finalists were given a complete set of Rachel Ray cookware.

“Sponsoring the competition was a natural fit for us because the FDNY is one of our biggest SEG groups,” said Geraldine Light, vice president public relations and corporate communications. “It was so different from other events, and it was great being involved in something that is just fun.”

With 20-30 different editorial pieces printed and online in the Daily Newsm Municipal gained a significant amount of press from the event, and Light said it brought the credit union closer with the FDNY. Municipal employees that served as judges at the competitions were quoted in the articles about their thoughts on the meals and why they selected the winning recipes.

“The FDNY puts their lives on the line for New York City everyday, and it was wonderful to see these guys having fun, not just racing off to rescue in some disaster. They were creative and cooking up some great food. I was truly impressed with all of the dishes,” said Ken Currey, vice president of business development who served as one of the judges in the Manhattan competition.

Light said sponsoring the event is definitely something the credit union is planning on doing again next year and that the firefighters said that they are looking forward to participating every year.

lsiegriest@cutimes.com

Breaking News: San Antonio Site of 2010 Firefighters' Summit

2009-12-02T05:35:00.000-08:00

San Antonio, TX is the site of the 2010 Firefighters' National Credit Union Summit. The hotel location is the Omni La Mansion del Rio on the Riverwalk and set for October 3-6, 2010. San Antonio was selected over Boston as the preferred location in a survey of firefighter credit union CEOs.

Why San Antonio? (click on photos to enlarge)

San Antonio is the second-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventh-largest city in the United States.

Centrally located in the heart of Texas, San Antonio offers a blend of charm, vibrancy and color. There is much to do for large and small groups—we attribute it to our unique culture. When Tex-Mex meets Old West the atmosphere is rich: the river passages—colorful, the cuisine—even more flavorful, and the people—genuine. So round up the group and savor San Antonio!

In San Antonio, groups can…

…discover the lingering cornerstones of great American History as they open the doors to the famed Alamo, visit the historic arts village of La Villita—San Antonio’s original neighborhood, and so much more.

…flow through the heart of the city on a river cruiser and take in the beauty of the River Walk. Also considered the largest hotel lobby in the world, the River Walk artfully connects restaurants, boutiques, museums and historical venues.

…enjoy a batch of restaurants as diverse as the city itself. From mom and pop taco shops to some of the best fine dining restaurants in the nation, San Antonio satisfies every taste and budget!

…take advantage of 300 days of sunshine a year at one of our award winning golf courses soon to include two PGA Tournament Players Club golf courses.

…book an afternoon at one of our impressive, full service spas. Only in San Antonio can groups luxuriate with an Avocado Facial, a Texas Two-Step Massage and the Yellow Rose Bathing Ritual.

…identify inspirational eras of art at San Antonio’s various galleries, museums, and even when exploring the architecture of centuries-old missions and cathedrals.

…ride a roller coaster, catch a show and meet Shamu! San Antonio is home to theme parks SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, both with extensive group programs.

…experience the entertainment of the “Alamo City” when they catch a Spurs game, dance to the sounds of flamenco music in the night or visit a Mexican market to take a piece of the culture home.

The Alamo, located nearby, is Texas' top tourist attraction, while the River Walk is the second most visited attraction. SeaWorld, located 16 miles west of downtown, is the number 3 attraction. Also, there is the very popular Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

The downtown area also features Cathedral of San Fernando, The Majestic Theatre, HemisFair Park (home of the Tower of the Americas and the Institute of Texan Cultures), La Villita, El Mercado, the Spanish Governor's Palace, and the historic Menger Hotel. On the northern side of the Alamo complex, beside the Emily Morgan Hotel, is the San Antonio Cavalry Museum, which features cavalry artifacts and exhibits and is frequented by local re-enactors.

The Fairmount Hotel, built in 1906 and San Antonio's second oldest hotel, is in the Guinness World Records as one of the heaviest buildings ever moved intact. It was placed in its new location, three blocks south of the Alamo, over four days in 1985, and cost $650,000 to move.

Kate Smith Opens Firefighters Conference

2009-10-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

With a wave of patriotism, legendary singer, Kate Smith, opened the conference programs for the Firefighters’ National CU Summit in October.

Kate Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American singer, best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". Smith had a radio, TV and recording career spanning five decades, reaching its most-remembered zenith in the 1940s but continuing into the 1970s.

Conference manager, Bill Rogers of William Rogers & Associates, came up with the idea when he came across a YouTube.com video of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America.” “It was an ideal fit for the Firefighters Summit. Our audience sang along with Kate. It was a great kick-off for our programs.”

More than 110 firefighter credit union officials participated in the 8th annual Firefighter’s National Credit Union Summit in Las Vegas on October 4-7. Firefighter credit unions represented include those from San Diego, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Charlotte, Nashville, Akron, Long Beach, Houston and others. Featured speakers included Gigi Hyland, NCUA; Steve Rick, Economist, CUNA; and Scott Burwell, Symitar, Jack Henry Associates.

Protecting and preserving the vision and purpose of firefighter credit unions is paramount to the continued success of the firefighter credit union movement. In order to achieve this, members of the firefighter’s credit union network have joined forces in an effort to bring innovation and shared vision to their common goal with the Firefighters Coalition of Credit Unions.

The Firefighters Coalition of Credit Unions (FCoCU), founded in October 2007, is devoted to this purpose. It is now comprised of representatives from 26 of the nation’s 100 identified firefighter credit unions primarily representing firefighters. FCoCU seeks to leverage its collective resources to further the growth, development and interests of firefighters credit unions nationwide. More information is available from the Coalition’s web site at http://www.FCoCU.org.

The 2010 Firefighters’ National Credit Union Summit is scheduled for October 3-6, 2010 in San Antonio, TX. Information is available on the Internet at http://www.firefighterCUconf.com and at http://ffcu.blogspot.com.

Conference moderator, Bill Rogers, pointed out that “Eye contact is our most underrated skill. The real value in attending conferences is the networking provided in the overall program. It’s priceless."

Tips & Ideas from Firefighter Credit Unions

2009-10-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

The recent Firefighters' Credit Union Summit included a fast moving session where credit unions provided a tip or idea practiced at their credit union. The program was moderated by Gerry Dio with Worcester Fire Dept. CU.

Gerry sez . . .

"The following are notes from the session on “Tips and Ideas” practiced at the following Credit Unions. If you have any questions pertaining to the subject matter, we hope we placed the name of the right Credit Union next to the Tip or idea, so you can call that person or credit union for more information. Thanks for participating."

Akron Firefighters CU – Richard Cleghorn – opened up their membership to more seg’s.

Albany Firemen’s FCU – Peter Farrell – they have their own building now. Just three employees. They have a senior high school scholarship for their Members. They absorbed another CU. They support a golf tournament and other charities.

Baton Rouge Fire Dept. CU – Alton Comeaux – They allowed first responders to join and now have 9 Different Department. Rookie in school is encouraged to take a loan out and be a member. They have a “Rookie” special.

Boston Fire Dept. CU – Ed Paris – Budgeting Committee research why a member didn’t get a loan and speaks with them personally to offer assistance to improve their chances the next time.

Charlotte Fire Dept. CU – Bob Summey – They offer 6 - $1,000 scholarships. They also teach members how to read their Financial and Credit statements. They also have a machine that counts change for their members.

Chicago Firefighters CU – Mike Dudak - They supply their members with a 2-year work schedule calendar which also lists the services the Credit Union provides.

Dayton Firefighters FCU – Kent Parker – Open up to community membership. Gave above market rates for CD’s.

Denver Fire Dept. CU – Scott Simpson – They have a new VISA card with the FF logo. They open their membership to any firefighters in Colorado. Donated $74,000 to the Colorado Professional Firefighters.

Elizabeth NJ Firemen’s FCU – Gregory White – merged with local Police and city workers.

F & A FCU – Blackie Blackburn – Remote Delivery services, youth loan special to attract members. (Chasing the Bear)

Honolulu Fire Dept. FCU – Keith Williams – 2 year calendar, donate to retirees and other charities.

Houston Texas F.F. FCU – Brian McLeroy – Seasonal Loans 4 times a year. No credit report – only how well they pay their other loans. Their own credit card.

Jacksonville Firemen’s CU – Emory Holsenbeck – Widows loans-very next day. Holiday loans.

Los Angeles Firemen’s CU – Larry Metz – FF business services group (cuso) Provide business accounts. Family Foundation – for lost members.

Miami Firefighter’s Fed. Credit Union – Closed a branch, cut back on education and conference travel.

Nashville Firemen’s CU – Karin Jenkins – Will Smith - Circle of Value – more service discounts on loans.

Newark Firemen FCU – Jack Doll – Retired firefighters work for the credit union. They built their own building and are involved with all fire department functions. Employees are retired and active firefighters. Retired FF are liaisons with the younger FF.

Richmond Fire Dept. CU – Glenn Grooms – help members catch up on their debts.

San Diego firefighters FCU – Mike McCormick – pay tellers $5.00 if they convince a member to sign up for e-statement.

San Francisco Fire CU – Janet Brock – identifies members with financial issues and help them out.

Syracuse Fire Dept. CU – John Cowin – Motorcycle run for the Burn Unit. (Santa Claus) Change Machine in lobby – e-statements. Effort to get more young Firefighters involved. Sponsored events to get more “face-to-face” contact.

Worcester Fire Dept. CU – Gerry Dio – Scholarship - $400.00 for sophomore in college, we give it to anyone who applies. Safety Deposit Boxes – involved in all fire department events (sponsors) sell Fenway Park t-shirts to raise more money for the Scholarship. Help the members take ownership in the Credit Union.

Firefighter Credit Union Conference Headlined by Gigi Hyland, NCUA & Steve Rick, CUNA

2009-10-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

More than 105 firefighter credit union officials gathered in Las Vegas for the groups 8th annual conference. Gigi Hyland with NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) was one of the key speakers during the conference. Ms. Hyland's remarks mainly focused on the Corporate Credit Union struggles.

Steve Rick, Economist with CUNA delivered both good news and bad in regards to the economy. The bottom line was credit unions have endured the financial crisis much better than banks.

More information on the conference program will be forthcoming. The conference kicked off on Sunday, Oct. 4 and runs until noon on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

SC Firefighters FCU Merges

2009-09-16T20:36:00.001-07:00

South Carolina Firefighters Fed. Credit Union officially merged with CPM Federal Credit Union on August 28, 2009. Please visit www.cpmfed.com to familiarize yourself with the available products and services of CPM Fed. CU as well as their 14 locations around the state.

Congratulations and Hats Off to Mike Tobler

2009-08-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Michael Tobler retired from 36 years of service to the Albany Fire Department on March 20, 2009 as Battalion Chief. He remains with the Albany Firemen’s Federal Credit Union as CEO which he has been serving for 25 years.

During his 36 year career with the Albany Fire Department Michael served on the executive board of the Firefighters Union as treasurer and as a board member of the Benevolent Association. Michael was also the editor of the first newsletters published for the Albany Professional Permanent Firefighters Association. (APPFA 2007)

He was appointed Manger/CEO of the Albany Firemen’s Federal Credit Union in 1986. Michael was elected member on the board of directors for the Credit Union Association of New York, he was also elected and serves as the representative for the Capital District chapter of credit unions.

LaCrosse, WI Firefighters Credit Union undergoing remodeling

2009-08-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Work on exterior improvements at the Firefighters Credit Union at 525 Fifth Ave. S. in LaCrosse, WI began July 30 and should be finished at the end of September, credit union President Bruce Zmolek said. Brown fascia on the building will be replaced with blue fascia, a tower displaying the credit union’s new logo will be erected, a corner sign will be updated with the new logo, and an aging asphalt parking lot will get a new concrete surface.

“We wanted a more pleasant place for our members to come to, and we thought our neighbors would appreciate it,” Zmolek said, adding some exterior improvements such as landscaping occurred in 2006.

Founded in 1931, the credit union has about $54 million in assets and about 4,600 members. Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in La Crosse,Vernon, Monroe, Jackson, Houston, Winona and Trempealeau counties.

Special Opportunities For Vendors at Firefighter’s Credit Union Conference

2009-07-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Several new things happened at the Firefighter’s National Credit Union Conference on October 4-7, 2009 in Las Vegas.

· Attendees got in on the ground floor of the organization of the Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions. The coalition can be a key element in serving firefighter credit unions nationwide.

· We re-introducing a vendor exhibit area in conjunction with a welcome reception.

We’re bending over backwards to provide you with the most exposure possible with firefighter credit union officials. We’ve been very innovative over the years which show in some of the comments we received from vendors from past programs.

From a vendor A

“By the way, I've been to a million CU conventions over the last nearly 10 years, none of them, and I mean none, have been run as professionally as yours. You have great communication and seem to take every effort to promote your business partners (vendors), in every means possible! We all have limited budgets, so we always want to spend our budget with events that give us the most visibility. Your event offers the most visibility that I have ever seen (including the GAC)! So I really appreciate all of your efforts.”

Another Vendor - B

I must say that once again, you have impressed me. I really like the PPT count-down time clock element you've added this year. I use you and the FIREFIGHTER's National Credit Union Summit as a great example / best practice in offering an array of sponsorship components at a fair price as well as strong communication. We’re proud to partner with you and the Summit!

And still another - C

Had a great time at the Firefighters Conference as usual. Your team is most gracious host's and am already looking forward to next year. Had some great conversations after my session with both a few of the Business Development people who were there, a couple of CEO's and some Board members who even stopped me outside as I was getting into the cab. Always great to know there were some people who got a few nuggets to take back with them to their credit unions.

For exhibiting and sponsorship information, contact Bill Rogers, 800-745-BILL (2455), e-mail to: billrogers@swbell.net.

Why stay at the conference hotel?

2008-12-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

It's the center of conference activity, that's why! You'll be able to network easily with other conference attendees. It's a quick trip to get to the program and functions, and just as quick to nip back to your room for a break. You'll have a better conference experience.

That's obvious. But there are other reasons that you need to consider before you look at another hotel.

The conference leaders have taken their role of finding a conference site very seriously. They looked at a number of locations. The needs of attendees as individuals were considered as well as the need for conference meeting spaces.

Everyone enjoys meeting in a comfortable conference venue, offering quality service and support for workshops, tutorials, plenary sessions, etc. As the quid-pro-quo for that service and support, the conference guarantees that a percentage of attendees will stay in the hotel. The hotel generally discounts the rate for conference attendees from their normal charges.

The hotel rates are negotiated based on the number of expected attendees and the meeting space required to comfortably accommodate them. The basis for negotiation with the hotel is statistics from that conference in prior years. The contract with the hotel then guarantees specific numbers of sleeping rooms will be used each night during the conference. A complex negotiation of meeting room space, functions and events (with food), and sleeping room provides the most value per dollar for the conference and those attending it.

If the conference does not meet the contracted sleeping room commitment, the hotel gets paid anyway. Unfilled rooms can cost the conference thousands of dollars. (The conference does not get credit for the re-sale of sleeping rooms unless the hotel is completely filled.) The next conference in the series cannot negotiate as beneficial a hotel contract, and the registration fee is then under pressure to increase unreasonably.

On occasion, one of the many internet providers or sometimes the hotel itself will offer a few rooms in their inventory at a lower price than the conference is offering. There are often restrictions and penalties associated with these rates. If you somehow obtain a better rate than the one offered by the conference, your stay will still be counted toward our required room block.

What if we don't contract for sleeping rooms? Attendees will pay more to stay at the conference hotel. The conference will incur additional expenses for meeting room rental fees, which can be quite costly. The hotel will not hold a block of rooms for attendees, which may leave some people quite a distance from the conference venue. In short, the conference ends up with higher expenses, many of those attending will pay a higher price for their hotel rooms, future conference registration fees will be pushed higher.

Please support the conference by staying at the conference hotel.

Sights From the 2008 Firefighters' CU Summit

2008-10-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Click on photos to enlarge.

Firefighter CUs Form Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions

2008-10-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

Protecting and preserving the vision and purpose of firefighter credit unions is paramount to the continued success of the firefighter credit union movement. In order to achieve this, members of the firefighter’s credit union network have joined forces in an effort to bring innovation and shared vision to their common goal.

During the conference, the firefighter credit unions formed a coalition. The Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions, founded October 16, 2008, is devoted to this purpose. It is now comprised of representatives from 26 of the nation’s 105 identified firefighter credit unions primarily representing firefighters. CFCU seeks to leverage its collective resources to further the growth, development and interests of firefighter credit unions nationwide, by accomplishing these goals:

> Representing firefighter credit unions to external audiences including regulatory agencies, legislative bodies, trade associations and other publics

> Providing educational and informational exchange opportunities

> Promoting firefighter credit union’s safety and soundness and financial strength

The Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions is committed to creating and maintaining a climate of safety, soundness, innovation and unity among firefighter credit unions in order to promote and enhance the initiatives of the credit union movement.

Grant Sheehan, CEO with Miami Firefighters Federal Credit Union, was named chairman of the Coalition.

Attendance Prizes

2007-09-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

One of the fun highlights of past conferences was participating in the attendance prize drawings on gifts donated by participating credit unions.

Please . . . consider bringing one small gift as an attendance prize from your credit union. We suggest a price range of $10 to $50. If you like, you can probably purchase something to give after you arrive at the conference location. Just drop it off at the registration desk for the conference.

Thanks for your support. Remember to put your CU name on the prize.