Getting the attention of media can be easy. It is difficult, however, to turn attention into media coverage. It is even more difficult to turn the occasional newspaper article or TV spot into consistent, positive stories about your credit union in media outlets that reach your members. Read more in Credit Union Management’s online-only “PR Insight” column, below.

Also read the “HR Answers” column and another article about being an effective director, all in this week’s issue of CUES FYI.

PR Insight: Media Training
Be accessible, accurate and articulate.

HR Answers: Why Human Capital Measurement Matters
And how to avoid common metric mistakes.

Adding Value as a Director
To be effective, board members need to understand their role and responsibilities.

To learn even more, consider joining CUES’ new Center for Credit Union Board Excellence. Governance is one of seven key learning areas; others are finance, committees, advocacy, board/CEO relations, strategy and risk management. Check it out and sign up for a free trial membership at http://www.myccube.org.

Credit Union Management Featured Article

Hard-Earned Pay
Staff raises, however modest, are post-recession priorities.

CUES, CUES Director and CUES Supplier members, as well as subscribers to Credit Union Management, can now access a complete digital version of the August issue, plus archives back to December 2009, by logging in at cumanagement.org, then clicking on the magazine image in the top bar. E-mail cues@cues.org for password help.

From Our Sponsor

Four ‘First Steps’ for Boards to Follow When Setting Objectives for Executive Compensation

CUNA Mutual Group is a leading provider of financial services to credit unions, their members, and valued customers worldwide. As we celebrate 75 years of market commitment in 2010, CUNA Mutual's vision is
unwavering: to be a trusted business partner who delivers service excellence with customer-focused products and market-driven innovation.

Tracking the Relationship between Credit Union Governance and Performance: This report (by Jesse Chen, Antonio Spizzirri and Matt Fullbrook of the Clarkson Centre for Board Effectiveness at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management) finds a direct link between effective CEO evaluation and credit union performance. This research also shows several areas ripe for improvement by CU boards: time management, director evaluations and continuing education. CUES members can download it free and nonmembers can view an executive summary here.
 
CUES Net: CUES members are talking--about statements, flat vs. embossed cards, performance reviews, time off and more--on the classic CUES Net listserve and the new CUES Net forum. Sign up for the listserve by e-mailing cues@cues.org. Check out the CUES Net forum here.

Review all your member benefits here.

Blog: Proactively Manage Change: John Oliver, of Laurel Management Systems, Inc., challenged attendees of CUES School of Applied Strategic Management in Chicago to proactively manage change, instead of reacting to it. He said, “If we’ve got greater and greater irrelevance thrust upon us, we need strategic change. We need to understand what our members need, and become driven by our marketplace.” Read more in this CUES Skybox blog post.

Discuss the Topics that Mean the Most to Directors
Join us at CUES’ Directors Conference, Dec. 5-8, JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Phoenix. You’ll focus on seven key areas: strategy, finance, CEO/board relations, risk management, committees, advocacy and governance. Reserve space for your entire board today.

Cool Web Site: Coolmath.com calls itself “an amusement park of math and more … designed for fun!” The site has resources for parents and teachers. Plus it has games for all ages, including little kids. It’s a great site for kids of all ages to refresh their math skills before school starts.
 
Member News:

Anniversary: $182 million/18,000-member Gateway Metro Federal Credit Union, St. Louis, is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

New Positions/Retirements: Donna Bland will serve as president/CEO of $8 billion/680,000-member The Golden 1 Credit Union, Sacramento, Calif., after the departure of Teresa Halleck for San Diego Community Credit Union. Bland, SVP/chief financial officer, has been with the credit union for 16 years.

Jim Burns has retired as SVP/chief financial officer of $3.5 billion Mid-Atlantic Corporate Federal Credit Union, Middletown, Pa. On Burns’ retirement, Jeff Stoner, SVP/product strategy, will become Mid-Atlantic FCU’s SVP/CFO.

Community Involvement: After a highly successful inaugural tournament and fundraiser in 2009, The Manny Prupes Memorial Golf Tournament returns Sept. 17 to San Diego’s Torrey Pines Golf Course. This year’s 2nd annual golf tournament, honoring the memory of Manny Prupes, a founder of Symitar Systems, will benefit the Richard Myles Johnson Foundation, which supports the financial education efforts of credit unions in California and Nevada with a special focus on youth financial education.

Name Change: $430 million/41,000-member Olin Community Credit Union, Bethalto, Ill., has changed its name to 1st MidAmerica Credit Union.

Read more—and submit your own--CUES member news here.

CUES Director of the Year

Volunteers give their time, effort and energy to make the movement strong, and they deserve to be recognized. Nominate your board members for the CUES Director of the Year award. Act now—the Sept. 3 deadline is fast approaching!

CUES Calendar
 
Execu/Net™ 2010
Aug. 22-25
Big Sky, Mont.

Webinar: The Quarterly Slant: Technology News with a Twist
Aug. 24
1 p.m. Central time
 
Webinar: Making Things Happen (Regardless of Your Age, Rank, or Serial Number)
Aug. 25
1-1:30 p.m. Central time

Webinar: The Art of Risk-Taking
Aug. 31
1-1:30 p.m. Central time

Webinar: Compliance – An Operational Issue That Demands Efficiency
Sept. 9
1-2 p.m. Central time
 
CUES School of Sales & Service - Canada
Sept. 14-17
Vancouver

CUES Director Development Seminar
Sept. 15-17
Vancouver

CUES School of Risk Management™
Sept. 20-21
Seattle

CUES School of Business Lending™ - School III
Sept. 20-24
Seattle

CEO/Executive Team Network™
Nov. 7-10
Dallas
 
Directors Conference
Dec. 5-8
Phoenix

Check out all the upcoming CUES events.

Join the CUES Community!
Connect with CUES and other CUES members.

Join us on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook or Twitter @TheRealCUES for the latest conference updates and executive education highlights! 

Subscribe to this e-mail by sending a message with “subscribe” in the subject line and your name and e-mail in the body to cuesfyi@cues.org.