Money Management

Credit Union Investing 101

The financial world has become a bit…complicated…as of late. We all know the markets have been tumultuous in the face of a pandemic, bloated balance sheets, skyrocketing rates, rapid liquidity tightening, inflation and other economic factors. So, let’s take it back to basics for a bit – let’

Risk Management

Do ERM and AI Play Nice?

Oil and water, or peanut butter and jelly? Wait…that is the question? Sure, it may not be as timeless and eloquent a thought as William Shakespeare’s “to be or not to be?” But it is, undoubtedly, a loaded question for risk management professionals when it comes to the

Payments

Must-Know Pieces of the FedNow® Service Puzzle

Solving puzzles is one of my favorite hobbies. In fact, we had an office party a few months back and one of the activities that we had available to us was a puzzle of our fellow colleagues. I spent over half the day working on that puzzle, completely distracted and

Employee Benefits & HR

Leveraging Collaboration, Data and Enhanced Underwriting to Drive Down Healthcare Costs

Three Tips to Deliver Better Benefits for Less How can credit unions continue delivering robust and competitive employee benefits when the trajectory of healthcare costs is rising at such a steep pace? Here are three tips to help get us in the right direction. Collaboration. Data. Enhanced Underwriting. Collaboration When

DEI

Belonging Matters: Unveiling the Core Pillar of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Within the past few years, diversity, equity and inclusion has transformed many industries, including the financial industry. Employees are seeking out companies that are dedicated to DEI and have a culture that reflects their DEI efforts. In fact, according to Deloitte, over 75 percent of employees are more engaged in

Risk Management

The Risks of AI in Banking

From chatbots assisting banking consumers to machines preventing fraudulent transactions, AI appears poised to transform the financial industry. Using large and complex data sets, FIs can leverage AI to develop more refined risk analyses and selectively target consumers with unique product and service offerings. But with the potential benefits of

Risk Management

You Better Watch out Because These 8 Cyber Scams are Coming to Town

You better watch out. Be careful when you buy. Better check your accounts. I’m telling you why…cyber scams are coming to town! According to McAfee, a well-known cybersecurity company, most Americans intend to do their holiday shopping online this year, which makes sense because online shopping is convenient

Marketing

Beyond the Branch: Modern Tactics for Marketing Credit Unions to Millennials and Gen Z

Evolution is a funny thing, isn’t it? One day, checks are the hottest new thing in payments and your target market consists of WWII veterans and their nuclear families. Then, in the blink of an eye, mobile apps and contactless payments are all the rage, while the next generation

Leadership & Culture

One Small But Mighty Deed

Every year in early October, the seasons change, the days start out colder and thoughts turn towards cozy blankets and warm fires. During this transition, Vizo Financial leaves the office setting behind and gets out in the community to offer a Day of Service to our employees. This is a

Payments

International Fraud Awareness Week: Credit-Push Fraud

Spooky season is behind us, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still people masquerading themselves as someone they’re not. In fact, people disguising themselves and pretending to be someone else is quite common, especially when there is an opportunity for financial gain. According to the Federal Trade

Money Management

A Look Ahead: Expectations for the Markets & Economy in 2024

You’d think after nearly four years of pandemic-induced financial hysteria, we would’ve seen it all. But that wasn’t the case – not even close – as we continued to weather many storms in 2023. As 2024 closely approaches and we try to prepare ourselves for what’s next, we

DEI

Breaking Barriers & Building Bridges: 7 Steps to Building a More Inclusive Workplace

Can you believe it was four years ago now that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was added as the eighth cooperative credit union principle? I don’t know about you, but it seems like it’s been longer than that, as our movement has always valued the unique differences and

Risk Management

5 Reasons Why a Password Manager is Worth the Investment

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the financial industry, you’re probably familiar with the dos and don’ts of passwords: DO: * Use various upper-case and lower-case letters. * Make sure it is at least eight or more characters in length. * Include special characters. * Create strong, hard-to-guess passwords.

Credit Union Movement

In a Season of Change, the Credit Union Purpose Remains the Same

It’s that time of year again when the leaves begin to transform from a deep green to vibrant hues of red, orange and yellow. The air has an extra chill to it, and the days become shorter, as we inch closer to the Winter Solstice in December. And in

Risk Management

5 Ways to Take the Uncertainty Out of Compliance Audits

They say that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. But in the credit union world, there’s a third certainty – the annual compliance audit. Whether that has the same dreaded connotation as death and taxes is subjective, but it’s probably safe to say that it’s

Payments

All the Buzz About The FedNow® Service

Word around the hive is there’s a new “queen bee” in town, and I’m here to tell you that it’s true! (Although, someone might want to break it to Beyoncé.) There is a new payments rail buzzing about — called The FedNow® Service. This new instant payment rail

Credit Union Movement

#CUKindDay: Because Kindness is a Language We All Understand

Aesop was a Greek storyteller who shared his fables with the world. Anne Frank became the voice of resilience while facing Nazi oppression during the Holocaust. Morgan Freeman is a beloved and accomplished actor who gave us The Shawshank Redemption and other unforgettable films. Mark Twain was a celebrated American

Money Management

The Ingredients for a Strong ALM Program

When’s the last time you baked a cake for a special occasion? Or tried your hand at a new recipe for dinner? Even if you’re a pro in the kitchen, chances are you still probably utilized some of the basic ingredients, right? Otherwise, you might run the risk

Risk Management

Credential Theft: A Cybercriminal's Treasure Trove

Long before Johnny Depp stole our hearts as the quirky and selfish, yet still loveable Captain Jack Sparrow, there were real pirates. It’s true, he probably was the “worst pirate we’ve ever heard of” because he actually had a conscience – something the real ones did not…and still

Risk Management

Regulatory Rundown: New Vendor Management Guidance

By now you’ve probably heard that the federal agencies have finalized the Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management. It replaces existing guidance and aligns vendor management requirements among the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Federal Reserve. Here’s

Leadership & Culture

The Most Important Decision a Credit Union Can Make

There is one decision most credit unions make on a regular basis that can determine the success or sub-optimization of the credit union’s performance. It has nothing directly to do with which product to offer or which system to implement. It isn’t about what strategy to create or

Money Management

The Fed's Battle Against Inflation: Challenges or Opportunities?

Over the past year, we’ve seen an epic series of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve that began in March 2022. So much so, that some debate remains on whether we’ve seen the last rate hike or if the Fed will decide to raise one final time

Risk Management

Business Continuity Management & Enterprise Risk Management: The Super Duo of Resilience

To quote one of the world’s most famous and influential fictional characters, “Jenny and me was like peas and carrots!” Just as Jenny and Forrest Gump were two halves of one soul – or as Forrest so eloquently said, peas and carrots – I know another super duo that fits together

Money Management

Goldilocks and the ALM Model

Do you remember the story of Goldilocks and the three bears? You know, the one where a little girl happens to find the home of three bears in the woods. She goes inside and eats their bowl of porridge. One of the bowls of porridge is too hot; one is

Credit Union Movement

Bringing Backstage Workers Into the Spotlight: #ILoveMyCreditUnion Day

Most people who know me, know of my love for watching movies, so naturally I’m subscribed to many streaming services; my favorite being Disney+. My family and I enjoy sitting down and watching them together with popcorn and candy, of course, because what’s a movie without popcorn and