The Credit Union League of Connecticut is pleased to once again present a unique opportunity for credit unions and credit union personnel to participate in a two-week International Internship Exchange Program with the Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago.
Application deadline for interns and hosting credit unions
has been extended to July 30th.
The program will take place September 24–October 1, 2010. The internship opportunity is offered to staff working from entry to mid-management level, with the goal of providing an international credit union experience, sharing credit union values and skills in serving members while learning another culture.
There are two parts to the program. Your credit union has the opportunity to participate in one or both areas, according to your interests.
Part 1
The first part of the internship program is the opportunity for your credit union to act as host for an intern from Trinidad or Tobago. The interns will be in Connecticut September 15-24, 2010.
The credit union would be responsible for providing one primary mentor to assist the intern throughout their time at the credit union. Your credit union will identify what area the intern will work in, and identify specific goal expectations for the internship based on the position responsibilities. As a host credit union your specific duties will include providing a host home for the intern, identifying specific duties and responsibilities, and ensuring the safety of the intern while participating in the program. This is an opportunity to interact with credit union personnel from another country and share your credit union values, philosophy, and practices.
Part 2
The second opportunity is offered to credit union staff at beginning to mid-management levels to become an intern.
This is an opportunity to observe a credit union environment and philosophy in action in another culture, and to acquire skills and learn philosophy that can be brought back and applied in your Connecticut credit union environment. The accepted interns will be expected to prepare a summary presentation of their trip and be available to discuss their experience at credit union functions as requested.
If you are interested in being a sponsor credit union or have an employee interested in becoming an intern, click to access and download the Sponsor Application or Intern Application, which must be completed and returned to the League by July 30, 2010.
Please also download the International Internship Program Outline for complete details.
You can also contact Barb Bass at bbass@culct.coop or 203-608-7054 for more information.
Please Join Us for the 14th Annual
CT Credit Union Leadership Conference
  
September 10-12, 2010
Hotel Viking
Newport, Rhode Island
For complete information, click to access:
Friday Offerings
CEOs & Management
• Making Your Credit Union Relevant to Young Adults
• Who Do We Need to Be to Survive?
Volunteers
• Your Credit Union’s Future
• A Set at the Table: Young Adult Directors & Board Advisors
Saturday Offerings
• BSA Update for Volunteers
• Your League – Past, Present & Future
• Serving the Future
Sunday Offerings
• Early Newport – Before the Mansions
• Making Your Life Count
The Speakers
• Lois Kitsch, National Program Manager, REAL Solutions, National Credit Union Foundation
• Jack McCall, President, Jack McCall, Inc., professional speaking & training specialist in financial services and healthcare.
• Ben Rogers, Research Director, Filene Research Institute
• Anthony L. Emerson, President & CEO, Credit Union League of Connecticut
• Nick Moalli, Assistant Vice President, Credit Union Services, Credit Union League of Connecticut
Since we introduced Discount Power, Inc. (DPI) in March as a full strategic partner, many credit unions have expressed great interest in its services and have asked for evaluation material on the company.
Due to this overwhelming, positive response, Tony Emerson has prepared a due diligence summary and is making it available as a reference document to assist credit unions in completing their own due diligence on the energy provider. This summary is not to be regarded as a substitute for your own due diligence effort, but can act as a sounding board against your own findings.
The summary is now available on the League website (www.culct.coop) for access at anytime. Click DPI Due Diligence Summary to access the report immediately.
If you have any questions, please contact Nick Moalli or Tony Emerson for additional information.
Nick – (office) 203-608-7059, (cell) 203-631-7123
Tony – (office) 203-60807070, (cell) 203-213-7829
Connecticut Credit Unions in the Community
An important goal of credit unions is to provide financial education to their members in order to help them better manage their money on a day-to-day basis as well as direct funds to savings for the future. How to budget, how to look for the best prices, how to stay out of or at least manage debt—it’s a learning process that all of us have gone through. With the products and services that credit unions offer, members can take steps to control their financial lives not only for today, but also for tomorrow.
An excellent way to accomplish this is to help our youth understand the workings of earning and spending, budgeting, and saving. Developing financial understanding at an early age instills good financial habits to carry throughout a lifetime. For many young people, this can often begin by participating in a Financial Reality Fair.
The Financial Reality Fair is an approximately 2½-hour, hands-on experience in which students, after identifying their career choice and starting salaries, are provided a budget sheet requiring them to live within their monthly salary while paying for basics such as housing, utilities, transportation, clothing, and food. And some not-so-basics like entertainment and travel.
Along the way there are many temptations for additional spending, and students must learn to balance their wants and needs to potentially live on their own. After they have visited the various booths covering components of independent living, students will balance their budget, and then sit down with a financial counselor to review their standing.
The Fair is a unique opportunity for each student to experience some of the financial challenges they will face when they start life on their own.
An important feature of a responsible financial lifestyle is saving. In the Financial Reality Fair experience, students are encouraged to save a minimum of 10% of their income, placing 3% in a long-term retirement investment, and 7% in a shorter-term investment. The Financial Counselors explore the importance of planning for future needs and preparing for future financial challenges through savings. The Fair will tempt students to spend their income on “fun,” but the financial counselors will bring the focus back to saving and thrift practices.
Since last year, Connecticut credit unions have organized Financial Reality Fairs to help our youth realize the importance of understanding how personal finances work and how they affect not only money management for today, but also for the future. In 2009, approximately 1,000 students participated in Fairs throughout the state of Connecticut. In addition, more than 2,000 students are scheduled to participate in Fairs during the 2009-2010 school year.
While many schools provide personal finance classes to teach students how to balance a checkbook and manage savings and checking accounts, it wasn’t until the development of the Financial Reality Fair that students have had the practical opportunity to put what they have learned in the classroom to the test in the “real world.” And while the Reality Fair is essentially “rhetorical”—that is, it’s an exercise in a controlled environment for practical application of budgeting based on the real financial world—it provides a very clear picture of what is to come in the lives of our young people. And for many, it is a real eye-opener.
Credit unions that participate in Financial Reality Fairs come to appreciate the activity not only for how it helps young people—who are, after all, potential members—but also for how it helps them reassess what they are doing to help their own members, and how they can improve upon that service.
In our current financial environment, credit unions are getting increasingly positive attention in the media for being consumer-friendly as well as not having been part of the cause of the economic and banking crisis facing our country today. These Financial Reality Fairs are not only a more positive presence in the community, but also serve as solid testament to the international credit union philosophy of “people helping people” as a reality in itself. And while credit unions are not “heroes” per se, they are the helping hand so many people need today as they face the everyday challenges of balancing work and play and family finances.
A Glimpse of Participation in Financial Reality Fairs
Students spin the Wheel of Reality to see whether they gain or lose money for their projected monthly budget.
Making decisions about important life choices does not always come easily.
Balancing their budget is an integral part of the Reality Fair exercise.
Focus on...
In today's ever changing business environment, it is unrealistic to expect any business to develop and maintain all the resources, technologies, products, employees, and services necessary to effectively compete in today’s dynamic marketplace.
In order for organizations to grow and be able to compete effectively, they need to form mutually beneficial strategic alliances with other organizations for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing their market viability. These alliances serve to integrate people, processes, technologies, products, and services where there might otherwise be a degradation in these relative capabilities.
Your League has formed strategic alliances that we believe will exponentially increase our ability to provide improved products and services to all of our affiliated credit unions, and in turn help improve service to their members. These strategic partners have come together to create unique and dynamic products and services that, for the most part, can only be obtained by affiliated credit unions of your League!
We are excited about these new partnerships and encourage you to contact them for further information. Following is a list of our current Strategic Partners, along with their contact information. We will be hosting information sessions on each in the very near future and encourage you to attend.
_______________________________________
(800) 352-3823
Constitution Corporate is a full-service corporate credit union fulfilling the financial needs of credit unions through a comprehensive line of correspondent, EFT and investment services. (www.constitutioncorp.org)
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866-WEB-DEVL (932-3385)
SmartSource Solutions is a full-service Web development CUSO specializing in dynamic Internet-based applications and Web sites. SmartSource is revolutionizing credit union Web sites by adding a creative flair rarely seen in the industry and empowering credit union with one of the most powerful content management solutions available. (www.smartsourcesolutions.org)
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(800) 356-2644
CUNA Mutual Group is a leading provider of financial services to cooperatives, credit unions, their members, and valued customers worldwide. With more than 70 years of experience, we are passionately committed to helping customers succeed. CUNA Mutual Group provides innovative commercial and consumer insurance and protection products to safeguard your assets and help find solutions for your financial needs. We offer services to grow long-term relationships and manage risk. Our asset management team brings capital-market expertise to benefit your investments. Our vision: to be a trusted business partner who delivers service excellence with customer-focused, best-in-class products and market-driven innovation. (www.cunamutual.com)
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Mike Kerans, Director of Business Development
(973) 647-4387
mkerans@accesstomoney.com
Access to Money provides a variety of financial products/services, including ATM and Talaris cash automation equipment, servicing, and processing; physical and electronic security systems; and a turnkey student loan origination platform. (www.accesstomoney.com)
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MARKETING & PRINTING POWERED BY ANALYSIS
Kris Van Meter, Director of Business Development
(203) 907-4225
kris@arga.net
Arga provides custom designed marketing programs, utilizing personalized, targeted 1-to-1 communications between the credit unions and their share members and prospects. We utilize a wide variety of print and electronic messaging technologies to accomplish what will be most effective for each member institution. (www.arga.net)
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Kris Buckley, President
(781) 258-0618
kmb@buckleytechgroup.com
BTG services include IT Audits, Information Security Risk Assessments and Board/Employee Training, Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plans and Testing, and Website Compliance. We also offer Project Management services for Mergers, Conversions and the Data Processor/Technology RFP process. Please contact us for a demo of our Vendor Management and IS/Business Continuity software tools. (www.buckleytechgroup.com)
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CO-OP Shared Branching
Nick Moalli, League AVP, Credit Union Services
800-228-2285, Ext. 7059
203-608-7059
nmoalli@culct.coop
The CO-OP Shared Branching network is a national credit union-owned and -operated network. Participation in the network provides credit unions with more than 28,000 surcharge-free ATMs, including 9,000 that take deposits. The network serves all 50 states, plus 10 countries, including Canada.
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CUDLAutoSMART
Bob Nealon, Regional Director - Northeast
800-842-1242, Ext. 363
bob.nealon@cudl.com
CUDL is the nation’s leading provider of automotive lending technology products and services for credit unions. Today, more than 630 credit unions and 8,000 dealerships nationwide utilize CUDL products and services to reach their automotive lending goals. For full information about CUDL, visit its corporate website at www.cudl.com. For information about CUDL’s revolutionary member resource website product available for credit union customization, visit www.cudlautosmart.com. To learn more about how CUDL can provide solutions for your credit union, please contact Area Account Representative Mike Ferraro at (860) 940-3481 or michael.ferraro@cudl.com.
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Discount Power
Nick Moalli
(800) 228-2285, ext. 7059
(203) 608-7059
(203) 631-7123 (cell)
nmoalli@culct.coop
Discount Power is a leading low-cost electricity supplier offering savings for consumers and businesses. Participation by credit unions provides an opportunity for non-interest income along with additional advantages, including solidifying a positive relationship with members. Quick and easy enrollment yields years of savings and benefits.
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Invest in America
Curt Belaney
(800) 262-6285, ext. 543
Curt.Belaney@cucorp.com
Invest in America is a Credit Union Member Enhancement program that provides credit union members with discounts on products and services from U.S. based companies and, when necessary, low loan rates from credit unions. Participating companies and services include General Motors, Chrysler Group LLC, Sprint, Allied Moving and Storage, CompleteTax, CU Benefits Express, ELS Properties Vacation Destinations, and FTD. (www.lovemycreditunion.org/)
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Jay Friedland
(207) 650-4665
jaybanker@mmconsulting.info
M&M provides comprehensive compliance, audit, commercial loan review and risk management services to New England credit unions using a very seasoned team of full-time professionals. The M&M approach is to customize our services to fit client needs and to offer a fixed professional fee for the services provided. (www.mmconsulting.info)
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Rhonda Peruski
(800) 262-6285, Ext. 521, (734) 812-1284
Rhonda.Peruski@cucorp.com
The Sprint Nextel Credit Union Member Discount Plan offers participating credit unions a 15-percent discount on monthly recurring cell phone charges as well as discounts on accessories and equipment for corporate accounts. Credit unions, their employees, and their members can obtain the plan’s benefits wherever Sprint Nextel products are sold. Credit union members can receive a 10-percent discount on most monthly recurring charges, such as service plans and features. Members receive the discount simply by stating that they are a member of a credit union, even if their credit union is not participating in the program.
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Peter Shorrock, Sales Manager
(508) 436-1491
Peter.shorrock@wbmason.com
W.B. Mason has been providing customers with quality service since 1898. We have the ability to provide over 30,000 office products with next-day service and even same-day service in the Hartford and Springfield Markets. In addition to office products, Furniture, Furniture Design Services, Coffee and Beverage Services, Print and Promotional Products fall into our core competencies. We believe our Localized Business philosophy of superior customer service, low-cost company operations, and multi-million dollar leverage will help you meet your strategic goals. (www.wbmason.com)
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Winbrook
Joe Gibbons Rob Ferrucci
860-559-8086 203-482-4777
JGibbons@winbrook.com RFerrucci@winbrook.com
Winbrook has been providing statement rendering, business communications, tax processing, document management, and promotional services to the financial services industry for more than 40 years. The company has a number of well-known and well-established clients, many right here in Connecticut. Winbrook can review existing member communications, provide a document analysis that will evaluate new statement processing techniques to make marketing efforts more productive, review process expenses, including print, distribution, and postage, help identify cross-selling options, all at an advantageous competitive pricing model.
1064 East Main Street, Suite 201
Meriden, CT 06450-4898
800-228-2285 ▪ 203-265-5657
Fax: 203-284-8194 ▪ 203-294-4882
Name Direct Dial # Ext. # E-mail
Bass, Barb 203-608-7054 7054 bbass@culct.coop
Capone, Joan 203-608-7062 7062 jcapone@culct.coop
Emerson, Tony 203-608-7070 7070 temerson@culct.coop
Fuhlbrigge, Kelly 203-608-7055 7055 kfuhlbrigge@culct.coop
Moalli, Nick 203-608-7059 7059 nmoalli@culct.coop
O’Loughlin, Sue 203-608-7061 7061 soloughlin@culct.coop
Pollaro, MaryAnn 203-608-7058 7058 mpollaro@culct.coop
Powers, Bob 203-608-7051 7051 rpowers@culct.coop
Zagorski, Ed 203-608-7060 7060 ctcuacomm@culct.coop
▫ The direct-dial numbers for League staff do not go to the automated attendant system.
The staff member will either answer or your call will be directed to their voice mail.
▫ If you dial the “traditional” League phone numbers (203-265-5657 and 800-228-2285),
the automated attendant system will answer. You can use the extension numbers
above to reach staff, access a staff directory, or utilize other options of the
automated system.
League Information Line ● 203-608-7052 ● 800-228-2285, Ext. 7052
▫ The League Information Line is a special extension that will provide updated information on office closings, session cancellations, or alerts on new, important upcoming events or activities.
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From the Hartford Area:
Take I-91 South to Exit 17. Take ramp on the right and follow signs for East Main Street. Turn left onto East Main Street. The Cloverleaf Building will be on the left at the next light. Take a left onto Bee Street to enter the parking lot. The League is on the second floor.
From the New Haven Area:
Take I-91 North to Exit 16. Follow signs for East Main Street. At light, go straight ahead to Bee Street. Enter the parking lot. The League is on the second floor.
OR
Take the Wilbur Cross Parkway North (Route 15) toward Hartford. At Exit 67, take ramp right and follow signs for East Main Street. At light, go straight ahead to Bee Street. Enter the parking lot. The League is on the second floor.
From the Waterbury Area:
Take I-691 to Exit 10. Take Exit 67W right ramp and follow signs for East Main Street. Turn left onto East Main Street. The Cloverleaf Building will be on the left at the next light. Take a left onto Bee Street to enter the parking lot. The League is on the second floor.
From Middletown Area:
Take Route 66 to Exit 13, the East Main Street left exit. Proceed on East Main Street approximately one mile. The Cloverleaf Building will be on the right.
League Information Line
203-608-7052 ● 800-228-2285, Ext. 7052
The League Information Line is a special extension that will provide updated information on office closings, session cancellations, or alerts on new, important upcoming events or activities.
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