NAFCU Services Credit Union Podcasts

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Credit union members are facing more economic uncertainty now than they have in many years, which has an effect on everything from their willingness to buy new homes and cars to their payment habits. In this podcast you will hear about a proverbial win-win solution, in which we can reduce members’ anxiety with payment assurance protection, while also generating fee income for the credit union. We interview John Gibbons, Managing Director for Securian Financial Group to learn the ins and outs of payment assurance, including the risks and indisputable benefits that this solution offers to credit unions and their members.

Securian is the NAFCU Services Corporation Preferred Partner for debt protection and credit insurance solutions for credit unions.

Contact: Mr. John Gibbons, Managing Director, Securian Financial Group, John.Gibbons@securian.com; Web: www.securian.com; Phone: 651-665-1494.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703-842-2226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.nafcu.org/securian

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With the financial difficulties being faced by many of our Members, income-generating activity is down across the board at many credit unions. As a result, margins are being compressed, and many credit unions are now looking more seriously at a variety of solutions that both meet the needs of their members and also generate income. In this podcast we interview John Gibbons, Managing Director for Securian Financial Group about specific solutions that are particularly beneficial in these trying times for both credit unions and their members, in particular solutions that protect Members from the consequences of adverse economic situations, like unemployment. You will learn how these solutions focus on the challenges that credit unions are facing today and what solutions are really working in the industry to drive revenue while effectively promoting member loyalty, retention, and acquisition.

Securian is the NAFCU Services Corporation Preferred Partner for debt protection and credit insurance solutions for credit unions.

Contact: Mr. John Gibbons, Managing Director, Securian Financial Group, John.Gibbons@securian.com; Web: www.securian.com; Phone: 651-665-1494.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703-842-2226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.nafcu.org/securian

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Considering the looming competition for executive talent within the financial services sector, credit unions are strategically deploying non-qualified retirement plans, known specifically as 457(f) or Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans, to retain and recruit executive talent. Non-qualified retirement plans offer far greater benefits to credit unions then generally acknowledged and vary greatly in design, size and how they are used. But they are complex, and the regulations governing these plans can also change. In this podcast we interview Dave Emery, a Partner with Burns-Fazzi, Brock & Associates to address the overarching question that credit unions must continuously answer: whether or not each plan is accomplishing its goal of aligning incentives of the credit union and its key executives.

Burns-Fazzi, Brock & Associates is a leading compensation consulting firm for credit unions as well as the NAFCU Services Corporation Preferred Partner for credit union Executive Benefits and Compensation Consulting solutions.

Contact: Mr. Dave Emery, Partner, demery@bfbbenefit.com; Web: www.bfbbenefit.com, Phone: 704-332-2265.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 842-2226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.nafcu.org/bfb

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How do credit unions ensure loyalty from their members? As vice chairman of one of the fastest-growing public companies in the nation, Obsidian Enterprises, Inc., an organization involved in a wide range of businesses, Scott McKain knows how challenging managing and operating a diverse business can be.

Although growing successful businesses and developing corporate leaders within his own $100 million-plus organization has been McKain’s calling, speaking from experience is his true passion. His understanding of real-world business and his ability to fully engage his audience also enabled the development of Value Added Institute—a think tank with an extensive and diverse faculty that explores the activities organizations must accomplish to enhance customer loyalty—where he serves as chairman. Also an author, McKain just released his latest book Collapse of Distinction.

McKain will speak about how credit union leaders can use their work ethic and experience to generate successful ideas for member loyalty and solutions credit unions must execute to overcome today’s challenges. Listen to this podcast to get a sneak peek of Scott McKain presentation at NAFCU’s 2009 Annual Conference (www.nafcu-annual.org).

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Each week seems to bring a new government program to address some other part of the financial crisis. Just keeping track of the acronyms is a full-time job! Helping us to better understand what has been going on in the economy and where it is heading is Hillary Elder, Director for Taxable Money Market Strategies with HighMark Capital Management and NIFCU$, the National Investment Fund for Credit Unions.

The NIFCU$ fund was the genesis of NAFCU Services Corporation nearly a quarter century ago, as a joint venture with Highmark Capital, and it provides credit unions with a triple-A rated option for overnight and short-term investments. Hillary has been managing NIFCU$ since joining the firm in 1995, and in total her team manages over $6 billion in assets. She has extensive experience in the credit union space, and in understanding macro trends in the economy.

Contact: Ms. Hillary Elder, Hillary.elder@uboc.com, www.nifcus.com, 1-800-634-6521.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 842-2226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.nafcu.org/nifcus, www.nifcus.com

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As they say, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.  Unfortunately, in no area has this been truer than in pension planning, in particular for defined benefit plans. New investment strategies to better manage pension liabilities for defined benefit plans are, now more than ever, weighing heavily on the minds of credit unions. The plunge in equity values, unprecedented high volatility and decline in interest rate yields have affected nearly every facet of retirement planning, and perhaps none more so than that of defined benefits.

In this podcast, we interview two retirement experts on how credit unions can best manage liabilities and volatility for defined benefits.  Hod Caulkins, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, and Rich Rausser, Vice President of Consulting Services, for Pentegra Retirement Services each hold over 20 years of investment management experience.  Caulkins and Rausser discuss the recent trends in defined benefit plan asset values, the impacts of the Pension Protection Act (PPA) and WRERA, and how credit unions can better mitigate interest rate exposure under PPA as well as better manage pension plan costs and volatility as a whole.

Pentegra Retirement Services is the preferred partner of NAFCU Services Corp. for credit union qualified retirement plan services for 401(k)s and defined benefit plans, which include comprehensive fiduciary protection, and is the only provider to offer 401(k) or pension plans exclusively for community-based financial services firms.

Contact: Mr. Rich Rausser. RRausser@pentegra.com; Web: www.pentegra.com/creditunions, Phone: 800-872-3473 x415.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 522-4770 x226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.pentegra.com/creditunions; www.nafcu.org/pentegra; www.nafcu.org/annual

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Financial experts have long been concerned about the level of debt in America, and particularly concerned with how levels of debt affect attitudes and behavior towards retirement security. In this podcast you will hear from John Gibbons, Managing Director at Securian Financial Group, the NAFCU Services Corporation Preferred Partner for debt protection and credit insurance solutions, as he delves into astounding results from a cutting edge study that examines attitudes about debt, how those attitudes vary by generation, and the implications for credit unions.

The study explored if and how debt changes among four specific generational groups – from the young Generation Y consumers, now ages 20 to 26, to Generation X (27 to 42), Baby Boomers (43 to 61) and the Silent Generation (62 to 73), as well as among retirees and non-retirees. In particular, the study set out to answer four questions:

1. How do American consumers feel about debt, and are these feelings consistent with their behavior?
2. Do these feelings change across generations?
3. Do Americans come to grips with debt as they approach retirement?
4. Are Americans realistic about debt and how they will manage it in the future?

With more than $30 billion in assets under management and a half-century of serving the credit union market, Securian Financial Group is one of the leading providers of credit insurance and debt protection solutions in the industry.

Contact: Mr. John Gibbons, john.gibbons@securian.com; Web: www.securian.com , Phone: 651-665-1494.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 522-4770 x226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.securian.com; www.nafcu.org/securian

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Credit Unions are feeling the pinch today, and all reports seem to indicate that the economic situation is not getting better anytime soon.  Credit unions have always served to provide sound financial advice and counsel to their members, which may prove challenging in times like these.  This podcast features valuable tips from financial experts Denis Walsh, President and CEO, and Michael Thompson, National Director of Sales, for Money Concepts.  In this podcast you will hear about how to best help your members as they struggle with situations such as declining 401(k)s and stock portfolios on life support.

Money Concepts has offered financial planning and wealth management services since 1979, and is the NAFCU Services Corporation preferred partner for financial planning and wealth management, working with credit unions across the  country to offer turn-key services to their members. Denis and Michael both have over 25 years of experience in the financial planning industry and hold multiple financial certifications.

Contact: Mr. Denis Walsh, Denis@moneyconcepts.com; Mr. Michael Thompson, Michaelt@moneyconcepts.com; Web: www.moneyconcepts.com, Phone: 1-800-326-1825.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 522-4770 x226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.moneyconcepts.com; www.nafcu.org/moneyconcepts

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The 3rd quarter of 2008 has been, to say the least, an interesting time. Massive government intervention in capital markets and the private sector in such a short period of time marks a watershed for managing the economy, and carries implications for many years to come.  This podcast features an interview with Ms.Hillary Elder, Vice President and Director of Money Market Strategies with NIFCU$, the National Investment Fund for Credit Unions.

The NIFCU$ fund was the genesis of NAFCU Services Corporation nearly a quarter century ago, as a joint venture with Highmark Capital, and it provides credit unions with a triple-A rated options for overnight and short-term investments. Hillary has been managing NIFCU$ since joining the firm in 1995, and in total her team manages over $6 billion in assets. She has extensive experience in the credit union space, and in understanding macro trends in the economy.

Contact: Ms. Hillary Elder, Hillary.elder@uboc.com, www.nifcus.com, 1-800-634-6521.

Interviewer: David C. Frankil, President, NAFCU Services Corporation, 703 522-4770 x226, dfrankil@nafcu.org

Show References: www.nifcus.com; www.nafcu.org/nifcus

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