http://jackbraswell.com From the Desk of Jack Braswell, President/CEO Members Credit Union Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:36:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As we survey the financial landscape after a volatile 2009, we are pleased to report that Members Credit Union fared quite well. In a year in which over 140 banks failed as well as 28 credit unions, Members Credit Union maintained a strong capital to asset ratio of just under ... http://jackbraswell.com/2010/03/joint-report-2009/ If you are reading this you are probably already a credit union member, yet your primary financial institution may still be a megabank. So, I ask you, what has your bank done for you lately? Since 2008 banks have accepted hundreds of billions of dollars in federal bailout money, raised ... http://jackbraswell.com/2010/01/is-it-time-to-break-up-with-your-bank/ Christmas comes but once a year, yet the Christmas Spirit is alive and well all year round at Members Credit Union. Even during the rough economic times over the past twelve months – unemployment remains over 10% in North Carolina - the generosity of our members, employees, and the communities ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/12/the-spirit-of-christmas-every-day-of-the-year/ Last September, the credit crisis became official with the collapse of Wall Street mainstay Lehman Brothers. Although the Main Streets and country roads of North Carolina are far away from New York City we could not escape the aftershocks of this economic disaster. The stock market plummeted. Unemployment soared. Consumer ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/10/helping-members-again-with-holiday-skip-a-pay/ In 1979 General Motors (GM) was the largest private employer in the country, with domestic employment peaking at a whopping 618,365. Worldwide, GM employed nearly 900,000 people. That same year, I started work as the new Treasurer for a 12,000 member, $28.9 million credit union in Winston-Salem ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/07/were-growing-while-the-economy-parties-like-its-1979/ Although Yogi Berra spoke the immortal words "It ain’t over till it’s over" in 1973, he just as well may have been talking about the credit crisis that began in the summer of 2008. Americans are desperately searching for signs that the worst of this recession is behind us. Recent gains ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/06/recession-when-will-this-thing-be-over/ Recent economic turbulence has made it difficult to know where to go or who to trust for your financial services. The stock market is down, people are losing their life savings in Ponzi schemes, and banks are asking for billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money just so they can stay ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/04/bunk-banks-highlight-the-value-of-mcu/ Recently released government figures reveal what many of you already knew – Americans have rediscovered the importance of thrift. The national savings rate in January jumped to 5% after checking in at around 0% as recently as last spring. The national spending rate has plummeted by 4.3%, the largest drop ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/03/the-paradox-of-thrift-give-savers-a-break/ When I started this blog last year, I had no idea what kind of response it would get from members. Would people visit? Would they comment? Would this turn into a center for discussion, or a public complaint board? No matter what I encountered, I reasoned, this little piece of the ... http://jackbraswell.com/2009/01/humility-transparency-and-larry/ Today's "Ask Jack" question comes from Judy in Lenoir, NC: "Does Members Credit Union award college scholarship money. If so, how do we apply?" - Judy, Lenoir Thank you for your question, Judy! This gives me the perfect opportunity to discuss one of my favorite service initiatives. Members Credit Union's Scholarship Program was ... http://jackbraswell.com/2008/12/does-mcu-award-college-scholarship-money/