0% AUTOMOBILE LOANS

Are there any credit unions out there doing 0% loans with the dealer paying a fee or the interest to the credit union up front? We have had three or four dealers ask about us setting up a program for them to do this, but I have been unable to find anyone with such a program currently operating. Thanks!

Alltel and some ingenuity

Why do I wish I had an Alltel account? Because I have a Grand Central account! I had a great idea last night! If you use Alltel you should have the lowest “My Circle” plan; set your Grand Central number as one of your “My Circle” numbers and give out your Grand Central number!!! Lowest cost imaginable to have anyone and everyone call you for $50 per month!! I haven’t seen this idea anywhere on the net, but I’m sure that is because I haven’t looked hard enough. I’m also sure that if enough people use this method that Alltel will exclude it, but it should work until they do so! I love the practical application side to technology!!

Props to Mindjet!

I have been a Mindjet MindManager user for the last year and a half. I love their product and have been enjoying the brainstorming aspect of it immensely. Recently I participated in a survey for Mindjet and received a free uprgrade to their newest version. While playing with new version and planning a conference that my credit union will be hosting in March, I thought, “Why don’t I see if Mindjet would like to have their name mention at the conference?” In less than 4 hours, Mindjet has agreed to donate a copy of MindManager 7 and a MindManager fleece vest to give away the conference, offered to upgrade me to MindManager 7 (again) , and sent me a tracking number for the shipment! Truly impressive! Thank YOU Gaelen!! You are the greatest! I can’t wait to demo MindManager 7 at the conference on my trusty tablet pc!

Great BOD members!

Today was unusual for me. On 98% of Wednesdays, I host our Credit Committee meeting. This includes getting lunch for them, pulling loan files and applications that they want to review, reviewing the current weeks application reports, etc. Today one of the members told me that there was a lady in the parking lot with a flat tire and that they were going to help change it for her. Since I’m not totally necessary to the meeting I got to delegate the paperwork to one of my employees and go change a tire for a lady who didn’t have a clue how to apporach it (she was actually reading the owners manual when I got there to help!). The whole time I was changing it I was thinking… “I hope that if my mother is ever in a similar situation someone would take the time to help her!” Sorry for the rambling post, but it is good to work for a place that will let a somewhat senior manager go help a member with something that is not necessarily company related. Needless to say we now have a very satisfied member who is a CU believer!

What a crazy month!

Sorry I haven’t posted more! Hope everyone reading has a wonderful Christmas! Sorry but the only “gifts” I have to offer are 6 GrandCentral invitations. Looks like a great service and it is free (for now)! Please email me at tcarnaha at midmocu dot com if you would like to receive one.

To CUSO or not to CUSO?

We have been a stand alone shop for many years, but we are looking at the possibilities and/or opportunities of starting an indirect lending CUSO. Any inupt/ideas/information from the readers to help me with this process would be greatly appreciated! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is ready for a wonderful Christmas and a GREAT New Year!

I would appreciate your prayers for a friend.

I would really appreciate any reader’s prayers for my friend Annise. I met Annise through my lending position at the Credit Union 5+ years ago. Annise is the kind of member who has always made my day a little bit brighter and made me laugh more times than I can count. Annise just found out a month ago that she has stage 4 cancer. She is still her happy self and sure that whatever God wants will be what’s best for her. She still makes me smile every time we talk, but when she leaves now I sit and think, “What if that were me?” Your prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely

The theme of Forum’s conference

During the conference, several key points and ideas were mentioned multiple times. The central one that every speaker came back to was collaboration. I found the docstoc site today via Mark Orchant at Blognation. It looks like a great idea and a wonderful way for CU’s to share and collaborate on ideas and documents.

My biggest disappointment of Forum CU’s Lending Symposium!

We all know that everything can’t be perfect. There are always things that aren’t as they should be or that make you say “WHAT!!!”  The only thing in my 3 day visit to Forum that did that to me was discovering that Trey Remee, the person who is responsible for me having a blog; one of the people that I look up to (at least figuratively) in the CU blogoshpere; the passionate, excited, pumped speaker (who painfully and tortuously increases his excitement before speaking by not using the restroom beforehand) that Trey…… is a MAC USER!!! WOE IS ME!!!! How can this be????

Being “wowed” in Indy!

I had the opportunity to visit Forum CU headquarters today. WOW is the only word I can use!  Doug True graciously let me sit in with his indirect Lending staff and view their operations. Then Trabian sponsored an awesome Bar-B-Q where I got lo meet the guys from Open Source CU, the CU Communicator, and the Cu warrior! All of this before the Lending Symposium tomorrow! Will fill you in as I can!