Wednesday, September 13, 2023

SECU Strategic Planning? - Well, Sorta... "More Or Less"!

https://st.depositphotos.com/1695366/1394/v/950/depositphotos_13949739-stock-illustration-cartoon-long-memo.jpg Been focusing on the more than critical SECU Board election over the last few weeks.

But, if you needed any confirmation of why a change is sorely needed at SECU, it came yesterday in the form of a 5 page memo to "All Employees" from the CEO, Leigh Brady. The memo noted the content as "...reflections on benefits, deposits, earnings, expenses, and services" [You can obtain a copy at your branch!] 

So let's take a look at those "reflections"

  1. "SECU has enhanced employee benefits by $32.9 million over the last 2 years" especially in the areas of paid time off (PTO), bereavement and parental leave. That's wonderful, every little bit helps these days!  But, with a 6 to 7% inflation rate (12% to 14% over two years), well, let's hope there is more to the story than that.... 'cause it's hard to pay the cashier at Food Lion with PTO.
  2. "SECU's net income is strong"- that's absolutely true! But, it is being achieved by depriving retirees and other members of a fair rate on their savings.  The "new/new corporate" SECU declares a win, while the 2.7 million SECU member savers lose. Please stop and vote! https://secuvote.ey.com/
  3. "We will be working to move our deposit rates up." Admirable message, but just like the easy to ridicule SECU Strategic Plan - leadership is always thin on specifics, like when and how...and why not right now if the ""new/ new CU" had record earnings in 2023? Might suggest that while the CU is "working on it", members will continue to "work on" moving that $16 billion earning 1% or less to other institutions paying 4 and 5%. Loyalty does have its limits.
    https://secuvote.ey.com/
  4. "We are balancing the need to pay higher deposit rates at the same time we are experiencing increased delinquency rates".  SECU enjoyed one of the lowest loan loss rates in the credit union industry over the first 85 years. Over the last 2 years delinquency and charge-offs have soared. SECU employees know much of that increase was the result of a disastrous Board decision to centralize collections (now reversed). Wildly costly and being "paid for" - as the CEO notes - by SECU savers through low rates . This is another innovation from the SECU Board called "risk-based savings" (RBS) which, like risk-based lending (RBL), makes members who aren't the cause of the loss pay for it anyway.  https://secuvote.ey.com/
  5. "We should all pay particular attention to our expenses at SECU". Certainly a great idea for any business! It should be pointed out, however, that most employees don't have the ability to affect the overall cost of operating SECU - that falls to executive management and the SECU Board. Don't try to blame and off-load this problem on "All Employees" - that's not right.  
  6. This "All Employees" memo seeks to imply that SECU operating expenses are neither soaring nor out of line by historical standards. Simply not true. Expenses are increasing every quarter. Prior to the last 2 years, the historical SECU operating budget expense has been @ 1.91% of assets .  The annual cost of operating SECU is @ +$235 million higher than historical levels (2.35% vs 1.91%). Operating expenses up +24%, assets down - 8% over the last 2 years - how long can those trends continue? https://secuvote.ey.com/  

  

 

7. "Do we have higher than normal expense ratios at SECU? No. " - Well, in the worst sort of way CEO Brady is telling the truth on this one! That's true if you want SECU to be "Industry Standard"! SECU members have enjoyed one of the lowest operating costs around over the first 85 years - much, much less than "industry standard"!. Low operating costs mean more money stays in the members' pockets through lower loan rates or is returned to members through higher savings rates. When operating costs climb by 24% and loan losses soar the members - that means you! - lose. The last two years have been a "loser" for 2.7 million SECU members. https://secuvote.ey.com/

8. "More or less". - CEO Brady kinda wraps things up [Do drop by your branch and ask for a copy!] with this: "More or less" has to mean EVERYONE helping to make sure SECU continues to offer the best service and to be the best credit union in our state. "It's not my job" is not an option". Sounds good, but on behalf of the rank and file employees of SECU (and the SECU membership!) - we did not cause the problems created over the last 2 years at SECU! Who did Ms. Brady? https://secuvote.ey.com/

 

... an honest, "mea culpa" memo to "All employees" (and the SECU membership!) from "this Board" might help turn things around. [Right, I won't hold my breath...]

 

17 comments:

  1. you have got to hand it to her, if this job doesn't work out she has a future in politics!

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    Replies
    1. Speaks well out of both sides of her mouth.

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  2. " ... especially in the areas of paid time off (PTO)"

    sure when you pay all those highly paid executives the max in PTO right from the day they are hired and set foot (If they ain't working out of state) in the door these figures may "reflect" an enhancement ... but for who?

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  3. Give me my waders and my rubber boots! The shit's getting high! Employees and members are not dumb!! Go online and vote for Perkins, Stone and Clements.. Let's take our credit union back and make it the shinning star it used to be before the new(new)...

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  4. If Ms. Brady doesn't understand the financials it's probably not a good idea to try to bluff your way through them to 7500 employees.

    She needs the member nominees - Clements, Perkins and Stone , to get elected more than she currently realizes. Then she might be able to stop "spinning" this Board's utterly reckless moves the past 2 years.

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  5. "You Get What You Tolerate" ...

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  6. "operating costs climb by 24% and loan losses soar "

    This alone should get folks shown the door ...

    all they had to do was keep steering the ship .... but they wouldn't listen to the legacy CEO because 'they' knew better (It's what you learn after you know it all that counts), and what have they done, hit the iceberg .... that water is really cold once you get submerged into it ... wakes you up to realize the captain of this ship bailed (see Gym) and the sharks are circling!

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  7. Collections being centralized has not been reversed.

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    Replies
    1. Not completely just have the branches “helping out” to save the necks of the failed attempt at centralized collections.

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    2. Neither has loan origination. Now it's done by the Credit Bureaus. Members are now just a number. Nothing personal; doesn't matter what your story is, or what life has done. Sorry we can't help you. We can't send you to the loan review committee anymore either-- nope no way for members to help other members. Policies are set by folks who have no empathy for people of modest means.

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    3. Losses for all of 2022 were $96 m. For first 6 months of '23, already $85 m in losses times 2 = $170m est losses for all of '23. If nothing else goes wrong.

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    4. Meanwhile…promos for Loan Admin. Titles for everyone. No. Accountability. Period.

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    5. @ 5:40. That doesn’t include Cash App charge offs that will come after the election.

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    6. Who is at fault for this? Our local manager spoke about how high losses were going to be at our meeting but she didn't want to elaborate due to job security.

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    7. @ 5:17 Yes, helping Them out and they use their time critiquing our efforts instead of producing results themselves. The Hayes Syndrome: too many Execs- not enough workers!

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  8. if a recession rears it ugly head, they'll be dancing like Ali ...

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  9. NIce try Brady! Smoke and mirrors with a side of BS! Wow, just wow! Spread the word to vote for Clements, Perkins, and Stone ASAP!!!!

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