Tuesday, September 16, 2025

SECU Mortgage Lending: "There Is A Difference" Between Mortgaging A Member's Home... And Mortgaging A Member's Future!

 https://headlineusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/weaponization-of-the-dollar.jpg  A wee bit defensive?

✅ We are waiting for a response from SECU Chief Legaler, Ms. Cathie Plaut, as to the fate of SECU Member Resolutions (see "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" post [link]) ... expecting a further "weaponization" of the bylaws to suppress SECU member participation.

Using the pause to take a look at SECU mortgage lending in the past and to review the proposed upcoming changes in SECU mortgage lending. The changes include race-based lending (RBL) on mortgages to further, unfairly tap the paychecks of SECU members - but on a far more massive scale! And, the sale of SECU member mortgages to outside investors - the Republic of China was a huge investor in U.S.mortgages in the recent past! 

Lots of snarling about mortgages in the "Comments" section [fasten your seat belt! -link]

In the past, SECU has sought to provide the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about financial products and services. That is not a strategy that all financial providers pursue - nor are they required to do so.

As you'll note, one of the major fist fights in the "Comments" is whether or not fixed rate mortgages are preferable to adjustable rate mortgages. As a consumer, upon first blush, you would probably choose a fixed rate mortgage. It might surprise you that the SECU ARM is generally a better financing decision for you than a fixed rate mortgage. We'll investigate that idea and you can decide.

Making and selling your fixed-rate home mortgage is not in your individual best interests and is a losing business strategy for SECU as a going concern. Pretty bold statement, but follow along and decide for yourself.

But first we'll have to explore the current state of home mortgage lending in the U.S. a little.

😎 First question for you: "Why is the U.S.A. the only developed country with a 30-year fixed rate consumer mortgage"? 

 

Thought the 30-year fixed was the "industry standard"?  

Monday, September 15, 2025

SECU Plans Reversion To 1930's Thinking On SECU Member Mortgages...

 https://media.tenor.com/DyJqPyzABgMAAAAC/twiddling-thumbs-waiting.gif   Twiddling!

While we await a response from SECU Chief Legaler, Ms. Cathie Plaut, as to the fate of SECU Member Resolutions (see "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" post [link]), don't miss the interesting dialogue which has broken out on mortgage lending in the "Comment "section [see link] - 60+ comments and rising!

In fairness to Ms. Plaut, she indicated she would be out of the office last week, so a response wouldn't be forthcoming until later this week.

Since we have some time, will try to bring the discussion of SECU's next "new/new" lending misadventure to the main page. Loan Administration has gone all out this time! Building on its recent record of...

 If you like the movie "Back to the Future" or any cinema featuring zombies, you'll like LA's "new/new" mortgage ideas... Get out the popcorn!

  Zombie movies?... Oh no, now what?

Friday, September 12, 2025

SECU: Do Unicorns Have Offspring?

 employee standing in front of S building downtown wilmington  The "old/old" look?

😎 Generally folks in finance don't believe in unicorns. Y'know there is little "data" on unicorns and rarely a credit score. And so, if you don't believe, how can you make a decision?

There was a time in the not too distant past, when SECU prided itself on being something more; yes, something different. One of the often overlooked differences was the development and training of leaders for North Carolina... and beyond.

The formula was pretty simple: Hire locally, hire at the entry level, remove internal barriers for advancement, promote from within based on performance whenever possible. Empower the employee to make "at the point of contact " decisions; monitor, but forgive "good faith" mistakes.  And there were two required business principles: 1) Respect yourself ("Do the Right Thing") and 2) Respect others ("Send Us Your Mama"). 

With branches in every North Carolina crossroads, SECU became a local economic engine for job creation. Local hiring created accountability for the branch leaders to encourage, train, and judge performance. Without barriers to advancement, the employee recognized the opportunity for success. A principles-driven business assured stability and a clean conscience.

Critics called the system in-bred, without "new/new" ideas; but fumbled to explain why SECU thrived. The "no such thing as a unicorn crowd" failed to recognize that every year hundreds of new employees entered the SECU system - most were very young with fresh ideas, from diverse backgrounds, with a wide variety of life experiences. 35 SECU "in-breds" were recruited as CEO's at other credit unions nationwide. Many other "graduates" went on to success in other fields. 

Let me introduce you to one, Ben Shaw [link - do take a look!]

✅  "Purpose in the Water": “My favorite class to teach is personal finance because I lived it for ten years working at SECU. I’ve seen people succeed and people fall into massive debt. Every chapter, I’ve got a story. That’s what sticks with people.”

  Sure looks like a unicorn to me!

 

Bank? Credit Union? There is a difference...

 

 

 

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

SECU Member Resolutions: Why "Lawyer Up" Against The SECU Membership?

 

     Isn't that backwards under our U.S. system of justice?

✅ Ms. Cathie Plaut, SECU Chief Legal Officer

Raleigh, North Carolina

September 10, 2025

Re: SECU Member Resolutions 

Dear Ms. Plaut,

Thank you for your letter of September 3, 2025 responding to the request for rules and procedures for submitting SECU member resolutions. 

From the  letter, I understand that your opinion is that SECU member resolutions may 1) only be submitted at a "Special Membership Meeting" and 2) that "SECU has not promulgated rules and procedures further detailing this process". 

It is an innovative idea to believe that Article VIII, Section 4 of the bylaws ["Special meetings of the members may be called by the chairman and shall be called on the written request of not less than 10% of the membership."] is meant to address member resolutions. Doesn't requiring over 300,000 SECU members ["10%+"] to petition the SECU Board - simply asking to be heard - create an extraordinary barrier? 

Had hoped that some reasonable, straightforward rules and procedures would enable SECU members to submit governance-related resolutions directly to the SECU Board for consideration. Had also assumed that such governance-related resolutions would generally be positive suggestions, not an attack upon the Board. 

Ms. Plaut, your "Special Meeting" interpretation on member resolutions appears to "assume the worst" - that all member resolutions will be adversarial and not constructive. Assuming the best from the SECU membership might be a better initial course.

Since you acknowledge that no rules and regulations yet exist, and that such changes will require future, Board-approved, bylaw amendments; would you consider a discussion of other possible alternatives for the Board to use, prior to any "Special Meeting"?

Creating the "Special Meeting" requirement seems to further disenfranchise SECU members in their roles as member-shareholders, unnecessarily.

Thanks for your consideration. Look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Jim Blaine, SECU member

cc: Leigh.Brady@ncsecu.org>    kristina.ray@nccud.nc.gov>  

 

  The SECU membership isn't really a pitch fork-toting mob...!

 

 


Monday, September 8, 2025

SECU Legalease: "The No Formal Resolution Resolution"!

Question Mark Gif   First, there was the "no formal proposal proposal"; 

✅ Re: "The SECU Annual Membership Meeting - 2025: "Curiouser and Curiouser!"" [see post link here]    

Q: How does an SECU member present a resolution to the Board of Directors?

😎 "The Fine Print" response from the Chief Legaler: [link to legible version]

 

😎   Ms. Plaut, CLO, quote: "To date, SECU has not promulgated rules and procedures further detailing this process, but your request seems to suggest we should. We will give that idea due consideration." [see letter above, paragraph 5]

😎 The Bottom Line: No rules, no procedures exist...  just kinda made all this up!

 

  ... and so now, "the no formal resolution resolution"!  "Curiouser and..."



 

 

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Credit Unions: What's the Best Measure Of Success?

    

                   Vintage opinion... from Bill Brooks

It was a pleasant surprise to be asked to ruminate on changes in credit unions based on my long experience with them.  Hopefully, this does not come across as a rant concerning some glorified remembrance of an old codger longing for the good old days.  

My first experience with credit unions dates back to 1969 when I joined the Safeway Federal Credit Union.  I was just about to graduate from high school and had a job as a clerk in their grocery store.  I used it as a savings account because I had little need for borrowing.  You could actually pay your college tuition and live pretty good on a party time income! 

The savings accounts were not federally insured at that time.  NCUA would not come into existence for another year.  To get a withdrawal, you had to drive to the other side of Washington, DC and sit in a lobby for about a half an hour to get a check so you could go to the bank to deposit it.  The world was very much different then. The old days were just old days.  You did what you did because that is how it was. 

I would say it is pretty amazing what credit unions can do today compared to 1969.  I can sit almost 130 miles away from the credit union I last led and move money around, get loans, and many other services while sitting in my easy chair.  My grandchildren will probably never know what a branch is.  They will never think of dealing with germ infested cash.  They will dine on a smorgasbord of choice when it comes to choices of services and providers.  

I do have some major concerns. Credit unions were chartered to be democratic cooperatives designed to make more available for people of modest means.  Here lies the question!  Are we achieving our mission?

The real answer about the success of a credit union should be based on a simple yardstick -  are we truly making more available for people of moderate means?  
If you are competing and evaluating success based on granting of A and B credits while giving lip service to those of modest means, then modern mega credit unions are a modest success.

Ever wonder why almost 50% of Americans do not use traditional financial services or choose to have a relationship with a high-risk lender?  It starts with pricing and not focusing on people of modest means!  Except for a few, most modern credit unions are failures if measured by the right yardstick. It is amazing how we have an app for pretty much everything but reaching out to people of modest means.

My anecdotal observations of the state of credit unions are based on years of working and volunteering at all levels.  I personally believe that larger is more impersonal. Truly, it is so much easier to deny a loan with an impersonal, electronically generated notice, than to look the member in the eye and tell them no.  I stretched every mitigating reason I could to approve a loan and avoid that conversation.  Rejection took more out of me than taking the risk.  I never made charity loans, but high-risk loans were made.  

The first credit union I led was in a plant.  You saw the members and they saw you on any given day.  My last credit union was much larger.  I did not see the members and they never saw me.  So my hands are not necessarily clean!

But, it is all about that yardstick.  If credit unions are focused on A and B paper, why be a credit union? 
 
Gold standard or industry standard?



 

Saturday, September 6, 2025

The SECU Annual Meeting: The Lack Of Transparency Fuels Distrust ...

warren buffet 2 Work at "doing things differently"... instead of seeking to be something less.

😎 Wanted to make sure you didn't miss the difference in a world class Annual Meeting - Berkshire Hathaway.  

  "The question-and-answer session -- a centerpiece!"

Berkshire Q&A: Buffett says he expects tough questions 'and that's the way we like it' [link] 

 

✅ "The three of us will not get so much as a clue about the questions to be asked. We know you and Becky will pick some tough ones and that’s the way we like it," Buffett said.

 

  Independent, impartial "curator".     [SECU Board - No!]

  Random, un-screened questions.      [SECU Board - No!

  Questions from the floor.                  [SECU Board - No!]

 ☑ Follow up questions.                         [SECU Board - No!]

 ☑ Live stream questions.                      [SECU Board - No!]

 ☑ Up to 5 hours Q&A.                           [SECU Board - No!]

 

SECU BOD group  "State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is a member-owned not-for-profit financial cooperative, grounded in the credit union philosophy of People Helping People®." [link SECU website] 


  Could have fooled me...

 

 

 


Friday, September 5, 2025

SECU Annual Meeting: A Magical Moment?

   "Mark my words..."!

✅ "While we welcome member questions, we will not address questions that are not relevant to SECU..." [link]

Q: Will questions be administered by an independent, impartial entity [as with balloting]? 🔲 Y 🔲 N

Q: Will the total number of questions submitted be reported? 🔲 Y 🔲 N

Q: Will the name of person submitting the question be included? ðŸ”² Y  🔲 N

Q: Will all questions be presented [how do members confirm?] 🔲 Y 🔲 N

Q: Will you video and provide the Q&A in advance of the meeting [to eliminate any need for a one hour limit]?  ðŸ”² Y  🔲 N

Q: Will members have the opportunity to inquire about the answers provided? 🔲 Y  🔲 N  

Q: Will the Annual Meeting be "staged" like "The Fireside Chats"? ðŸ”² Y  🔲 N

Q: Will you provide your definition of "relevant" 🔲 Y  🔲 N

Q: Why are you afraid of the SECU membership? 🔲 Y  🔲 N 

  😎✷ Anonymous August 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM They're allowing an hour for Q & A. That should satisfy everyone

😎✷Reply : Anonymous August 29, 2025 at 5:31 PM You mean like last time when they were able to pick questions they wanted and trash ones they didn’t like. Also got time to prepare BS answers.

Thursday, September 4, 2025

SECU Annual Meeting: What's With The Bunker Mentality?

                              Afraid of ... ?  The membership? a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo

"Why would SECU not want to ensure it is responding to member questions vs general public, or even worst, banker submitted questions?"

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo  Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from the "general public"? Wouldn't it be a great opportunity to tell our story to all?

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo  Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from people not yet members, but eligible to join? The less they know the better? 

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo  Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from the media? Is there something we're trying to hide?

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from "bankers"? What are we afraid "they" will say about us?

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from State and Federal representatives? Would that be politically wise?

a green statue with a red face and a netflix logo Why isn't the SECU Board willing to answer questions from anyone? Wouldn't it be cheaper than a Super Bowl ad?

... or putting our name on Kenan? Especially after last... never mind! 


    


 

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

SECU Annual Meeting: Intimidating Questions?

 

  ★★  Anonymous September 1, 2025 at 7:05 PM

     Can you elaborate on how this is intimidating? 

 ✅ Four thoughts on that...

1) Employees may be reluctant to submit questions of concern. The fear of retribution by employees - whether real or not - is typical in most businesses.

2) As you've noticed at the national level, retribution is real (by both political parties!) and has become a hard-edged, take no prisoners war.

3) No one believes that the names attached to questions will remain anonymous.

4) The anonymice of "Social Media" (pictured above!) can be both vicious and vindictive, unconstrained by the truth or and need for accuracy.

😎 Why would an SECU member risk "putting themselves in play"? 

Anyway, why is it necessary?



 


 

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

SECU Annual Membership Meeting - Questionable?

   ... of a peculiar sort!

✅ Anonymous September 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM How do we submit a question?

PRE-REGISTRATION AND QUESTION SUBMISSION
In order to ensure that SECU has arranged adequate space for the Annual Meeting attendees, we ask that all members register in advance by visiting https://www.ncsecu.org/about-us/corporate- information/governance#governance-updates. Members may submit questions for the question- and-answer session as part of the registration process. We look forward to seeing you there.

It is interesting that in order to ask a question of the Board of Directors, a member must pre-register and identify themselves. The reason given for the required pre-registration is "to ensure SECU has arranged adequate space for the Annual Meeting attendees."

Attendees, as you know, will not be permitted speak nor ask any questions at the 2025 Annual Meeting. The live stream is view only, not interactive. No election activity, no resolutions, no follow-up questions or suggestions.

😎  Why would you as a member drive to Greensboro to listen to our CEO, Ms. Leigh Brady, read out prepared answers to pre-screened questions for an hour? Couldn't SECU just post the answers on the website and save everybody an hour?

"When you kill time, it has no resurrection."



Sunday, August 31, 2025

The SECU Board Of Directors' Definition of Free Speech.....

     Fair game?

The notice and procedures for the SECU Annual Meeting [link for full info} have been published.

😎 Be sure to look at this one:  "Rule 4. Up to one hour will be set aside during the meeting for a question-and-answer session. Members must submit any questions in advance of the meeting. To permit as many members to ask questions as possible, we ask that you limit yourself to one question or topic.

"Members will be requested to provide us their name and city of residence. We intend to answer as many questions as time allows. If we receive multiple questions on the same topic, we may group them together and respond to them collectively. If there are questions that we are unable to answer during the question-and-answer session and are of general interest to members, we will post a summary on our website after the meeting."

"While we welcome member questions, we will not address questions that (i) are not relevant to SECU, (ii) contain offensive or otherwise inappropriate language, derogatory references to individuals, or that otherwise are in bad taste, (iii) relate to pending or threatened litigation, (iv) are repetitious of questions asked by others, (v) relate to personal matters, such as individual employee relation matters or individual member account issues, or (vi) are otherwise determined by the Chair to be inappropriate or otherwise not suitable for response during the Annual Meeting."

 ✅ The SECU Board of Directors tend to think of themselves as open-minded and supportive of free speech. But this rule and other recent examples show otherwise—and prove that the Board as a group is not above using intimidation and harassment to silence dissenting voices. 

😎 In the long run, it's hard to hide one's true colors. The SECU Board seems to be tending increasingly toward dress khaki...

 

  Q&A redefined...


Friday, August 29, 2025

SECU Annual Meeting Notice Now Available... Still No Answer on Resolution

  ...Also at ncsecu.org

✅  " In preparation for the SECU Annual Meeting scheduled for October 14, 2025, we are pleased to share the Annual Meeting Notice, which includes our Nominating Committee Letter that was originally distributed July 11, 2025 and the Candidates’ Statement of Background. All information is posted on our website and in SECU branches.

  • Annual Meeting Notice: This document outlines the details of our upcoming Annual Meeting, including the date, time, location, agenda, and rules.
  • Nominating Committee Letter: This letter provides the SECU Board of Directors Nominating Committee selections for candidates seeking election to the Board. These nominations are the result of a thorough evaluation process for each candidate, identifying individuals who are eligible for membership on the Board of Directors and evaluating multiple other factors, including the merits of the candidates by way of their education, character, professional, board and volunteer experience, as well as their knowledge of the Credit Union, demonstrated commitment to the needs of members, and capacity and capability to be an effective addition to the current composition of the SECU Board of Directors.
  • Candidates’ Statement of Background: This document shares relevant background information provided by each nominated candidate, including their occupation, education, board and volunteer experience, and membership tenure.


This year, four board seats are up for election. No applications for self-nomination were received. With only one candidate for each open seat, the nominees shall be declared elected by acclamation in accordance with the Bylaws of SECU. There will not be absentee voting or in-person voting at the Annual Meeting.

A livestream of the Annual Meeting will be available on the website. Registration to attend the meeting in person is available here. Thank you for being a valued member of SECU! "

 ✅ Still no response on resolutions! [link]

Sir John Tenniel 

😎 “Have you guessed the riddle yet?” the Hatter said,

Alice: “No, I give it up, what’s the answer?” 

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” said the Hatter.

 

  Alice: 'Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.”

Thursday, August 28, 2025

About That SECU 2022 Annual Meeting Resolution...

    What really happened?

 

The unvarnished truth is that in 2021 the SECU Board of Directors - and their new, highly improbable choice for CEO - created their very own, "new/new" version  of ...


Wednesday, August 27, 2025

While We Await Word On The SECU Resolutions Resolution...

    Debacle?

     Or Is there Just A Problem With Free Speech?  

😎 About the thinking in a couple of recent comments:

✅ Anonymous August 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM "Fact is besides the 2022 debacle a member hadn’t use their “right” to bring a resolution at the annual meeting in decades." 

✅ Anonymous August 25, 2025 at 2:33 PM "Do you feel at all responsible since it was your actions that led to members being prohibited from speaking at the annual meeting?"

Best I recall the resolution introduced at the 2022 SECU Annual Meeting [here's a link to the actual text]  was a calm request for the SECU Board to communicate with the membership about several important changes that had occurred or were being considered at the credit union. Here was the ask:

  The Motion

"In accordance with the bylaws, pending vote of the membership at the 2022 Annual Membership Meeting; it is moved that:

The Board of Directors review and respond to the above seven questions, after statewide discussions with the staff and all advisory boards; and that the results of those discussions be published to all member-owners of the State Employees Credit Union as soon as practical.

In addition, it is requested that the Board of Directors update, publish, and make available to all member-owners its’ Strategic Plan for SECU no later than 90 days prior to the 2023 Annual Meeting. The Strategic Plan should clearly explain the Board’s recommendations for a new culture and new direction for SECU."

✅  The motion asked only for information and clarification. No harangue, no threats, no demands for action, no request for operational changes.  Please just "take your time" and provide some background and context. The bottom line question was pretty basic: Who are we? Where are you leading us? Why are you taking us there?

The resolution was requested by a number of highly loyal and committed SECU members, volunteers and employees. There seemed to be great concern over the "new culture" that had not been adequately explained to any group of SECU stakeholders.

 

✅  The motion was calmly approved without objection and was seconded by a member of the SECU Board from the podium...


  Hard to understand how that resolution was considered a debacle or was grounds for the SECU Board to revoke the members' rights to speak at their annual meeting

 

Monday, August 25, 2025

The SECU Annual Membership Meeting - 2025: "Curiouser and Curiouser!"

 Sir John Tenniel

  “The proper order of things is often a mystery to me.”                                                                                                                             - The Cheshire Cat

Ms. Cathy Plaut, SECU Chief Legal Officer
 
August 25, 2025
 
Re: SECU Member Resolutions - 2025

Dear Ms. Plaut,

Thank you for your prompt response [link] to my August 15, 2025 inquiry [link] concerning the presentation of SECU member resolutions to the SECU Board of Directors.  

I had hoped that specifically limiting resolutions to SECU governance issues would appropriately narrow the focus and scope of discussion. And, that the submission of resolutions well in advance would fairly enable all SECU members to review and consider the issues. It has historically been standard practice for all credit unions to include such discussions as part of their annual membership meetings. 

Wish to clarify your statement that member resolutions had not been allowed at "recent"' annual meetings is not fully accurate. SECU members were invited to fully participate in the annual membership meeting from 1937 through 2022.

Member resolutions from the floor were first prohibited only in 2023 and SECU members were prohibited from speaking at the annual meeting for the first time in 2024 - just nine months ago!

SECU members have not been prohibited from submitting resolutions prior to the annual membership meeting, until your ruling in your latest response of August 20, 2025.  SECU members may not now actively participate in any fashion at the 2025 annual meeting.

From your letter, it appears that you believe that the SECU bylaws permit member resolutions only through the calling of a "Special Membership Meeting". That is certainly a novel idea, perhaps unique to SECU; and certainly appears to erect new, substantial barriers for the membership.

But, again your response and clarification are appreciated. If a "Special Meeting" is the approved method, would you please send me a copy of your established rules and procedures for calling such a "Special Meeting". 

Thank you. Look forward to receiving those guidelines and procedures promptly.

Sincerely,
Jim Blaine, SECU Member

cc

Leigh.Brady@ncsecu.org

 
... Ask Alice?
 
 

 

Saturday, August 23, 2025

As SECU Seeks To Be Little More Than "Industry Standard" And Pursues Commercial Lending, Questions Will Arise...

... state of the "movement"?

Current "Industry Standard":

✅ "Credit union acquisitions of banks surged to record levels, with 22 announced acquisitions in 2024, representing more than $11 billion in bank assets potentially lost. Ten of these deals crossed state lines. Credit unions are effectively “weaponizing” their tax subsidy and lax regulatory standards."

"Credit unions used their tax exemption to avoid paying nearly $4 billion in federal income taxes in 2024 while holding $2.2 trillion in tax-free assets. The 450 credit unions with $1 billion or more in assets represent 80 percent of the industry’s assets but comprise only 10 percent of the total number of credit unions."

“The non-profit co-operative spirit and mission of credit unions is being threatened by a handful of . . . vanity projects like stadium naming-rights deals”.  The example is Frontwave Credit Union, a credit union that serves Marine recruits in California, which purchased the naming rights to a soccer sports-and-entertainment complex in 2022."

“Explain to me how a grunt Marine at Fort Pendleton, who is a Frontwave Credit Union member, is benefiting from their multi-million dollar stadium naming-rights deal as opposed to reducing their overdraft fees or lowering their credit card rate.”

😎 Well, at least we can be thankful that the SECU Board hasn't wasted SECU members' money on 1) bank buys, 2) ego-mergers, or a 3) naming rights fiasco...

Friday, August 22, 2025

SECU Chief Legal Officer Bans Member Resolutions At Annual Membership Meeting

 . 

                     😎 Well, it's now officious! 

✅ SECU members no longer have any right to speak or participate in the Annual "Membership" Meeting of their credit union!

The good news is the CLO did deign to provide a response![see here the request]

    


✅ Will follow up to see how to do the "what's next"  tomorrow! 

“The worst form of justice is pretended justice.” –Plato


 

Thursday, August 21, 2025

SECU: Don't Want To Lose Sight Of That Credit Union Merger Issue...!

    ... has merged 

                       with ...    

Dogwood State Bank, a strong Raleigh-based, North Carolina community bank, announced yesterday that it was merging with Towne Bank, which is headquartered in tidewater Virginia [here read the details at BusinessNC]

The combined bank will have assets of @$22 billion. The owners of Dogwood bank did well, selling the bank for $476 million - around 2.2 times the net worth of the bank!

So lets take a look at why credit union member-owners nationwide should strongly oppose having their credit unions given away through mergers with other credit unions. It's "bad business" all the way round!

Using SECU as our example, we have a financial institution owned by @ 3 million members, mostly from North Carolina. SECU has assets of @$55 billion and a net worth of @$6 billion.  SECU also has a well-established service network, experienced staff, and has had in the past a reputation for integrity and fair dealing.

Using the "2.2x net worth" purchase price benchmark in the Dogwood/Towne Bank merger, the market value of SECU to its member-owners would be @$13.2 billion (2.2 x $6 billion net worth)! Each of SECU's 3 million members would be entitled to a payout of @ $4,400. That would represent quite a wonderful boost for individual SECU members as well as the North Carolina economy in general!

😎 That prosperous credit unions nationwide are being merged without ownership interest payouts to the members is financial foolishness. CEOs and Boards which recommend such transactions should be held accountable - and prosecuted if possible. 

✅ The financial best interests of members are being misrepresented. The members are being hoodwinked.

  Quacks? You betcha ... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  ...