• McCaul nominated to banking superintendent in N.Y.
• New England CUs give Boston Children's Hospital $125,000
• League to provide technology grants to small CUs
• Charter Oak FCU ready for broader membership
• Campus CU Council updates its Web site

McCaul nominated to banking superintendent in N.Y.

New York Gov. George E. Pataki last week nominated Elizabeth McCaul to be the state's top banking regulator. The state banking department also regulates credit unions, and New York State CU League President/CEO R. Wayne Diesel said the league looks forward to working with McCaul.

"The credit union community and I sincerely appreciate your leadership in helping to make our state credit union charter more attractive, and we have appreciated as well your interest in enabling credit unions to serve the changing financial needs of their members. We look forward to your continued support as superintendent," says Diesel.

McCaul has been acting superintendent since 1997 and was previously the department's first deputy. Before joining the banking department, she was an investment banker with Goldman Sachs & Co. for 10 years. McCaul awaits confirmation by the state Senate.

New England CUs give Boston Children's Hospital $125,000

A group of New England credit unions presented a check for $125,000 to the Children's Hospital of Boston last week during a live broadcast of the annual WBZ-TV Telethon for Children's Hospital. It was the second largest corporate donation received during the event.

This was the fourth consecutive year credit unions raised funds for the hospital. They raised money with raffles, silent auctions, golf tournaments, employee casual days, special Children's Hospital merchandise sales, and cookbook sales.

Eastern Corporate FCU (EasCorp) coordinates the group effort. "For the 10th year in a row, U.S. News and World Report ranked Children's Hospital of Boston as the nation's No. 1 pediatric health care facility in 1999. As a New Englander, this is an immense source of public pride, and awesome responsibility," said EasCorp President Jane Melchionda. "By organizing and focusing their public service efforts, credit unions are demonstrating that they are excellent corporate citizens and they are making an impact where it's especially needed."

Melchionda said several more credit unions have pledged their time and effort next year, joining the 1999 group of co-sponsors. The current group includes: Digital FCU, Eastern Corporate FCU, Fitchburg Municipal Employees FCU, Framingham Municipal FCU, Hingham FCU, M.I.T. Employee's FCU, Melrose School & Municipal Employees FCU, RTN FCU, St. Anne's CU of Fall River, Telephone Worker's CU, T I FCU, and Tremont CU.

From left: President/CEO Jane Melchionda hands the $125,000 donation check to Sandra Fenwick, chief operating officer of Children's Hospital.

(Report filed by Alan Bernstein, EasCorp senior vice president)

League to provide technology grants to small CUs

The California CU League is preparing to offer grants to its "Shapiro Group" of small credit unions. Grants will come from a newly established E. Roy Higgins Small CU Technology Fund, created by a $10,000 donation by The Golden 1 CU in Sacramento, Calif.

The late E. Roy Higgins was a longtime board member of the credit union. Grants can be used to purchase up-to-date computers, upgrade systems, buy software, and get connected to the Internet.

The league will send a letter to Shapiro Group credit unions yet this month. Those credit unions have $18 million or less in assets and make up about 50% of the credit unions in California and Nevada.

Charter Oak FCU ready for broader membership

No more confusion as Charter Oak FCU, Groton, Conn., is now able to serve all people who live, work, worship, attend school, or volunteer in New London County and in the cities of Putnam, Killingly, and Brooklyn.

Charter Oak began in 1939 as Shipbuilder's FCU. Through merger with Quinebaug Valley Community FCU in 1990, the credit union acquired a community charter for the towns of Putnam, Killingly, and Brooklyn in Windham County. NCUA recently extended that community charter to all who live or work in New London County.

Confusion arose because people in New London County were never sure whether or not they could join. In Waterford and Pawcatuck people who lived next door to branch offices did not qualify for membership.

The Shipbuilder's FCU had become Electric Boat Community FCU and in 1991 changed its name to Charter Oak FCU. Credit union President/CEO L.K. Hertell credits Congress for its foresight in approving the CU Membership Access Act.

"Charter Oak was successful in showing that a clearly defined community has extended well beyond the borders of the town of Groton," said Hertell. "People no longer work and shop in the same town in which they live. The concentration of large employees like Electric Boat and Pfizer, and the development of the I-95 and I-395 corridor and Crystal Mall, along with a highly mobile population have combined to cause the residents of New London County to interact as one large community."

Campus CU Council updates its Web site

The Campus Credit Union Council (CCUC) has introduced its new and improved Web site (http://www.ccuc.org/) for its members and the credit union community in general.

"As the Internet and other technologies become increasingly important in the information exchange of credit unions, CCUC believes our Web site will provide the fastest and most comprehensive information about the council to its members and others," says Bradford Caldwell, CCUC executive director.

The CCUC Web site has information on all aspects of the council and its products and services. Information such as conferences, membership, sponsorship, an officer directory, and training manuals are just a few of the topics included in the Web site. A career center allows people to place both resumes and job postings. A section on CCUC Partners with links is also available.

CCUC Executive Committee Secretary and Director of Marketing for Western CU in Columbus, Ohio, Bobby Lacer Jr., created the site.

CU System Briefs

• Emile A. Bonneau Jr. has been appointed chief operating officer of the Fall River (Mass.) Municipal CU and will assume responsibility for credit union operations. The credit union has $165 million in assets and 13,771 members. Bonneau was president/CEO of Rhode Island Corporate FCU (Providence Journal-Bulletin Dec. 19) ...

• CUNA Mutual Group issued a holiday Scam Alert Monday. It reminds credit union managers to check their plastic card vulnerability. Verify that plastic-card precaution systems are in place and working: Check to see CVV, CVC security systems are working ... confirm expiration mismatch is in place ... watch daily authorization reports for unusual activity ... consider reducing stand-in issuer limits to $0 ... watch settlement reports for "under floor-limit" transactions ... if cardholder reports fraudulent use, block the card(s) immediately ...