Connect Archive

Earn up to 20 CPE Credits at Forum! Join Catalyst Corporate for the 42nd annual Economic & Payments Forum, September 30-October 3, at the Omni Hotel in Frisco, Texas. Located adjacent to the new Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, the backdrop for this year’s event is just one of the many exciting components we have in store for you! Experience football fandom at its finest, soak up valuable industry insights and earn up to 20 CPE credits at ONE event! Find out how you can get more from this year's Forum. 

Is Secondary Capital a Good Fit for Your Balance Sheet? If your credit union is unable to take advantage of lending opportunities because of capital constraints, you may want to consider secondary capital. Catalyst Strategic Solutions Vice President of Advisory Services Steven Houle shared the ins and outs of secondary capital during his presentation at the recent Financial Strategy Symposium. Check out his key takeaways! 

The Latest Editions of SCAN & Progress Summary Now Available: In this latest issue of SCAN, Catalyst Corporate tackles loan participation hurdles, and provides a first-hand look at BaZing savings in action, among other topics. Your publication should arrive in the mail soon! But don't forget, a digital version can also be found on our website, under Communications/Newsletters/SCAN. 

Additionally, Catalyst Corporate's Second Quarter Progress Summary is now available. This concise, quarterly report provides a snapshot of year to date performance and offers information about membership growth and key performance ratios. It may also serve as a helpful resource when sharing the latest information with your credit union board of directors and other volunteers. 

Upcoming Events and Training: Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact ACH Item Search & Returns (August 21), Deposit Chek® Practical Application (August 28), Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact User Setup & CU Settings (September 18) and CUBG's National Business Services Conference (September 23-25, Savannah, GA).

How Do You Measure Cybersecurity Risk? In 2018, cybersecurity risk was ranked as the number one concern for NCUA. However, regulators have provided little in the way of risk management tools for credit unions to use to measure cybersecurity risk in monetary terms. Catalyst Corporate Chief Risk Officer Brent Smith explores cybersecurity risk management in this week's blog.

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a full moon: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of America’s first moon-landing with an out-of-this world speaker line up at Catalyst Corporate's Economic & Payments Forum. Hear Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who made three spectacular moonwalks during his stay on the lunar surface, and attend a special fundraising luncheon benefiting the Cornerstone Credit Union Foundation. You'll have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with the most recent person to walk on the moon. Find out more!

Windows 7 End of Life Reminder: Microsoft has set a Windows 7 End of Life date for Jan. 14, 2020. As a result, effective Jan. 1, 2020, Catalyst Corporate will no longer support the Windows 7 operating system on its services. If your credit union is currently using Windows 7, Catalyst Corporate recommends planning a move to an alternative operating system as soon as possible.

Upcoming Events and Training: Share Draft Processing & Rules (August 14), Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact ACH Item Search & Returns (August 21), Deposit Chek® Practical Application (August 28) and Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact User Setup & CU Settings (September 18).

CUNA President & CEO Jim Nussle to Speak at 2019 Forum: Jim Nussle, the President and CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), will address Catalyst Corporate’s annual Economic & Payments Forum during lunch on Tuesday, October 1, 2019. Nussle will update attendees on CUNA’s future-focused initiatives and highlight how CUNA and the state Leagues’ 360-degree advocacy offense is fighting and winning for credit unions. 

Rollout of a Host of New ACH Rules Begins Sept. 20: Same Day ACH continues to gain acceptance since its launch in September 2016. SDA transactions increased to 178 million in 2018, 137 percent more than in 2017 – SDA’s first full year. And now, Nacha is set to begin rolling out additional Same Day ACH enhancements. The first of three new SDA rules takes effect in the fall of 2019. Nacha also has rule changes slated for return reason code R11 and data security requirements. Here’s what you need to know!

Saving is Believing: At All In Credit Union, the old adage, “Seeing Is Believing,” is brushing up against a new adage, “Saving Is Believing.” Lisa Hales, Senior Vice President of Member Experience shares her first-hand experience with BaZing savings, as well as her credit union's implementation feedback. Check out what she had to say about Catalyst Corporate's rewards checking program.  

Upcoming Events and Training: Share Draft Processing & Rules (August 14), Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact ACH Item Search & Returns (August 21) and Deposit Chek® Practical Application (August 28).

Reinvestment Risk: Welcome Back, We Didn't Miss You! It’s no secret the American economy is still strong, but slowing down. Leading economic indicators for a downturn are piling up week by week. You may be earning more in cash right now, but how long will that last with an inverted yield curve and prospective rate cuts? Catalyst Corporate Investment Officer John Kirby provides a closer look at reinvestment risk in this week's blog post.

2019 Member Survey Results are in: The results from Catalyst Corporate’s 2019 member satisfaction survey are now available. Conducted in May, the annual survey gauges members’ opinions in areas such as trust, financial performance, member service and value. For those who participated, we’d like to thank you again for taking the time to provide your invaluable feedback. 

Lengthy Economic Expansion ‘Still Has Legs,’ Says Economist: Rising interest rates, international trade tension and the Treasury yield inversion have sparked concern within the financial industry. Some economists believe a recession may be looming, while others remain optimistic. Bernard Baumohl, Chief Economist at the Economic Outlook Group, LLC, provided an overview of the current housing market and the U.S. economy at the 2019 Financial Strategy Symposium last week. Check out key takeaways from his presentation! 

Upcoming Events and Training: CUBG's National Business Services Conference (Portland, OR, August 5-7), Share Draft Processing & Rules (August 14), Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact ACH Item Search & Returns (August 21) and Deposit Chek® Practical Application (August 28).

Embracing the Hero in All of Us: When asked, “Who is your hero,” what comes to mind? For most, it’s a question that was contemplated quite often throughout childhood, yet it’s not given much thought anymore. Now, more than ever, we need heroes – at home, at the office and in every facet of life. Kevin Brown, the keynote speaker at Catalyst Corporate's upcoming Economic & Payments Forum, sheds light on the Hero Effect and the importance of looking at the world through a service-first lens. Read the Speaker Spotlight to learn more.  

Driving Portfolio Diversity with RV Loan Participations: It's summertime in America. And a steadily growing number of recreational vehicles (RVs) are now criss-crossing the country in search of beaches, forests and mountains. Many credit unions make RV loans, and some of those RV loans can make their way into loan participations. So, if you're looking for new a way to diversify your loan portfolio, it may be a good time to switch gears. Find out more about the value of Catalyst Corporate's loan participation program, contact an investment or lending team member today!

Riding the Interest Rate Roller Coaster: Interest rates change and so do the strategic trends credit unions are forced to navigate. Loan growth slows, interest rates fall, share growth flattens and liquidity management remains a point of emphasis. Check out this quick video to learn more about the ups and downs of current interest rates with Catalyst Strategic Solutions Senior Advisor Casey Peterson.

Upcoming Events and Training: Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact Profile & Navigation (July 24), CUBG's National Business Services Conference (Portland, OR, August 5-7), Share Draft Processing & Rules (August 14), Quick Tip Webinar: TranZact ACH Item Search & Returns (August 21) and Deposit Chek® Practical Application (August 28).