2008 Working Group Innovations
Team name: The Combustible 5
Project name: Connect U
Team Members: Lora Davison, Northern Indiana FCU; Blake
Dearing, FORUM CU; Gary Icenogle, NorthPark Community CU; Charles
King, Hoosier Hills CU; Kathy Sullivan, REGIONAL FCU
Project elements: An interactive site which will allow both
current members and potential members to network, exchange information, seek
advice, share ideas, promote themselves or their businesses, and provide
educational information. Connect U will transform a credit union’s Web site into
a community center. The focus is on peer-to-peer networking and learning instead
of the traditional credit union to member model. The credit union is more of a
facilitator in this model. This group has several ideas that they are working on
to make such a site niche-focused and to differentiate it from all of the noise
in networking sites such as FaceBook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.
Team Name: iCITTE
Project name: CU Thru Life
Team Members: Jim Johnson, Three Rivers FCU; Tony Meier,
Evansville Teachers FCU; Marie “Sam” Shanks, Indiana State University
FCU; Kevin Sparks, Crane FCU; Becky Summers, Teachers CU
Project elements: Similar to Connect U, but solely focused on life
stages. This group is aiming to provide a network of members to facilitate
discussion and learning around specific life stages. Members would be involved
to help manage the different life stage areas on the site, which would minimize
the amount of credit union staff time to monitor and maintain it.
Team name: Taped Crusaders
Project name: DriveUp Savings
Team Members: Chad Gramling, Three Rivers FCU; Joe Hasto,
Eli Lilly FCU; Michelle Peterson, Marion School ECU; Evelyn Royer,
Purdue EFCU; Brian Wilkerson, KEMBA CU
Project elements: This group is piggybacking on one of the i3
group projects called Auto Savings, only with an interesting twist— the DriveUp
Savings product is a savings account, such as a certificate, that is opened at
the same time a member closes on their auto loan. The loan officer and member
agree on a monthly contribution amount and through automated electronic
transfers, the DriveUp Savings is funded at the same time the member makes an
auto loan payment. This product offers the same rate to a member for both their
savings account and their auto loan. More information is available at the
group’s Web site
www.driveupsavings.org.
Team name: Perspective
Project name: FYI Savings – For Young Individuals
Team Members: Debby Blake, FORUM CU; Michael Hostetler,
Finance Center FCU; Kevin Kosek, REGIONAL FCU; Tim Lukomski,
Heritage FCU; Carolyn Probasco, Members United FCU
Project elements: This unique savings concept is similar to a
401(k), but was created specifically for young individuals. It includes an open
enrollment period, a match from the credit union, and other unique components to
encourage savings for young people. The funds would not be available until the
child reaches the age of 18, and are intended to be used for significant life
events such as college, purchase of a home, etc. |
