Filene is dedicated to scientific and thoughtful analysis about issues affecting the future of consumer finance and credit unions. Through Filene, leading scholars and consultants analyze managerial problems, public policy questions, and consumer needs for the benefit of the credit union movement.
Jansen Perdue, 30 Under 30 member, Hoosier Hills CU
I’ve spent the majority of this year evaluating everything my credit union offers. As a member of Filene’s 30 Under 30 group I’ve been able to see the industry as a whole, looking at a younger generation of credit unions members, and specifically what products and services [...]
Filene Fellow Bob Manning, PhD, professor at RIT, is a frequently quoted expert on bankruptcy, foreclosure, and debt relief, and the author of the book Credit Card Nation. Manning’s most recent media exposure was last night on the CBS Evening News where he describes his Responsible Debt Relief program (also highlighted in this Filene [...]
Connecting people online has become big business. Companies, including some credit unions, have captured the popular imagination by allowing users to write their own opinions, film their own antics, or leave very public comments on the Internet. This new trend, called “social media,” has become a powerful marketing tool.
Used correctly, it can help attract young [...]
In a previous post Filene Fellow and UC-Berkeley professor Jim Wilcox provided his view on the current economic situation. Now in part two of this series, Filene Fellow and Rochester Institute of Technology professor Robert Manning weighs in on the topic.
Manning’s recent television interview on the topic is a balanced and reasoned examination of the [...]
Congratulations to i3 member Musette Bracher, Vice President – Marketing for GECU in El Paso, as she’s been named Marketer of the Year for Texas!
Pictured with Musette is her CEO Harriet May.
While accepting the award Musette said, “I’m so glad I finally won, now Harriet can quit nominating me each year!” Harriet offered her [...]
George Hofheimer and several credit unions are featured in the Time magazine article, Bad Times for Banks Mean Boom Times for Credit Unions. George notes in the article that credit unions’ typical conservative nature are “just what the doctor ordered” in bad times. Additional postive credit union coverage can be seen in this Business Week [...]
The financial crisis presents well-capitalized credit unions with perhaps their best marketing and growth opportunities ever. But opportunity itself won’t attract new members. Here’s how Members Credit Union in North Carolina is using new media and a friendly voice to explain the crisis to the community – zigging while others zag.
Congratulations to 30 Under 30 [...]
A new, emerging branch of economics called behavioral economics attempts to take the messy concepts of psychology and behavior into consideration to develop new models of how people make economic decisions. In Debit vs. Credit: How People Choose to Pay, we examine a decision that is especially germane to credit unions.
Authors Victor Stango,PhD, University [...]
Why do many large credit unions grow rapidly and thrive, while others produce much slower growth in assets, membership, and earnings? Robert F. Hoel, Colorado State University Emeritus Professor of Business and a Filene Research Fellow, sought to answer that question by analyzing data from a five- year period beginning January 2002. The result is [...]
Melissa Troiano, 30 Under 30 member, Bridgeway FCU
Spokes people can be very influential in swaying the public’s opinion and influencing their decisions, which is probably why the FDIC hired Suze Orman.
With the current economic situation relative to the melt down of many of the county’s large “banks,” many people are afraid for the safety of [...]
