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| Besides, "dead horses" usually become even more bloated... |
Well, thought the now infamous Jim Nussle description of CUNA as "bloated, top heavy, siloed, and inefficient" had probably out-lived its usefulness. Time to move on. No sense continuing to flog that dead horse; enough is enough - right?
And besides, Mr. Nussle, once again this week,
pledged budget cuts to CUNA credit unions in Portland "including a $1.4 million budget reduction, which will be returned to member credit unions in the form of reduced dues in 2016". [CUTimes - 10/6/15]
Personally, was even more encouraged by this
bold statement from Mr. Nussle quoted in the same article: "Asking you to send me a check so I can hire more lobbyists isn't going to work . If you want to move the needle, you have to engage real people in this business of advocacy."
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| The Real Thing? |
Was getting kind of excited to see that Mr. Nussle finally understood that lots of folks were considering not sending him a check next year to "hire more lobbyists" [- or anything else!]. And, you know, that "engage real people" phrase almost turned me into a Jim Nussle convert...
Until I saw this...
Mr. Nussle's "first budget cut" (note the posting date) is to create a new, $150,000-$200,000 position in a "top heavy" organization in the "Engagement Department".
[Won't even bother to point out to you the proposed duties of this new, expensive "real engagement" person - for whom all of CUNA's 5,200+ "small"(in this case defined as less than $1 billion in assets) will help pay!]
Anyone else think this is complete...
DOES THIS POSITION COME BEFORE OR AFTER THE "BUDGET CUTS"?
15 comments:
That's a very big pay check for a non-executive position! Those announced $1.4 million in so-called savings are quickly disappearing.
Sorry but got to go, time to update my CV and send it in to Mr. Nussle.
Don't expect CUNA will be a NOBULL prize winner anytime soon.
I disagree Jim and think Nussle should hire two good lobbyists for the price of his new mega-credit-union-butt-kisser.
I think they are looking for a miracle worker and I will offer one simple bit of advice that I think they need badly. This advice has worked well in a lot of different situations in the past. "Just do your frigging job and everything will be allright." If they need help in figuring that out they should just leave quietly...
It is easy to spend other peoples money.
Jim-
What I have not seen discussed is CUNA Mutual Group pulling back millions and millions of dollars from the leagues and CUNA. It is a major reason why our league raised our dues for 2016. My question is, how can CUNA cut dues, save $1.4 million and hire a Chief Transformation Officer and this new CU Relations Officer?
I'm not a CPA but I slept at a Holiday Inn last night and I still can't make the math work.
Not for all the tea in China would I want Nussle's job. All things considered, I find him to be a sincere and good-heartened man that inherited a broken system that he's working hard to improve. Can I ask someone here from the brave Anti-CUNA ANONYMOUS Group, specifically, what would you have done differently had you been the chosen one a year ago for CUNA's whipping boy, commander & chief? Do recall, most of the points of contention commonly mentioned here & elsewhere, are decisions made by the CUNA board, not just Nussle.
Watching the Nussle era unfold would lead one to believe that he was of the same political party as one of his previous ineffective predecessors named Mica. Mica's solution to a problem was to throw money at it and it seems Nussle is following the same philosophy. Eureka! It's DC! Things never change!
For one reduce staff and overall budget, dramatically, to show a desire to achieve solid reforms. Board may vote it up or down, but as we CEO's know, if packaged and sold to the board correctly we can influence the outcome of the vote.
If Nussle would have said, I'm taking a pay cut, small as it may be, it would have sent a message. I think the CUNA Mutual pull back had a huge effect on some of the state's league's. I kind of feel this whole due's cut thing is to appease some of the naysayers out there and if they can calm everyone down for the time being it will be back to business as usual, as shown by the two new high $ positions they are hiring.
It took Nussle 3 minutes at CUNA to cut key staff. He recently presented a significant budget cut. NEXT?
Ain't no fun when the rabbit's got the gun.
Michael,
To most folks there is a difference between a "dues reduction", a "budget cut", and "came in under current budget forecast" scenarios.
Not sure I've seen the "details" on any of these from CUNA (just yak!), have you?
How do you expect the CUNA board to cut the dues? Wouldn't that impact their pay as a director? You don't get a board position for bucking the system, no matter how broken it is! Where have I heard this before? I remember! HR1151 - If we all hang together and sing Kumbaya, we'll come out ahead. Now we are killing ourselves to get out from under this flawed legislation. CUNA has proven to be inefficient and unable to help credit unions with their one size fits all mentality.
That alone is reason to call for a radical change.
More details are clearly needed. It is not possible to have a dues reduction, a budget cut, CUNA Mutual stopping their money flow, and hire new high-paid staffers all at the same time. It can't be done.
CUNA directors are unpaid volunteers...certainly Board travel is a component of their bloated budget but this is not the main culprit. Too many employees for today's credit union mission is the issue that needs to be addressed to promote meaningful change. I still feel the Leagues will eventually force CUNA to downsize as the defections become too onerous.
It is actually very simple. Join me back in 2005. How many CUs were there? FF ahead to the final quarter of 2015 and ask the same questions. There is at least 50% fewer CUs which is why CUNA routinely plays on the number of members, not the number of CUs. CUNA is not 50% smaller, or leaner or less bloated, but they should be and with what NAFCU is doing its only a matter of time. History Is, and time creates more converts (or in CUNA's case former clients) than reason. Since Mr. Blaine left CUNA last year I have heard him called a "traitor" , "bully" and a "bloviator." In time everyone is going to be calling him one thing, they will say he was RIGHT.
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