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Debbie Matz

Feb. 26, 2013 – NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz, pointing to record growth and complexity in the credit union industry, said Monday that the agency is exploring more rule changes to allow added innovation by credit unions as it allocates its supervision staff more efficiently.

Matz, speaking before an industry conference in Washington, pointed to these developments and more in describing a "new" NCUA that is more responsive to emerging risks, industry challenges and credit unions' needs.

Describing the shift, Matz pointed out that today's credit union is no longer stuck in post-housing-crisis mode. For example:

• Industry return on assets reached 86 basis points last year, up from 18 basis points in 2009.
• Net worth is at a "very strong" 10.4 percent and is still growing.
• Lending has risen over seven straight quarters; delinquencies and charge-offs have declined for four straight quarters.
• Credit union membership is growing nearly 50 percent faster than in 2009.

Matz said NCUA is staffing to bring new and varied expertise into the agency's supervision force as long-time experienced staff retire. Since 2009, she said, 75 percent of NCUA offices have welcomed new directors. Overall, 40 percent of examiners have been with the agency for fewer than five years, she said.

She reviewed her regulatory modernization initiative unveiled last year and noted the agency's move to streamlined examinations for smaller credit unions and the establishment of the agency's National Examinations and Supervision Office.

The small credit union program began last year. The NES office, beginning next year, will handle all exams of corporate credit unions plus natural-person credit unions with more than $10 billion in assets.

• Matz speech
• "New exam process for big CUs in 2014," 7/27/12
• "Exam process streamlined for small FCUs", 7/23/12