Des Moines–Credit union representatives from across the state will gather at the Iowa State Capitol at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 18 as Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signs a proclamation declaring the day as Credit Union Day in Iowa.

"While this is part of an international initiative, it's important that we recognize at the state level the importance credit unions have in their communities," said Patrick S. Jury, CEO/President of the Iowa Credit Union League. "We appreciate Governor Branstad signing this proclamation and recognizing the work credit unions do to help their members."

The Credit Union Day proclamation recognizes the Iowa credit union community for its continuing advancement of the financial well-being of credit union members and the contributions made to their respective communities.

International Credit Union Day is celebrated the third Thursday of October each year. This year's theme "Members Matter Most" speaks to the heart of the credit union philosophy of "people helping people."

Credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives that provide an effective and viable alternative to for-profit financial institutions for more than 196 million members in 100 countries worldwide. They exist to serve their members, providing a safe place to save money and access affordable loans.

As part of Credit Union Day, many Iowa credit unions will be holding celebrations in their branches. To find out more about International Credit Union Day, visit www.woccu.org/events/icuday.

The Iowa Credit Union League is the trade association that represents the interests of Iowa credit unions and their nearly one million members. Credit unions are not-for-profit, financial cooperatives owned and operated by their members. Iowans use their credit union membership to receive higher interest rates on savings and lower interest rates on loans. For more information on ICUL and Iowa credit unions, visit IowaCreditUnions.com. Follow ICUL on Twitter at www.twitter.com/icul or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iowalittleguy.

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Thousands of Illinois Residents Getting Help to Save Their Homes; South Holland Event is Latest to Connect Families Facing Foreclosure with Resources

SOUTH HOLLAND - October 13, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today met with homeowners seeking help from foreclosure and outlined the progress of his Illinois Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN) that has been helping thousands of families across the state stay in their homes.

Thanks to the network, Illinois homeowners who are struggling with their mortgage payments are able to access the assistance and information they need to help them avoid foreclosure. The "Keep Your Home, Illinois" regional foreclosure prevention workshop was held at the South Holland Community Center.

"The home is the foundation of working families across Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "Keeping people in their homes strengthens families, communities and our economy. The Illinois Foreclosure Prevention Network provides homeowners with the guidance they need to do what's best for their families at no cost."

Most importantly, it offers homeowners a safe and trusted source for assistance so they do not fall prey to mortgage rescue scams offered by unscrupulous business entities.

IFPN has made a far-reaching impact, enabling tens of thousands of residents in every part of Illinois to access services they need to help them keep their homes. Thanks to IFPN:

·         Almost 350,000 homeowners have accessed either the IFPN website or the Illinois Hardest Hit program website.

·         More than 10,000 people have called IFPN help hotlines.

·         More than 37,000 homeowners have received homeownership counseling.

·         Almost 1,800 people have attended a series of IFPN workshops across the state.

·         More than 4,600 homeowners have been given more than $52 million in mortgage payment assistance with almost $105 million in funds approved through the Illinois Hardest Hit program.

"When the governor launched the IFPN, we knew that it was the best way to help people navigate the often confusing and overwhelming world of foreclosure prevention assistance programs," said Mary Kenney, executive director of the IHDA. "We now see the impact and success of IFPN and we will continue to reach out across the state so more and more people can get the help they need."

As states across the nation recover from the Great Recession, foreclosures continue to be a challenge. As of September, according to RealtyTrac, one in 376 Illinois homes had some form of foreclosure filing on record. The first half of 2012 saw a 3.1 percent increase in foreclosure filings in the Chicago region, compared to the same period in 2011. For the same period, Cook County as a whole saw an increase of 3.4 percent.

"Under Governor Quinn's leadership, Illinois has made many important strides to reduce foreclosures and protect homeowners - including providing access to free homeownership counseling," Kenney said. "Studies show that housing counseling nearly doubles the chances of mortgage modifications and reduces the likelihood of re-default by at least 67 percent. We are pleased that through IFPN, more than 37,000 homeowners have been referred to counseling."

Interagency cooperation and partnerships are a key element of IFPN, linking the various agencies and nonprofit organizations that play essential roles in providing resources to Illinois homeowners.

"We are proud to be one of the 68 counseling agencies providing services under the network," said Ofelia Navarro, executive director of the Spanish Coalition for Housing. "Governor Quinn understands that homeowners have difficulty understanding and keeping up with which foreclosure prevention programs are available to them. Now more than ever, as the number of programs increase, homeowners need guidance to choose the best option for them."

Under Governor Quinn, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) comprise the IFPN.

Illinois residents who are having trouble paying their mortgage, facing foreclosure or know someone who is should reach out to IFPN as soon as possible by calling the IFPN hotline at 855-KEEP-411 or by visiting www.keepyourhomeillinois.org. A list of upcoming IFPN events is also available.

About IHDA

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (www.ihda.org) is an independent, self-supporting bonding authority that finances the creation and preservation of affordable housing throughout Illinois. Since 1967, IHDA has allocated more than $11.1 billion to finance more than 221,000 affordable housing units for the residents of Illinois.

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Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012

Grassley, Thune Continue to Seek Answers on Federal Money to Battery Company with Chinese Investor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Thune (R-S.D.) continue to press for answers about a $249.1 million federal grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy through the controversial 2009 stimulus bill to a battery manufacturer that could soon be owned by a Chinese investor.  Grassley and Thune sent a letter this week to the chief executive officer of A123 Systems based in Massachusetts questioning whether U.S. tax dollars are going to benefit a Chinese company rather than U.S. taxpayers and express concern about national security risks.

"We need to be sure that when the federal government invests close to a quarter of a billion dollars in grants to a company, that the technology developed as a result of this taxpayer support doesn't end up in China," Grassley said.  "We'll continue to press for answers and for a full accounting from the Administration on how these grants are made and whether any measures are taken to prevent tax dollars from being wasted.  This situation requires transparency and accountability."

"With over 23 million Americans unemployed or underemployed and struggling to make ends meet, the federal government should not be sending millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to a Chinese company to support Chinese jobs," said Thune.  "The president promised his stimulus bill would reduce unemployment to 6 percent by now, but instead, unemployment just dropped below 8 percent for the first time since the president took office nearly four years ago.  The American people have a right to know whether stimulus dollars will be used to support the creation of Chinese jobs."

In August, Grassley and Thune wrote to the Department of Energy after the company was faltering and had just announced a $450 million investment deal with a Chinese company to express concern about tax dollars going to a struggling company.

Grassley and Thune said their concerns continue, in part because the Department of Energy has not answered basic questions.  Because of the way the deal is structured, China-based Wanxiang can transfer some of A123's debt into ownership.  The China-based company could end up owning 80 percent of A123. Billions of tax dollars already have flowed to foreign companies through stimulus bill spending.  This deal could lead to foreign government access to technology that A123 has described as "innovative" and "next generation."  A123 holds several multi-million dollar contracts with the Department of Defense and is pursuing more defense contracts for military vehicles, power grids, high energy lasers, advanced armor, and unmanned defense vehicles.

Grassley and Thune said that if A123 is close to being owned by a Chinese company, then the public deserves to know:  how much of the federal stimulus grant the company has yet to receive; what safeguards are in place for taxpayer-funded intellectual property; if taxpayer-funded jobs will stay in the United States; if the Energy Department raised any objections to the financing deal and if it didn't, why not?  In addition, the Administration must account for what protections are in place for classified information of the Department of Defense, Grassley and Thune said.

The text of the latest Grassley-Thune letter is available here.  The text of their August letter to the Department of Energy is available here.

Stories of workplace bullying are commonplace throughout the United States.

Some real-life examples:

Mavis: "When I started there, I was told that someone had been acting in the position and had expected to get the job. This person continually undermined me and turned other staff against me. I endured 12 months of hell, and felt as if I was sinking in quicksand."

A male employee at a different company: "The misery took over my whole life. I turned nasty and bitter and treated my wife and kids like whipping posts. After many visits to a psychologist, I was able to think of all the positive things in my life. Now I look back and think I wouldn't want to go through that experience again."

In general, there are no legal repercussions for non-physical bullying except in specific cases, such as sexual harassment. In fact, bullying is a character trait that tends to be condoned in American society. Consider our national obsession -- football. The object of this celebrated game is to get the ball to the other player's goal, no matter what it takes: trampling, hitting, pushing, screaming. If football is a metaphor for American society, then the winner is the person who pushes others out of the way and wins no matter the cost.

Bullies win by controlling situations and people around them. They crave power and the attention that comes from getting what they want.

The effects of working with a bully

Adults have a difficult time performing their jobs effectively when subjected to bullying by a co-worker. It takes a toll physically because of our physiological responses to emotional stress. Typically, victims endure feelings of depression, guilt and shame, and they suffer sleep loss and fatigue.  In some cases, victims begin to believe the bully's behavior is warranted, and they develop feelings of worthlessness. They cannot complete tasks at the same level as others in their units.

Victims of bullying may suffer from panic disorders, post traumatic stress syndrome, agoraphobia and stress-induced high blood pressure. If they leave the job or are docked because of resulting lowered performance, they face economic issues. Some take their own lives.

The abuse takes a toll on victims in every way imaginable.

Are you a bully?

Being accused of being the bully can be difficult to accept. You may believe your actions were unintentional, or a justified emotional response to provocation. Perhaps, you see yourself as the only one in the office qualified to do anything right.  However, whatever you have said or done, whether purposefully or not, you have created a culture of negativity for at least one person and you need to honestly assess the situation and your role in it.

Symptoms that you may be the bully include :

• Insulting a coworker (remember, one person's "joke" may be another's insult).

• Undermining another employee's work by creating a hostile environment or perhaps by consistently calling their attention to "flaws". (Bullies focus on a person, while constructive criticism focuses on a task.)

• As an employer, ignoring your employees' suggestions.

• Humiliating your employee in front of others.

If any of these sound like something that you may be doing, it is important to address this immediately with your victim. You may want to speak with your doctor about getting help, such as counseling, sensitivity training, anger management and other seminars.

It is important to understand the signs and symptoms of a bully in order to help the victim and the victimizer deal with and exterminate the behavior.

If you are a victim, diligently record workplace bullying events. If you choose to make a formal complaint, you will be responsible for providing information should there be charges brought against the bully.

About Rakesh Malhotra

Rakesh Malhotra, founder of Five Global Values (www.FiveGlobalValues.com), is a world-traveled, values-driven business leader who specializes in organization behavior. Rakesh's fascination with the connection between human behavior and core values was sparked many years ago. As a result of working, living, and traveling around the world to nearly  40 countries, Rakesh realized that the Five Global Values determine overall  human behavior  across all cultures. He is also the author of Adventures of Tornado Kid: Whirling Back Home Towards Timeless Values.