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Articles by Aaron Pugh
Hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity estimates from slug tests in wells within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Arkansas and Mississippi, 2020
First posted July 2, 2025 During the spring and summer of 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted single-well slug tests on selected observation wells within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain in Arkansas and Mississippi to estimate hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity values for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial and middle Claiborne aquifers. Well and aquifer data were collected from field measurements, well-construction reports, and published aquifer-thickness information.
3 Takeaways From Day 2 Of GAC 2024
The Governmental Affairs Conference continued on Tuesday with a bevy of lawmakers, industry leaders, and others covering a variety of topics. Here are a few highlights. Don’t Be Cable A decade ago, cable and satellite TV dominated home entertainment. Today, streaming services rule the roost thanks to consumers in their late teens and twenties ditching cable and starting a revolution.
Evaluating the Translational Potential of Bacteriocins as an Alternative Treatment for Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Animals and Humans
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon. Open AccessReview by Lauren R. Heinzinger , Aaron R. Pugh , Julie A. Wagner and Michael Otto * Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Win The War Of The Email Inbox. Here’s How. | Credit Unions
After its 2011 merger with Addison Avenue Credit Union, First Tech Federal Credit Union’s ($7.7B, Mountain View, CA) Net Promoter Score soon began to drop. The credit union’s chief retail and marketing officer, Stephen Owen, was puzzled. When he dug into the data, Owen discovered the credit union’s contact strategies post-merger had not kept pace with its rapid membership growth.
Improve Member Experience | Credit Unions
As member-owned and operated institutions, credit unions focus time, effort, and resources on member experiences. This week, CreditUnions.com features success stories from credit unions across the industry. Whether by resolving complaints or onboarding new members, here's how credit unions are improving the member experience.
3 Ways To Put Millennials Behind The Wheel - General Features - News | Credit Unions
Americans in their teens, 20s, and early 30s were a driving force behind the rise of the sharing economy — a new crop of consumer behaviors and business models that offer lower costs than outright ownership. Yet for some, this mentality was not so much a choice as a reality imposed by the effects of the recession — including unemployment and underemployment — that hit this demographic disproportionally hard.
ASU researchers at forefront of emerging field: Biohistory
Thanks to an unlikely fusion of disciplines, it’s an interesting time to be dead — especially for the famous.
A Mandate For Discovery | Credit Unions
Terms like “discovery,” “exploration,” and “innovation” can mean many different things to many different people, with connotations both positive and negative. For example, some people choose to push the boundaries for their own benefit, looking for an edge on the competition. Others do so seeking solutions for others or ways to contain, reduce, and eliminate the world’s ills. And a final, lucky few happen upon new and wondrous things just by chance.
A Well-Rounded Loan Portfolio | Credit Unions
Indirect lending and participation loans have been key drivers of growth for many credit unions in recent years. According to Peer-to-Peer analysis from Callahan & Associates, indirect loans as a percentage of total credit union auto lending grew to 49.07% as of the end of 2014. Credit unions that did not engage in indirect lending and participation loans increased their loan portfolios by 7.41% last year compared with 10.82% growth for the industry as a whole.
The Building Of An Executive Team | Credit Unions
Turnover is a consequence of business, but a well-developed succession plan and thorough search of qualified candidates can help any organization absorb the disruption from the departure of high-level employees. That's why this week, CreditUnions.com takes a look at a few training, recruiting, and compensation strategies credit unions are using to develop their executive teams. If success breeds success, then credit unions are well advised to recruit executives who have had some of their own.
3 Ways To Improve Incentive Programs | Credit Unions
Workplace incentives foster employee loyalty and satisfaction as well contribute to the organization achieving its financial goals. Credit unions can adjust many incentive levers — including what gets incentivized, who gets incentivized, and how — to strike a balance between sales and service. Here, Greater Nevada Credit Union, Schools Financial Credit Union, and Ventura County Credit Union share strategies and tips that have helped take their own employee incentive programs to the next level.
Win The War Of The Email Inbox. Here’s How. | Credit Unions
After its 2011 merger with Addison Avenue Credit Union, First Tech Federal Credit Union’s ($7.7B, Beaverton, OR) Net Promoter Score soon began to drop. The credit union’s chief retail and marketing officer, Stephen Owen, was puzzled. When he dug into the data, Owen discovered the credit union’s contact strategies post-merger had not kept pace with its rapid membership growth.
7 Digital Marketing Ideas In 100 Seconds Or Less* | Credit Unions
Last month at The Financial Brand Forum, Matt Wilcox, senior vice president of marketing strategy and innovation at Fiserv, hit attendees with a list of best practices to get more out of their website, social efforts, and email outreach. Below, we offer a quick recap of these ideas, at a pace that even the busiest schedules can accommodate. The Early Bird Gets The Opens Contrary to popular belief, the most effective time of day for email open rates is 4 AM, Wilcox says.
Win The War Of The Email Inbox. Here’s How | Credit Unions
After its 2011 merger with Addison Avenue Credit Union, First Tech Federal Credit Union’s ($7.7B, Mountain View, CA) Net Promoter Score soon began to drop. The credit union’s chief retail and marketing officer, Stephen Owen, was puzzled. When he dug into the data, Owen discoveredthe credit union’s contact strategies post-merger had not kept pace with its rapid membership growth.
3 Investment Strategies For 3 Life Stages | Credit Unions
The stock market boom of 2014 and early 2015 might have had many investors smiling, but the economic boost likely skipped the majority of credit union members. According to a 2015 Bankrate survey, only 1 in 2 Americans own stocks. For those younger than 30, that figure drops to 1 in 4. Generations Community Federal Credit Union ($547.8M, San Antonio, TX) sees the evidence of this trend every day.
Members Bank From The Heart. Do You? | Credit Unions
It’s not very often that an ad for banking services hits people right in the heartstrings, yet that is exactly what happened when Simple CEO Joshua Reich unveiled his company’s ad for its new "Goals" feature to attendees at the recent 2015 Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas.
The Roles Less Traveled - General Features - News | Credit Unions
There’s a predictable pattern when it comes to the leadership structure at most businesses today. For example: All kidding aside, these roles are a crucial foundation in many organizations. However, forcing a credit union into a traditional structure that doesn’t suit its culture or goals is no path to success.
It’s Better To Be Real Than Perfect | Credit Unions
You’d be hard-pressed to find many companies in existence today that don’t cite transparency as a key part of their business strategy. But as Tim Russell, manager of organizational development at Nintendo, reminded attendees at last week’s Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas, being truly honest in business and in life is not for the faint of heart. According to Russell, the root of the word “sincere” is often thought to have derived from the Latin words “sine cera,” meaning without wax.
5 Rules For Running A Multibillion-Dollar Organization | Credit Unions
No one would accuse BECU ($13.1B, Seattle, WA) of thinking small. But as the footprint and capabilities have grown at the credit union, so, too, have the complexities in managing them. The following article examines five areas where BECU has reinforced ownership, regardless of the number of people, processes, or programs involved. A robust product line requires a robust approach.
Marketing To Millions | Credit Unions
The marketing team at BECU ($13.1B, Seattle, WA) frequently finds itself communicating with a combined current and potential membership base that reaches well into the millions, says Tom Berquist, the cooperative’s senior vice president of marketing and cooperative affairs.
How To Make Mortgages A Positive Experience | Credit Unions
Once buyers make up their minds about which institution they’re using for a mortgage, they tend to stick with that decision. Almost half of the respondents to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus’ 2015 National Survey of Mortgage Borrowers reported serious consideration of only one lender during their hunt, and 77% filed their sole application in a similarly loyal fashion.
A CFO’s Lessons From $10 Billion And Beyond | Credit Unions
With $13.1 billion in assets, 1,231 employees, more than 40 branches, and more than 886,000 members — a larger body of people than the population of the city it calls home — BECU ($13.1B, Seattle, WA) is a complex organization in every regard. BECU is subject to oversight from both the NCUA and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
2 Ways To Achieve Efficiency Beyond Your Weight Class | Credit Unions
At the end of third quarter 2014, the average U.S. credit union asset size was approximately $173 million, according to Callahan & Associates. That’s not small, per se, but it’s not huge either, especially in a world where size and scale are considered fundamental requirements for top-notch productivity and efficiency. The two mid-sized credit unions featured here prove that assumption dead wrong.
Are You In The Club? | Credit Unions
According to the 2014 BrightLocal SMB Internet Marketing Survey, creating awareness on a limited budget is one of the biggest challenges small to medium-sized businesses face. In fact, 83% of the survey’s respondents said they spent $1,000 or less on marketing per month.
Swipe Local And Save | Credit Unions
At the end of November 2014, local businesses across the country received a one-day, $14.3 billion boost in purchase activity as a result of Small Business Saturday, the day-after Black Friday holiday started by American Express in 2010 and billed as a way to counterbalance the big-box shopping sprees typical of the winter season. But many institutions also sustain their support of small businesses via payment programs that run all year long and reward close-to-home spending.
5 Things We Learned From CUSP 3Q 2014 | Credit Unions
What are you hoping to get out of 2015? More loans or a more nimble marketing? A better understanding of core technology options? A happier and more engaged workforce? Regardless of your priorities, there’s a good chance Callahan has you covered. The 3Q 2014 edition of Callahan’s Credit Union Strategy & Performance just hit desks. In celebration, here are five of the most important ideas and lessons we learned during production.
4 Tips To Stop Selling Products And Start Selling Experience | Credit Unions
From a member’s perspective, taking out a loan is just one of many required interactions that puts them one step closer to achieving a life goal, such as owning a home or securing reliable transportation. So what if a lender could adjust its business model so that it owned more of those critical activities? This is the strategy at Redwood Credit Union ($2.4B, Santa Rosa, CA).
Hot Air Might Lift You Up, But It’s Steam That Drives You Forward | Credit Unions
We’ve all been there before, posting on Facebook and Twitter, reading the comments section of a favorite news site, or watching television, saying things like “someone should do something,” “they need to solve that,” or “I wish we could help.” Yet how often do those sentiments prompt us to call our representatives, sign a petition, or join in a rally? How often do we spend the time to understand all the issues behind an event that upsets us, much less step forward in a real attempt at remedy?
Ban The Comment Box And Build Something Better | Credit Unions
Credit union employees all work for a cooperative, but do they communicate like they are a part of one? Some communication silos — such as those that commonly occur between the back office and the front line — are long standing and well documented. But silos can also flourish in the middle of a department, between managers and their employees, or even among the leadership team.
Give The Benefits, Save The Benjamins | Credit Unions
In 2014, the Great Place To Work Institute ranked ESL Federal Credit Union ($4.9B, Rochester, NY) No. 11 in its best medium-sized employer category. This nationwide rating was in no small part the result of the wealth of benefits the locally owned credit union provides its nearly 700 employees. According to data from Callahan & Associates, as of midyear 2014, ESL employees bring in more than double the net income per individual than employees at credit unions of a similar asset size.
"S" Is For Social | Credit Unions
At The Financial Brand Forum held this spring in Las Vegas, Michael Toner, the manager of social media at Navy Federal Credit Union ($66.8B, Merrifield, VA) presented on the strategies and best practices that have helped his credit union transition from social media as an experiment to social media as a thriving, measurable business line. Below is a quick, by-the-letter recap of some of Toner’s key takeaways.
5 Things To Learn From 1Q 2015 Strategy & Performance | Credit Unions
It's late July, and many readers have likely experienced the good (vacations, road trips, BBQ) and bad (sunburns, mosquitoes, bored children) of what summer offers. In all that hustle and bustle, the unread mail pile is also no doubt growing. But don't overlook one valuable item — the 1Q 2015 issue of Callahan’s Credit Union Strategy & Performance, which mailed earlier this month. The print version is perfect reading material for lazy days at the beach, long car rides, and camping trips.
Do Incentivized Rates For Deposits Pay Off? | Credit Unions
Core deposits for credit unions are like water to human beings — you need it to live, but too much too fast can be detrimental to your health. Banks today are finding themselves in the latter scenario and are throwing aside historic deposit incentives, such as free checking, to save their profits. So why are some credit unions not only maintaining free checking but also pricing deposits more aggressively than the competition?
Generation “Us" | Credit Unions
Puzzled by Gen Y? Well, now there's this new crowd on deck — Generation Z — that’s about to enter the workforce and make some very meaningful changes. In August, the Huffington Post reported on how this new generation will build on the strengths of my Generation Y, but without our naivetés and shortcomings. Gen Z is composed of individuals who have lived most of their lives in recession and war, among other struggles.
Generation “Us" | Credit Unions
Puzzled by Gen Y? I think I finally understand the sentiment. See there’s this new crowd on deck — Generation Z — that’s about to enter the world and the workforce in some very meaningful ways over the next few years. According to some, this generation will build on many of the strengths my generation often claims to posses, but will also be absent many of our naivetés and shortcomings.
The No-Regrets Expansion Plan | Credit Unions
Situated between the bustling city of Minneapolis and the lakeside town of Duluth, MN, sits the headquarters of Lake State Credit Union ($187.2M, Moose Lake, MN), a growing cooperative with six branches and 80 employees. Chartered in 1939, this institution has spent the past three decades serving a growing swath of rural communities along the 150-mile stretch of Highway 35 that connects Minneapolis and Duluth. “We advertise heavily with billboards along that route,” says CEO Tim Smith.
Many Hands Make Fundraising Easy | Credit Unions
As crowdfunding becomes a mainstream alternative to traditional lending channels, credit unions should take note of the lessons they can learn from the practice of aggregating dollars in support of a shared goal. Ontario's Northern Credit Union — which has roughly $1 billion in assets and approximately 55,000 members — uses crowdfunding to serve needs that exist beyond what the financial cooperative can accomplish through its own direct business lending.
You Can Do It, They Can Help | Credit Unions
In 1980, only 12 business incubators were operating in the United States, according to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), an organization representing small business cultivation services worldwide. By 2012, that number had jumped to more than 1,250. Incubators continue to grow in prevalence today, thanks in part to their ability to leverage community-oriented partners like credit unions to expand their reach. But the benefits of those alliances go both ways.
Divide The Risk, Multiply The Impact | Credit Unions
Unmet financing needs don't magically disappear the moment a borrower walks out the door. And leaders in the lending space don't call it a day when they've hit a wall with their direct lending capabilities. Instead, they find like-minded partners to help them power through obstacles.
Many Hands Make Fundraising Easy | Credit Unions
As crowdfunding becomes a mainstream alternative to traditional lending channels, credit unions should take note of the lessons they can learn from the practice of aggregating dollars in support of a shared goal. Ontario's Northern Credit Union — which has roughly $1 billion in assets and approximately 55,000 members — uses crowdfunding to serve needs that exist beyond what the financial cooperative can accomplish through its own direct business lending.
A Strategy To Enhance Lending Opportunities | Credit Unions
According to Chinese philosophy, there are two sides to every aspect of life, and maintaining a balance between the two is key to achieving long-term harmony. For Self-Help Credit Union ($673M, Durham, NC), this two-sided philosophy works equally well for financial services. The credit union itself consists of two separate institutions.
6 Tips To Host Electrifying Employee Events | Credit Unions
Doors open, doors close. Cash moves in, cash moves out. Plans are made, plans are executed. It’s a familiar story — that never-ending lineup of starts, stops, and repetitions that comprise the majority of many businesses’ working hours.
Split-Leadership Helps Honor Keep It Local | Credit Unions
There’s no better way to visit a new place than in the company of a local — they know the right food, the right sights, the right routes, and a hundred other tips you’d never find in a guidebook. For businesses, expanding into a new location has its own learning curve that is rife with occasional missteps and delays that can limit the value of the endeavor.
Split-Leadership Helps Honor Keep It Local | Credit Unions
There’s no better way to visit a new place than in the company of a local — they know the right food, the right sights, the right routes, and a hundred other tips you’d never find in a guidebook. For businesses, expanding into a new location has its own learning curve that is rife with occasional missteps and delays that can limit the value of the endeavor.
Split-Leadership Helps Honor Keep It Local | Credit Unions
There’s no better way to visit a new place than in the company of a local — they know the right food, the right sights, the right routes, and a hundred other tips you’d never find in a guidebook. For businesses, expanding into a new location has its own learning curve that is rife with occasional missteps and delays that can limit the value of the endeavor.
Matched Savings At Hudson Valley Helps Borrowers Buy Homes - General Features - News | Credit Unions
According to a 2012 report from the EARN Research Institute, nearly 57 million low- and middle-income Americans qualify for grant-based matched savings accounts — a specialized financial product that funnels matched funds for qualifying deposits from a variety of public and private sources. These funds can influence whether the nation’s most economically vulnerable individuals achieve various life goals and improve their future outlook.
The One-Stop Home-Buying Shop | Credit Unions
For consumers, finding the right home for their needs is a complex undertaking that requires many pieces of information to make a good decision. Yet all too often, buyers overlook two trustworthy sources for assistance: their neighborhood financial institution — which they might view more as a pit stop for financing rather than a partner through all stages of the home-buying journey — and the insights of other shoppers.
Be The Good News In Bad Times | Credit Unions
Multiple wars and escalating tensions abroad, riots and abuses of power at home — combine this influx of negative recent events with the media's unfortunate "if it bleeds it leads" perspective and something as simple as turning on the television or logging in to your favorite news website can be a real blow to the heart and head. According to New York Magazine, this constant flood of negativity can — en masse — contribute to a jaded worldview and a sense of malaise about the future.
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