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You may not realize it, but this year’s holiday ads are chock-full of gadgets that use artificial intelligence, or AI. Many people associate AI with robots and science fiction movies, but the reality is that if you have a digital assistant, cell phone or computer, then you are already interacting with AI technology...

Got plans to travel this holiday season? Unless you’re hitching a free ride on Santa’s sleigh, visiting your out-of-state friends and family could end up costing you more than you expected. According to the United States Department of Transportation, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is one of the busiest times of the year for travelers. Compared to the average for the rest of the year, the number of long-distance trips (50 miles or more) made by Americans jumps up by 54% during Thanksgiving, and 23% during the Christmas and New Year’s season...

The holiday season is my favorite time of year. I have always felt that it’s a time of happiness and thanks centered on giving to those you love and the less fortunate. But thanks to the commercialization of the holidays, they can also be stressful if you’re scrambling to keep up with the increased expenses of the season. Believe or not, every year I use this opportunity to look at my finances and see where the gaps are...

Now that the rush to buy this year’s hottest gifts has begun, it’s important to remember that there’s a different way to get into the giving spirit this holiday season—and it won’t cost you a penny. This year, you can make a difference in the life of local residents in need by simply donating your gently used sweaters, coats or jackets that your family no longer wears.

Let me ask you a question: Did your parents teach you the importance of balancing a checkbook, making sure you never made a late car payment or establishing an emergency savings for a rainy day?

Since 1948, the third Thursday of every October has been recognized as International Credit Union (ICU) Day®: a day to celebrate the credit union difference. Today, October 19, 2017, VyStar and credit unions around the globe will be honoring the rich history of the credit union movement, as well as the men and women who worked hard to make it possible.

In today’s environment, technology is all around us—and we are constantly connected. This applies to our children as much as it does to adults, if not more so. Our kids are growing up in the “smartphone era.” Even if they don’t have a smartphone yet, they know how to use yours. They might even have a tablet device, such as a Kindle Kids Edition.

For many of us, the holidays are a time for giving. For fraudsters, however, it’s prime time for stealing money or personal information from unsuspecting victims. If you want to have a worry-free season, protecting yourself against their latest tactics is an important and necessary step.

One of my favorite times of the year is when football returns in early September. I can’t help but feel the thrill of a new season, when anything is possible for every team. I love keeping up with the storylines that develop with each game and watching the drama unfold throughout the season.

As VyStar transitions into a new phase following the retirement of our President/CEO Terry West, it is an honor to serve as your Interim President/CEO. Having served VyStar in the lending area for over 25 years, I would like to take this opportunity to review a topic that affects all of us: interest rate changes.