Card Services for Credit Unions, the association of credit unions that process their card transactions on the FIS platform, is expanding its consulting program for credit cards to include debit cards as well. Each PCS consultant assists member credit unions with a free analysis of their card portfolios and proactively identifies opportunities to increase penetration, activation, usage and retention, ultimately increasing card program performance and profitability. "Our portfolio consultant gave us the necessary strategies to move our portfolio in the right direction," University of New Orleans FCU CEO Chris Maurer said. Over the past several years, debit cards have been essential to the growth of electronic payments volume. In 1999, debit card volume accounted for just 5% of all payment volume. Today, debit cards account for more than 17% of all payment volume. In today's economy, where consumers are trying harder to control their spending and reduce their debt, debit cards will continue to be the driving force in electronic payment volume growth for our member credit unions. –[email protected]