The Senate voted to confirm Kathy Kraninger as the next Director of the CFPB. Kraninger replaces Acting Director Mick Mulvaney, and will serve a five-year term as director – The Point

 Brendan Wilbur, community programs manager of Alternatives FCU, recently earned the Credit Union Development Educator designation from the National Credit Union Foundation – The Point

 Sperry FCU in Garden City Park, recently held its first “Cutest Pet Contest,” and made generous donations to the Long Island Cares Baxter Pet Pantry – The Point

 The National Renewable Energy Laboratory along with the Solar Energy Industries Association, will be hosting a workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 12 in Brooklyn, that will focus on solar lending by community and regional financial institutions – The Point

 NCUA has released its agenda for the agency’s upcoming board meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 13, at 10 a.m. – The Point

 Shoppers continued to make more of their holiday purchases online this year, and new data shows that they are spending more on experiences – CU Times

 U.S. jobs and wages rose by less than forecast in November while the unemployment rate held at the lowest in almost five decades, indicating some moderation in a still-healthy labor market – Bloomberg

 The CFPB got an earful on the use of artificial intelligence from members of three advisory boards who said traditional financial institutions are at a competitive disadvantage against nonbank fintech firms – CU Journal

 A special panel created by the governor and Legislature voted to increase the base pay for state legislators by more than 60 percent, raising it to $130,000 by 2021 – Times Union