Dick Swanson had a chance to unpack his suitcase last week, but it won't be empty for long. Swanson, president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, this spring has visited hundreds of the bank's members during weeklong trips throughout its five-state district. This week, he plans to travel to New York City to meet with officials of the major credit rating agencies and update them on the bank's progress during the past 12 months. In April 2006, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service placed the bank on a credit watch, which put its AAA credit rating at risk. Though that status was lifted in September, both agencies still list the bank's financial outlook as "negative." The Federal Home Loan Bank's financial health is of key concern to the more than 1,250 banks, credit unions and insurance companies that are stockholders in the cooperatively owned institution.