The Visionary 2026 Conference will feature an inspiring lineup of sessions designed to spark ideas, drive innovation, and empower the next generation of credit union leadership. From thought-provoking keynotes to in-depth panel discussions and engaging networking opportunities, each session will explore the trends and technologies shaping the future of finance.
Our team is finalizing an agenda filled with dynamic speakers, interactive workshops and valuable insights you won’t want to miss.
Check back here for updates as we continue to craft a schedule that will inform, inspire and connect the credit union community like never before.
| Time | Description | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00am - 4:00pm | Registration | Juniper Foyer | |
| 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Welcome Reception | Juniper 1 & 2 |
| Time | Description | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:45am - 8:45am | Breakfast | Magnolia Breezeway | |
| 7:45am - 5:00pm | Registration | Juniper Foyer | |
| 9:00am - 9:15am | General Session: CEO Welcome & Remarks Bob West is a results-driven executive with extensive experience in financial services and credit union leadership. Over his career, Bob has collaborated closely with boards, CEOs and executive teams to drive growth, manage change and deliver complex projects on time and within budget. His deep expertise spans operations, technology and risk mitigation, with a focus on infusing innovation and efficiency into credit union processes. | Bob West, CEO CU*SOUTH | Juniper 6 |
| 9:15am - 10:15am | General Session Keynote Becky Reed is a credit union industry veteran and thought leader with over two decades of leadership across credit unions and CUSOs. Known for her dual perspective as a credit union executive and CUSO innovator, she champions the belief that a frictionless member experience begins with empowered employees and modern technology. Becky's keynote will touch on a variety of topics, including the 7 Cooperative Principles of Credit Unions. | Becky Reed, BankSocial | Juniper 6 |
| 10:15am - 11:00am | Networking Break Sponsored by EDGE in Exhibit Hall EDGE connects applicant data, loan performance, and analytics across the entire borrower journey. From first lead to final repayment, every participant and every risk signal strengthens the network and compounds the benefits for all. | Juniper 1 & 2 |
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| 11:00am - 12:00pm | General Session Keynote With more than 30 years of financial services experience, Mark Sievewright has worked directly with numerous credit unions in the successful formulation and execution of their business strategies and plans. Mark is the recipient of several industry awards and is a recognized industry thought-leader. In his keynote, Mark will address the structural forces reshaping the financial services industry in 2026 and beyond. | Mark Sievewright, Sievewright & Associates | Juniper 6 |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Lunch Sponsored by eDOC Innovations eDOC Innovations’ DocLogic® Suite, CheckLogic® Suite and eDOCSignature® integrate seamlessly with existing applications, removing friction in digital transactions. Available on premise or SaaS, eDOC’s products support remote mobile and in-branch closings, eSignatures, form automation, deposit capture and electronic statements. | Magnolia Breezeway | |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | SavvyMoney: Driving Growth and Financial Wellness In this session, SavvyMoney explores how to transform digital banking from a simple utility into a powerful growth engine by putting financial wellness at the center of the member experience. You’ll learn how to leverage real-time credit insights and personalized, data-driven offers to strengthen member relationships, increase loan conversions and drive institutional profitability. Discover the tactical "Future of Digital Engagement" through frictionless tools that empower members to take control of their financial health while simultaneously deepening their loyalty to your credit union. | Justin Reich, Sales Specialist, SavvyMoney Bradley White, Partner Manager, SavvyMoney | Elderberry |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Corporate One: Immediate Payments, Immediate Insights: Unlocking the Power of Payment Data Immediate payments aren’t just about speed, they’re about intelligence. With ISO 20022 messaging embedded in every transaction, credit unions now have access to the richest, most actionable payment data ever available. This data opens the door to deeper member insights, smarter decision making, and more personalized financial solutions. In this session, we’ll explore how ISO 20022 powered immediate payment data has the ability to transform credit unions, how members are using these capabilities today, and why immediate payments represent far more than simply moving money, they’re shaping the future of member engagement. | Merrijo Hale, AVP, Member Growth Executive, Corporate One Aaron Shaner, Program Manager, Strategic Project Leadership, Corporate One | Silverbell |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Fuse Finance: Why Most AI Automation Fails—and a Proven Method to Get Results Most AI automation projects stall before delivering real results. In this session, Fuse walks through a 4-step methodology: giving AI clear team instructions, training it to beat human accuracy, removing manual review bottlenecks, and running QA separately. Real client data included, including a case study showing document processing accuracy improved from 60% to 82% in just six weeks. | Marc Escapa, Co-CEO, Fuse Finance | Juniper 3 |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Aurachain: Fraud.Watch: The Fraud Intelligence Network for Credit Unions Credit unions are facing increasingly sophisticated fraud patterns that span institutions and regions. This breakout session presents Fraud.Watch, a new industry initiative designed to help credit unions securely share fraud incidents, identify emerging typologies earlier, and coordinate responses - all within a governed and compliant framework built on the Aurachain platform. | Jonathan Wiener, Co-Founder & VP of North American Operation, Aurachain | Juniper 4 |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Bankjoy: The New Digital Banking Stack: Financial Wellness, Fraud Prevention, and Member Experience All in One Place The credit unions pulling ahead are the ones treating their digital platform as a channel that deepens relationships, drives loan growth, and turns everyday transactions into meaningful financial partnerships. In this session, we'll explore how leading credit unions are thinking about the intersection of financial wellness, fraud prevention, and providing a seamless, integrated member experience. We'll share real examples of community institutions getting this right, and give attendees a practical framework for building a digital strategy that grows with their members. | Mike Duncan, Founder and CEO, Bankjoy David Slaughter, Senior Sales Engineer, Bankjoy | Juniper 5 |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | Posh: Scaling Intelligence Across the Credit Union Experience - How AI Enables Consistent, Efficient, and Personalized Service In this session, Posh explores how credit unions can move beyond the hype of Artificial Intelligence to deliver consistent, high-impact member service. You’ll discover how to solve the fragmentation problem by unifying your voice and digital channels, allowing your team to automate routine tasks while providing more personalized, authenticated experiences. Learn the tactical steps to start small and scale intelligence across your entire institution, ensuring you stay competitive in an era where member expectations are defined by instant, 24/7 accessibility. | Kathy Sianis, SVP, Client Solutions & Partnerships, Posh | Elderberry |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | Payfinia: The Future of Member Loyalty: Revolutionizing the Journey with Embedded Payments In an era where "convenience is the new currency," credit unions must evolve beyond traditional transaction processing to remain at the center of their members' financial lives. This session explores how CU*SOUTH, in partnership with Payfinia, is empowering credit unions to reclaim the payment experience through seamlessly integrated, embedded financial services, including instant payments and digital wallet services. | Keith Riddle, General Manager, Payfinia Nizal Khan, Senior Sales Executive, Payfinia | Juniper 3 |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | The Sheeter Group: Executive Benefits: Tailoring Plans for the Individual Executive benefit plans are a critical tool for credit unions to retain, recruit, and incentivize key leaders. Each leader has a different impact, role, career trajectory, retirement timeline, and numerous other variables to consider. One plan cannot satisfy all situations. For better outcomes, an executive benefit plan must be customized to the individual. In this session, we’ll look at creative solutions for various scenarios. | Michael Blank, President, The Sheeter Group Liz Santos, Chief Consulting Officer, The Sheeter Group | Juniper 4 |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | BankBI: Beyond Spreadsheets: Automated Performance Analytics & Dynamic Budgeting & Forecasting Are you ready to replace manual workflows, outdated spreadsheets and fragmented data with a modern, cloud based automated approach to Financial Performance Analytics reporting and Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting? Join BankBI to find out how leading credit unions are transforming their financial operations. | Paul Sutherland, Commercial Director, BankBI | Juniper 5 |
| 3:15pm - 4:00pm | Networking Break | Juniper 1 & 2 |
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| 6:00pm - 10:00pm | Beach Party Sponsored by TransFund TransFund is a national payment processor offering robust debit and credit card solutions. With a strong focus on security, convenience and cost-effective services, TransFund empowers financial institutions to deliver streamlined payment experiences to their cardholders. They combine cutting-edge technology with responsive support to strengthen client relationships. | Marina Beach |
| Time | Description | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:45am - 8:45am | Breakfast | Magnolia Breezeway | |
| 7:45am - 3:00pm | Registration | Juniper Foyer | |
| 9:00am - 9:45am | General Session Keynote Dennis Dollar is principal partner of Dollar Associates, LLC, a consulting firm serving credit unions and their partners. Voted by Credit Union Times readers as the most influential credit union leader of the past 25 years, Dennis has shaped credit union policy and growth for decades. Appointed by President George W. Bush as Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) in 2001, Dennis oversaw all federal credit union regulations and the insurance fund protecting more than 9,000 institutions nationwide. Dennis' keynote will touch on the state of the credit union industry now, and whatt it could look like in the future. | Dennis Dollar, Dollar Associates | Juniper 6 |
| 9:45am - 10:15am | General Session Keynote A veteran payments professional and longtime SHAZAM employee, Diana Kern has more than three decades of industry experience. Always on target as a guest speaker, audiences welcome her practical insights on emerging payments, industry trends and the impact on financial institutions. She explains seemingly complicated things in a simple, relatable way, helping others understand what it means to them. A self-described "payments nerd," Diana’s enthusiasm and passion for all things payments results in a high-energy presentation. Diana's keynote will identify three blind spots affecting credit unions' debit card programs today. | Diana Kern, SHAZAM | Juniper 6 |
| 10:15am - 11:00am | Networking Break in Exhibit Hall | Juniper 1 & 2 |
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| 11:00am - 11:45am | General Session Keynote As CEO of CU*Answers, Geoff Johnson brings a wealth of practical lending experience and industry knowledge to the table with 17 years in credit union leadership roles that oversaw the strategic direction of lending and sales in the following areas: commercial, consumer, credit card, indirect, participation, real estate, and all aspects of collections. Geoff Johnson was appointed the Chief Operations Officer of CU*Answers in 2014, promoted to President/COO in 2018, and selected by the CU*Answers Board of Directors to serve as the CUSO’s Chief Executive Officer in 2021. | Geoff Johnson, CU*Answers | Juniper 6 |
| 11:45am - 12:00pm | Credit Union Acknowledgements Q&A | Bob West, CU*SOUTH Geoff Johnson, CU*Answers | Juniper 6 |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Lunch | Magnolia Breezeway | |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Turning Delinquencies Around: An Interactive Roundtable on Strategies for Collections Success In this interactive session, join the CU*SOUTH Collections team for a deep dive into the rising delinquency trends and call avoidance challenges currently impacting the industry. Rather than a traditional lecture, this roundtable invites you to share regional perspectives and explore high-impact, early-intervention strategies. You’ll walk away with a collective blueprint for reducing charge-offs and the tactical insights needed to bridge the growing gap in your delinquency queues. | Moderator: Jeana Harper, Manager of Collection Services, CU*SOUTH | Juniper 3 |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | ITM Panel Breakout Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) are a bridge between digital efficiency and personal service. Join moderator Joe Woods, SVP of Marketing & Partnerships at Dolphin Debit Access, for a dynamic panel discussion featuring leaders from four credit unions who are successfully redefining the branch experience. Discover how these institutions are leveraging ITM technology to enhance member engagement, optimize staffing and provide a higher level of personalized service that resonates with today’s tech-savvy members. Learn the tactical "how-to" of integrating ITMs into your growth strategy and see how the right technology can actually make your credit union feel more human. | Moderator: Joe Woods, SVP of Marketing & Partnerships, Dolphin Debit Access Panelists: Keisha Richards, CEO, St. Thomas FCU Cindy Lindsey, CEO & President, RVA Financial FCU Andy Gregory, Member Solutions Supervisor | Development, Union Pacific Streamliner FCU Claude McGill, Community Relations, Marketing, IT, Calhoun Liberty Credit Union | Elderberry |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Aptys Solutions Breakout Aptys Solutions is a premier provider of end-to-end payments technology. Their unified platform powers ACH, wires, international wires, checks and real-time payments through FedNow® and RTP®. More than 5,500 financial institutions trust Aptys to process billions of dollars in transactions each year. Driven by innovation and a client-centric mission, Aptys enables institutions to modernize their payment ecosystems, reduce complexity, unlock new revenue opportunities and deliver more secure, efficient payment experiences. | Juniper 4 | |
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm | Financial Resilience Roundtable: A Strategic Session for Financial Leaders What are the biggest hurdles standing between your credit union and its 2026 strategic goals? This collaborative session is a dedicated space for CFOs and financial leaders to share insights on current market pressures and successful growth pivots. From navigating regulatory complexities to auditing recent market tests, we’ll work together to identify the proven strategies that drive lasting financial strength and member impact. | Shari Weber, Director of Financial Services, CU*SOUTH | Juniper 5 |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | BSA Training Fulfill your yearly Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) training requirements with our focused session at Visionary. This workshop provides a thorough overview of the BSA Program, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) principles, Currency Transaction Reports & Suspicious Activity Reports (CTRs & SARs), and the latest in regulatory developments. Learn about OFAC compliance and the critical importance of avoiding noncompliance penalties through our expert-led discussions. Attendees will receive certificates of completion, showcasing your updated BSA compliance knowledge to auditors and examiners. | Michele Gonzales, Manager of Accounting Services, CU*SOUTH | Silverbell |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | Navigating a Cyber Attack: A Desktop Exercise In this high-energy, interactive session, step into the "war room" for a simulated cybersecurity crisis. Rather than just talking about security, you’ll work alongside CU*SOUTH’s IT Managed Services team and your peers to navigate a live-action incident response scenario, making the critical decisions needed to protect your data and your reputation. Join us for this tactical roundtable to test your institution’s readiness, identify hidden vulnerabilities and build a battle-tested blueprint for resilience in an increasingly hostile digital landscape. | Ron Martin, IT Manager, CU*SOUTH Dave Roberts, SVP of Information Services & Technology, CU*SOUTH Derrick Smith, COO, CU*SOUTH | Juniper 4 |
| 2:15pm - 3:00pm | Modern Marketing: Building an "Answer-Ready" Credit Union The rules of digital visibility have changed. In a world of ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, simply having a website isn't enough. It has to be "answer-ready." Join our marketing experts for a deep dive into the evolution of search, from traditional SEO to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). We’ll share a practical roadmap for ensuring your credit union’s mission is the first thing AI-influenced search engines find. Learn how to audit your digital footprint, reclaim your brand authority and ensure your website isn't just a brochure, but a high-performance engine for member acquisition. | Andy Goldstein, Director of Content Strategy, Brand825 | Juniper 5 |
| 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Closing Remarks & 2027 Save the Date | Juniper 6 | |
| 3:45pm - 4:30pm | CU*SOUTH Annual Shareholder Meeting | Shareholders | Juniper 6 |
| 6:00pm - 8:00pm | Shareholder's Dinner | Shareholders | Ovide Restaurant - Patio |