MADISON, Wis.— Strategic Innovation Institute will be offered in an online format in 2021, talent development leader CUES® has announced. This challenging academic program is tailored specifically for…
Bank Business eMagazine
-Credit Union Partners with Payrailz to Provide Members a Comprehensive Payments Platform – Glastonbury, CT – April 13, 2021 – Payrailz®, a digital payments company offering smarter, more engaging payment experiences to banks and credit unions across the United…
SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 12, 2021) – SWBC has announced that it recently acquired the auto claims division of DIMONT, the largest provider of specialty insurance…
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Aptys Solutions Announces New CEO
Leading fintech company names Naseer Nasim as its President and CEO NORCROSS, Ga., April 5, 2021 –Aptys Solutions, a leading provider of cloud-based payments technology,…
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REX JOHNSON PASSES AWAY AT 77
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2021 – Lending Solutions Consulting, Inc (LSCI) is sad to announce the passing of its founder, A. Rex Johnson at the age…
As Americans search for ways to recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a familiar savings tool has been sharpened into an efficient…
Consumers today are, in many ways, spoilt for choice when it comes to the technology available to help them make living, eating, working, shopping and…
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7 Steps to a Complete Sales Process
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to spend an entire day shadowing team members in a client’s branch network. I do quite a…
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Who’s to Blame? Beyond the Cloud
In February, the Senate Intelligence Committee hosted a hearing about the supply chain attack that affected SolarWinds and dozens of other companies and federal agencies,…
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IMM, Hawthorn River Lending Partner to Accelerate Digital Transformation for Community Banks
–Digital loan origination solution enables end-to-end electronic processing helping banks close more loans, faster while providing an enhanced customer experience– RAHWAY, N.J., March16, 2021 – IMM, the only…
“Transparency.” It’s a goal, a claim, and a buzzword. It’s also an often-heard pledge by businesses offering everything from sportswear to auto parts to health…
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Focusing on Financial Inclusion
How Financial Institutions Can Better Support Financial Inclusion and Wellness The pandemic has underscored many issues and gaps within the financial services industry. For banks…
Relocation to Hawaii to help drive new design, build business on the Islands CHESTERFIELD, Mo., March 9, 2021–NewGround, a St. Louis-based innovative architecture, design, and…
McCarthy joins team to accommodate company growth and support Cirrus’ proven, service-oriented approach EVERGREEN, Colo. – Mar. 8, 2021 – Cirrus, a provider of cloud-based document…
It’s no secret the pandemic has dramatically increased emotional and especially financial stress for many Americans. Prior to the coronavirus, many consumers had few reserves…
SAN ANTONIO, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — SWBC Investment Company and AlphaCentric Advisors LLC announced that SWBC Investment Company has assumed responsibility as investment sub-advisor of…
Every year, millions of older Americans lose significant portions of their life savings to financial exploitation, and researchers estimate that up to 20 percent of…
Many years ago, I remember sitting in a meeting led by our team’s Senior Vice President where he was discussing his vision for our outbound…
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SWBC Leverages FICO Customer Communications Services to Deliver More Successful Debt Resolutions
With FICO, leading financial services company can more easily connect with borrowers in customizable, action-oriented interactions SWBC leverages FICO® Customer Communication Services for Collections (CCS) to…
Phoenix (February 22, 2021) – Bell Bank has hired Tom Lucero as senior vice president/commercial banking C&I team leader for Bell’s Phoenix metro locations. Lucero…
Account holders have unique stories and varying financial needs, which makes delivering meaningful engagements increasingly difficult from afar. Although the line in the sand has…
Are you cold calling and reaching out to prospects more than they’re calling you? Are you having to constantly explain who you are and what…
Most banks and lenders are well aware of how synthetic identities can be used to fraudulently open a bank account and secure a credit card…
A study by Northwestern Mutual shows that over 26% of Americans took part in some form of payment deferral plan last year. While deferments provided much-needed…
As the global economy continues to struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government has pledged $284 billion in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program…
Minneapolis (February 8, 2021) – Bell Bank has promoted three team members – Melissa Deike, Chad Jaroszewski and Rebecca Borland – who lead treasury management…
In preparation for 2020, Safe Harbor Credit Union set a number of reasonable, achievable goals for its lending portfolio. Unfortunately, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit,…
Richardson, Texas, Jan. 2021 — ARGO, the leading provider of high-value technology and analytical-sciences software for the financial services and healthcare industries, announced that through…
Ledbetter to provide leadership, direction for all aspects of construction CHESTERFIELD, Mo., February 2, 2021–NewGround, a St. Louis-based innovative architecture, design, and project management firm,…
Thanks to the latest digital technology, consumers seeking the right financial institution has become more proactive. Not only do they research their own customer journey…
Selling GSE-eligible mortgages is looking considerably more profitable than it has in years. Lender profitability has skyrocketed according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) performance…
Additional stimulus payments, traditional seasonal liquidity trends, lower loan demand and the low-rate environment could challenge financial institutions even further to deploy excess cash effectively…
January 28, 2021 – Cincinnati, Ohio – DEI, a leading design/build company working with banks and credit unions nationally, announces the addition of two new team…
Wow! I think that one word sums up 2020 pretty well. As we started the year, we found ourselves becoming educated about what a worldwide…
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IMM Elevates Howard Klein to COO, Michael Ball to Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation
–Company promotes two key executives to drive future growth and expansion– RAHWAY, N.J., Jan. 27, 2021 – IMM, the only eSignature provider that specializes in digital transaction solutions…
While still a relatively new development, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is fast becoming the industry norm for banks, credit unions, and a host of others…
The business community has high hopes for 2021 to be the year when struggling companies and individuals get back on their feet, but a widespread…
Ibarra to assist with contract negotiations, proposal responses CHESTERFIELD, Mo., January 18, 2021–NewGround, a St. Louis-based innovative architecture, design, and project management firm, is excited…
The recent COVID pandemic prompted many banks to convert their customer contact centers into a network of remote employees working hard to help customers with…
Blueprint Launches Solution for RPA Platform Migration, Ending RPA Vendor Lock-In New Technology Triples the Speed of RPA Transition and Reduces Cost by 75 Percent…
Bloomington, MN (January 14, 2021) – Jay Ruhl has been hired as VP/commercial banker on Bell Bank’s commercial & industrial (C&I) lending team. His office…
BOSTON, Jan. 12, 2021 – ApexEdge, a partner-enablement platform that offers monthly bill and subscription management solutions to support the financial health of consumers, announced today its integration with Payrailz®, a digital payments company offering…
Industry expert with Midwestern roots to lead consulting efforts in Illinois and Missouri HOUSTON, Texas, (January 11, 2021) – JMFA, a leading profit-improvement consulting firm…
Fargo, ND (January 7, 2021) – Rodney Jordahl, chief financial officer at Bell Bank since 1999, retired Dec. 31 after guiding the company’s finances through…
Ask any financial services leader at the end of 2019 about the upcoming year and no one would have predicted a worldwide pandemic that would…
In 2021, financial institutions can expect to see new and continuing trends due to the impact of the pandemic and the election on the housing…
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Branch Banking Amid a Pandemic
Even with spiking levels of COVID in communities across the country, bank branches remain operational, and expect to stay open for business in their current…
Bell Bank Hires Causey as Regional HR Manager Vice President Will Lead Human Resources, Culture Efforts in Southwest for One of Nation’s Largest Privately Held Banks…
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The Future of Financial Services: Using Behavioral Science to Help Consumers Form Good Habits
The Next Big Evolution in Finance Will Rely on Psychology, Not Technology (Part 2) Current circumstances due to the COVID-19 epidemic means that psychology-informed financial…
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The Future of Financial Services: Using Behavioral Science to Help Consumers Form Good Habits
The Next Big Evolution in Finance Will Rely on Psychology, Not Technology (Part 1) The current crisis is highlighting a fact that we’ve known for…
When the U.S. Treasury Department launched its first $349 billion Payment Protection Program (PPP) in April to help small businesses shore up payrolls during COVID-19,financial…
In today’s competitive market, financial institutions need a way to create more stickiness with all consumers, especially with younger demographics who are less brand loyal…
Community financial institution to offer ZRent and ZDeposit BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 2, 2020 – ZSuite Technologies, a financial technology company offering digital tools that help small businesses…
Updating an intranet is typically a large enough challenge for most organizations. But for a major financial institution badly in need of a digital update,…
Excess liquidity, net interest margin compression and a low-rate environmenthave made the search for investment yield top of mind for many financial institutions and their…
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True Customer Service in Banking
You know, the evergreen proof point that many banks use to highlight their ‘unique point of differentiation.’ For a long time, customer service meant a…
Vendor invoices are very complicated.In fact, some have hundreds of line items on hundreds of pages. Auditing these invoices monthly or quarterly…
Glastonbury, CT – November 23, 2020 – Payrailz®, a digital payments company offering smarter, more engaging payment experiences to banks and credit…
In the wake of ongoing economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, community banks across the U.S. are approaching an existential crisis. Beyond American job…
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas – Simmons Bank has been named to Fortune’s list of “100 Fastest-Growing Companies” for 2020, the only Arkansas-based company to make the list.…
New Executive to Lead Risk Management for One of Nation’s Largest Privately Held Banks Minneapolis (November 10, 2020) — Bell Bank has hired Jesse Schwab…
In the wake of ongoing economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, community banks across the U.S. are approaching an existential crisis. Beyond American job…
The acquisition brings together two FinTech industry leaders to further innovate loan origination solution technology for financial institutions nationwide. Costa Mesa, CA, Nov. 05, 2020…
The banking and financial services industry is entering exciting – and unprecedented – new times. For several years, we have seen banking and technology become…
Chances are you’ve tried logging into a mobile app with a password and received a six-digit one-time passcode (OTP) via text message (SMS), which your…
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Sigma Ratings Announces Fitch Group as Investor to Drive Expansion of Its Risk Intelligence Platform
October 29, 2020 – Sigma Ratings (“Sigma”), the global risk intelligence platform that powers compliant commercial relationships, today announced that Fitch Group, a global leader in financial…
Jefferson City, Missouri – This month, Simmons Bank received the 2020 Elite Lender designation from RMI Business Finance of Jefferson City, Missouri for its…
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Capital Bank, N.A., Named as One of the “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker — Again
Getting recognized two years in a row shows the Bank’s ongoing commitment to being a workplace where employees thrive. ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 29, 2020 (GLOBE…
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every American, especially essential workers like branch tellers who offer needed support to consumers who are navigating new financial hardships.…
COVID-19 has turned online banking into an essential service, but you don’t need to just take my word for it. PwC recently concluded that around 25…
Most banks and credit unions have managed to weather the worst effects of the pandemic so far. The Small Business Association’s Payroll Protection Program (PPP)…
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The Need for Speed – COVID amplifies the market need for Real-Time Payments- and their swift rollout
It is no secret that the United States is late to the instant payments party. While there are longstanding reasons, what matters now is that…
While uncertainty continues and financial institutions grapple with credit performance and what to expect in terms of potential losses down the road,finding new opportunities to…
Financial Institution Crises Could Mean Massive Loss When It Comes To Customer Retention For any organization, experiencing a crisis is inevitable. It will happen. But for…
One sentiment we hear from our partners and colleagues in the financial industry is,“We can’t wait to get our team back together again.”This is a…
Experienced mortgage pro and military veteran Tracey Retzer joins national organization ATLANTA, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — First Community Mortgage (FCM) has named Tracey Retzer (NMLS #973683) Vice…
For financial institutions, the concept of model validation is not necessarily new. As soon as banks and credit unions began automating certain loan decisioning and…
A few years ago, I was asked to present on sales compensation plans for a bank client. The leaders of the bank were concerned that…
Community financial institutions are at a crossroads as the industry arrives at a point where digital engagement reigns supreme. With many institutions using very similar…
Oklahoma-based Great Plains Bank has served its customers for more than 100 years and is committed to providing a small-town customer service approach…
(Des Moines, Iowa – October 1, 2020) – In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bank Iowa is partnering with Can Do Cancer, an Iowa-based…
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Hyperion Bank has named Jennifer Carney as Executive Assistant and Andrew J. (Andy) Stein as Vice President & Commercial Lending Officer. “Throughout her…
Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, credit unions and community banks have been undergoing transformations to improve the customer experience and keep up with growing consumer…
Financial institutions with competitive advantages in servicing mortgages can generate substantial returns on capital by retaining the mortgage servicing rights(MSR) when mortgages are sold. However, since…
When you are running a credit union, it goes without saying that attracting more members to your brand is paramount. The chart below shows the top marketing…
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Alloy Labs, a consortium of community and mid-sized banks across the United States, announced its partnership with MANTL, the leading…
-Credit union also invests in CU Railz® CUSO to influence development of new payment technologies- Glastonbury, CT – September 21, 2020 – Payrailz®,…
Executive search firm DDJ Myers will lead the search process Sept. 23, 2020 — Jacksonville, Fla. — The Board of Directors of Jax Federal Credit Union…
It should come as no surprisethat fraudsters are cashing in on the pandemic,but when you look at who the perpetrators are, you might be intrigued.…
It is no secret that today banks and credit unions rely heavily on technology solutions in all areas of their organization, especially as digital channels…
-HC3 redesigns digital and paper customer documents- Birmingham, Ala. – With growth and efficient customer communication being on the forefront of banks’ minds, Chattanooga, TN.-based Millennium Bank ($197 million in assets) has selected HC3, a…
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How can financial institutions use technology to enhance clients’ branch experience during Covid-19?
Despite the ongoing havoc from Covid-19 and the disruption to face-to-face communication, consumers still need to conduct critical financial transactions and access their money, whether…
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BAI, a nonprofit independent organization that delivers the financial services industry’s most actionable insights, has opened submissions for its annual BAI Global Innovation Awards. For…
COVID-19 changed the face of the modern workforce in a matter of weeks. While banks might not have yet faced the brunt of the economic…
With mobile banking now mainstream, credit unions and their customers are joining the next evolution: video banking. Given an unexpected push from the pandemic, video…
Minneapolis (August 31, 2020) – Bell Bank has hired Katie Mattis Sarver, a former two-time Executive of the Year for Major League Soccer – Corporate…
Pressman’s Leadership Comes as the Financial Services Industry Accelerates Adoption of TruSight New York, NY—August 27, 2020— TruSight, the financial industry’s leading third-party risk utility,…
Phoenix, AZ (August 25, 2020) – Bell Bank is expanding its presence in the Phoenix metro, hiring 5 new banking leaders to help guide commercial lending and…
Dallas, Texas – ALM First, a strategic partner for more than 300 financial institutions nationwide with more than $40 billion in total assets under management, recently introduced…
Understanding the importance of evaluating all asset classes, including whole loans, when constructing a financial institution’s balance sheet is always important. However, in the current…
What: Building diverse, equitable and inclusive financial services organizations continues to be a top priority for leaders at all levels. Organizations with strong diversity and inclusion…
Digital banking usage has skyrocketed since the coronavirus broke out: 73% of U.S. adults said they’re more likely to leverage digital banking and payments while…
Dallas, Texas – ALM First, a strategic partner to more than 300 depositories nationwide with over $40 billion in assets under management, launches its new podcast series, In…
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DeepTarget Creates An Immersive, Social Media-Influenced Experience to Financial Institutions
MADISON, AL., Aug. 3, 2020 – DeepTarget Inc., a solution provider that utilizes data mining and machine learning to deliver targeted communications…
There’s so much suffering going on right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged this world in more ways than one. People have lost loved ones…
Goal-Based Savings: More Important Than Ever Most of the retail banks I work with know that helping their customers meet their financial goals is a…
Security in the new normal With the transition of so many from a sessile office environment to a work-from-home paradigm, it’s no wonder that organizations…
Chargebacks are nothing new for those professionals operating in the payments industry. However, when we discuss payment disputes, we tend to think of it as…
Where many Americans have seen a crisis, fraudsters have seen the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity. Whether it’s posing as a government agency to gather…
Snoqualmie, WA, July 7, 2020 – Sno Falls Credit Union is making it simple for all members to begin investing with its new Smart Invest…
Deal to acquire Hilton Head Island and Bluffton locations expected to close by end of 2020. Indian Land, S.C., July 15, 2020 (GLOBE…
TAMPA, Fla. (July 14, 2020) – Staying true to the earliest beginnings, Suncoast Credit Union has been focused on helping small businesses survive and thrive…
ALM First has officially acquired the institutional fixed income line of business from Detalus, a 20-year old asset management firm dedicated to providing objective advice.…
AUSTIN, Texas, July 8, 2020 – FirstClose, Inc., a leading provider of technology solutions for banks and credit unions nationwide, has partnered with Temenos, the banking software…
– Louisiana-based bank adds third document services line to relationship with HC3- Birmingham, Ala., July. 9, 2020 – As banks are striving to communicate…
Elevations Credit Union , the Number 1 CU mortgage lender in Colorado, announced three promotions in Business Banking and Commercial Lending: Sarah Schupp (pictured right) to…
Glastonbury, CT – July7, 2020 – Payrailz®, a digital payments company offering smarter, more engaging payment experiences to banks and credit unions across the United…
Forest Lake, MN (July 2, 2020) – At a time when many banks around the country are closing branches and slowing growth, Bell Bank in…
As big banks look to improve their services, lower capital, and increase profits, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have increased over the years. In 2019, a…
Loans are a basic part of life – they help consumers pay for cars, vacations and home renovations, among other big purchases – but they’re…
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” – Henry Ford When it comes to financial services, today’s consumers…
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How to Hedge Mortgage Pipeline Risk
Mortgage lending continues to represent a significant portion of business for most banks serving consumers. These home loans provide an important revenue stream and help…
The early months of 2020 have been a whirlwind for many industries. We saw businesses of all kinds – restaurants, car selling, etc. – have…
“The contact center is critical now because of the high emotional state people are in. It’s such a high stress time. People’s health and wealth…
After a decade in banking and customer service, Kathleen Craig began researching ways for community banks to better engage with their accountholders. Craig’s passion for…
We are living in unprecedented times. We see and hear that phrase so often, I fear we may have become desensitized to its power. I…
Today’s tech-savvy consumers compare their banking experiences to interactions with the most disruptive companies, including consumer tech giants like Google, streaming services like Netflix, and…
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Featurespace’s ARIC™ Platform Helps Put a Stranglehold on Fraud and Money Laundering Activity
Money laundering is the lifeblood of crime, corruption and terrorism. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 2 percent to 5 percent…
The coronavirus pandemic has been nothing short of an existential crisis for small businesses across America. Closed doors and other drastic measures to cut back…
These days, having a strong content marketing strategy is key to any organization. This holds equally for financial institutions. It’s all too easy to churn…
Face it: Your most profitable customers are empowered, impatient, and demand instant gratification (at least from their bank)Customers are feeling empowered in a way they…
(WICHITA, Kan.) – Nancy Mills has been hired as a mortgage lender at Bell Bank Mortgage, a mortgage company with a 130-year history and an…
The COVID-19 outbreak has created disruptive and unprecedented times. First and foremost, our thoughts are with you as you make difficult decisions about how to…
The beginning of a new decade finds bankers wrestling with age-old challenges: growing new customer deposits, retaining existing customers and maximizing efficiency and profitability. With…
When the FTC introduced proposed changes to GLBA’s Safeguard Rule last year, security experts sat up and took notice. The updates marked the first major…
When it comes to digital banking solutions, one size does not fit all. While most banks offer the basics – account balances, remote deposits or…
New York’s Piermont Bank Financed The $6M State Of The Art Storage Facility Renovation with the Project’s Long Term Success At The Heart of the…
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CUSO Financial Services Receives BISA Technology Innovation Award for Business Texting Capabilities
CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS) and Sorrento Pacific Financial LLC (SPF), full-service broker-dealers and subsidiaries of Atria Wealth Solutions (Atria), announced today it has received…
Banks are no strangers to a good ole fashioned crisis. In fact, every year, it seems like something catastrophic happens – from the Capital One…
Former Senior VP and CFO of The Cooperative Bank Joins North Easton Savings Bank North Easton Savings Bank welcomes its new Chief Financial Officer, Charles…
The classic Aesop fable, “The Grasshopper and the Ant,” tells the centuries old tale of a grasshopper who refuses to plan for winter during the…
As interest in U.S. faster payments systems continues to grow, so too do the questions and concerns many companies have regarding not just its impact…
While IT professionals at banks generally have physical control over staying compliant – from guaranteeing the server is locked to having access to the cameras…
E-mail is an incredibly popular way of communicating with other people, probably because it’s so fast and simple. For community bankers, e-mail represents a great…
I’m Your Customer and You Don’t Know Me In our work with banks, we still hear some employees asking the wrong question: “What product or…
The convenience brought by the advances in fintech has been a welcome change for consumers. From global remittance to mobile apps that allow us to…
For banks, loan participation is not a new concept, but it is one that needs updating. Currently loan participation is a slow process, rife with…
Running a financial institution in today’s market can feel like a never-ending game of catch up. As soon as a bank adapts to one threat,…
As many community bank executives know, communication is a crucial aspect of building long-standing relationships with customers. Regional banks need to use each channel and…
As we approach the next decade, data integrity and cyber security have risen to the top of financial institutions’ list of mission-critical initiatives. With instances…
Open banking is currently mandated in the EU, via a European directive. The regulation behind open banking is the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2). Open…
Strategic, long-range plans that align with tactical budgets and regular reforecasts can help U.S. banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions prepare for tight margins…
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The Future of SMB Credit Data
Is small business risky business? Without comprehensive credit data to demonstrate whether small and medium businesses (SMBs) are reliable, some companies hesitate to engage their…
The email in your inbox may look like a legitimate email from your bank or credit union, complete with a logo and website address. In…
Payrailz™, a digital payments company offering smarter more engaging payment experiences to banks and credit unions announced it has hired financial services industry veteran Gereen…
Many Bank and Credit Union Sales Cultures Could Use a Makeover Have you noticed customers and members aren’t responding like they used to and more…
After many years as a “science project,” Artificial Intelligence (AI) is delivering real value for financial institutions of all sizes. AI has long been a…
Accelerating the need for digital transformation, the past year brought on new hardships and worries. Through this, banks recognized the importance of innovation in driving…
ATLANTA, March 31, 2021 – Fair Lawn, N.J. – based Columbia Bank ($8.8 billion in assets) is now leveraging business and commercial credit cards powered by…