Bankadelic: The colorful side of finance

Yes, banking and financial services accelerated to the speed of life and beyond in 2020. But with that perilous pandemic year in the rearview, how can institutions double down on digital transformation and deliver a more integrated, holistic customer experience? Booshan Rengachari and Dave Hunkele of Finzly take us through the digital transformation challenges that face the industry and share their insights into the exciting changes that are possible.

In a news cycle dominated by pandemic, unrest and a presidential election, there hasn’t been much talk about cryptocurrency until very recently, when a single bitcoin soared to more than $30,000 in value. With major financial analysts following it, and everyday people learning to use it, bitcoin has clearly come of age. Patrick Sells, American Bankers’s Digital Banker of the Year and the Head of Bank Solutions at NYDIG, explains why bitcoin and banking are a dream matching the making.

Even as the pandemic accelerates digital change, one area where high-tech can help consumers the most remains largely unexploited. That is: Between the customer dialing a call center and finally reaching a representative, chatbots can make the journey smooth and fast — while enhancing satisfaction in the process. Suraya Randawa, Head of Research, Financial Intelligence at Informa, walks us through how it works — and the lessons those in American financial services can take away from her perch in London, the fintech capital of the world.

Bankadelic returns for the second half of its holiday hoe-down, featuring 11 special guests from the financial services world. In Part Two they opine on what’s ahead in 2021 and share some lessons they'll carry with them into the new year. Special thanks to the William Mills Agency for making this two-part episode possible. Happy holidays!

Michael Ball, Vice President of Markets and Strategy, IMM


Nathan Baumeister, CEO, ZSuite


Marcie L Bomberg-Montoya, Principal – Strategic Advisory Services Leader, Wipfli


Jerry Craft, CEO, CorServ Solutions


Jill Homan, President, DeepTarget


Dave Hunkele, Chief Strategy Officer and Advisor, Finzly


Bob Kottler, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, White Clay

Gabe Krajicek, CEO, Kasasa


Bhavin Turakhia, Co-founder and CEO, Zeta


Todd Robertson, Senior Vice President of Business Development, ARGO

Michael Whitt, Head of Partnerships, ApexEdge

Since we’re in a giving mood, Bankadelic presents not one, not two, not four but ELEVEN special guests from the financial services world to share what they saw as 2020’s bright spots—and yes, there were more than a few in an otherwise tough year. They’ll also divulge their favorite holiday songs, explaining what makes their pick special. Special thanks to the William Mills Agency for making this episode possible. Happy holidays!

Michael Ball, Vice President of Markets and Strategy, IMM

Nathan Baumeister, CEO, ZSuite

Marcie L Bomberg-Montoya, Principal – Strategic Advisory Services Leader, Wipfli

Jerry Craft, CEO, CorServ Solutions

Jill Homan, President, DeepTarget

Dave Hunkele, Chief Strategy Officer and Advisor, Finzly

Bob Kottler, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, White Clay

Gabe Krajicek, CEO, Kasasa

Bhavin Turakhia, Co-founder and CEO, Zeta

Todd Robertson, Senior Vice President of Business Development, ARGO

Michael Whitt, Head of Partnerships, ApexEdge

While financial institutions were forced to wing it in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a growing a sense that 2021 will allow everyone to be improvise less and strategize more. Tom Long of the Long Group shares his findings about the cornerstones of strategic advantage, running the gamut from market differentiation to the people you put in the driver’s seat. Though things will never return to what they were, both in business and life, the months ahead are sure to reward businesses that start the shift now from reactive to proactive.

In the hours and days after George Floyd’s death, Sunrise Banks CEO David Reiling could hear the sirens, helicopters and protests just outside his office in Minneapolis. It forced him to rethink how fintechs and community banks, already mired in a pandemic, could double and triple down on ways to financially help the struggling and most vulnerable. The author of “Fintech For Good,” Reiling shares what wha t he’s learning, how he’s putting in into practice, and what community banking success looks like as a tumultuous 2020 draws to a close.

As consumers make their way through the pandemic, they’ve had to face all manner of sharp turns, from learning new technology to figuring out how to manage their finances in a time of extraordinary trial. Rutger van Faassen and Gina DeCorla of Informa Financial Intelligence take us through the changes in consumer behavior they’ve seen, and how financial institutions can not only help them adapt but also move the ball forward through technologies such as point-of-sale lending.

Even after working three jobs for four years and saving around $30,000, David Adefeso graduated Harvard Business School with more than $100,000 in student debt. The lessons he learned as a successful financial advisor, and in paying off his own staggering balance, led him to launch a mobile college savings app, Sootchy. Slated to launch by the end of 2020, Sootchy helps families save for school and sidestep student loans through a combination of 529 plans and crowdfunding via friends and family. David explains the vision behind the app and shares his debt story--along with his views on a student loan debt epidemic that has passed more than $1.6 trillion.

Often, the gap between consumers who need assistance and the financial institutions that serve them can seem insurmountable. What’s more, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised the stakes on every side, and threatened to make the gulf even wider. Rochelle Nawrocki Gorey, the CEO and co-founder of SpringFour, walks us through how her award-winning fintech has made it possible for financially challenged individuals to connect with the resources that can provide urgently needed help.