Leaders in Lending

When it comes to the future of banking, the best service may be no service at all. In other words, the best service may be self-service.

Mark Pregmon, GM of Consumer Lending Line of Business at USAA, joins the show today to share his thoughts on why building things digitally requires a different way of thinking and why making processes fast, easy, and simple is the key to customer satisfaction.

At USAA, Mark is responsible for credit underwriting, core servicing, and default management for consumer lending products. USAA has been serving military families since 1922. The company’s goal is to be the military community’s provider of choice for insurance, banking, and financial products.

We discuss:


- Maintaining focus on the quality of digital experiences


- Meeting customer needs in a digital environment


- Trends in consumer lending products

Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

In a digital world, legacy core banking systems just aren’t allowing banks to meet the demands of the modern customer. With the rise of digital banking, cloud core banking systems are entering the picture.
Tyler Craft, SVP, Head of VirtualBank & Fintech at First Horizon Bank, shares why his team decided to transition the VirtualBank brand to a cloud core system and how the lessons from that experiment are transferred across the larger First Horizon ecosystem.

Tyler heads VirtualBank, a digital-only division of First Horizon Bank. First Horizon Bank has been around since 1864 and its mission is to provide the best service to its customers, one opportunity at a time.

We discuss:


- The process of transitioning VirtualBank to cloud core


- Why VirtualBank remained a separate brand


- The thought process behind new products to VirtualBank


- Insight into a bank’s fintech strategy

Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

With the shift to digital, people are coming into retail branches less often — but for more important things. Because of this transition, banks are making the switch to experiential banking — less focused on routine transactions and more on becoming trusted financial advisors. 
In this episode, Jim Wechsler, Chief Retail Lending Officer at WSFS Bank, shares how his bank has been transitioning to this new model and why he thinks a fintech partnership makes sense. 
Jim has been in banking for over 10 years. His main focus has been on consumer lending, fintech partnerships, and corporate strategy. WSFS Bank is the largest and longest-standing community bank in the Greater Delaware Valley. Their motto: We Stand For Service.  
We discuss:
- Why partnerships between banks and fintechs can benefit everyone
- Transforming retail banking into experiential banking
- The value of focusing on the customer experience
- Investing in back end processes for a delivery transformation 
Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here. 
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

In modern banking, survival depends on meeting the needs of the modern consumer, whether that’s through digital transformation or through new products and services. But many banks don’t have the capabilities or the resources to manage that on their own. That’s where fintech partnerships can really help move the business forward.

In this episode, Barry Cooper, Chief Sales Officer at First Federal Bank of Kansas City, shares his insights into fintech partnerships and how they helped his company enter the unsecured consumer lending space.

Barry is an educator, innovator, marketer, and sales leader with a background in cybersecurity and technology before landing in banking. He oversees all lines of business and the go-to-market strategy in his current role. First Federal Bank of Kansas City was founded in 1934 and works primarily as a mortgage lender. It has 11 branches in the Greater Kansas City area.

We discuss:


- How the pandemic affected consumer lending offerings


- Implementation costs, process, and lending product strategy


- Gaining internal buy-in for fintech partnerships and partnership expectations


- How FFBKC originates loans digitally to acquire more borrowers

Link to Webinar Recording with resource materials https://info.upstart.com/ffbkc-webinar 

Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

Banks and financial institutions play an integral role in the pursuit of true equality in America. By opening up new opportunities and increasing access to capital, they can build a more economically-inclusive world.

In this episode, Sui Lang Panoke, Sr. Vice President - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion at Zions Bank, shares why DEI needs to be deeply integrated into your business strategy to be successful and sustainable.

Sui Lang has over two decades of experience fighting for social, racial, and economic justice in the political arena. In her current role, she’s in charge of developing a comprehensive DEI strategy focused on economic inclusion. Zions Bank is one of the oldest financial institutions in the Intermountain West. Dedicated to supporting economic development in the communities it serves, the bank offers a range of financial services across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.

We discuss:


- Establishing trust within a community


- How DEI contributes to a high-performance organization


- Advocating for a set of values to build economic inclusion


- Advice for your DEI strategy

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:


- Believe in People by Charles Koch and Brian Hooks


- Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

Many mid-sized banks are struggling to find new asset classes and new opportunities to offer retail banking services. Unsecured lending has become a viable way for them to broaden their product portfolio on the credit side.

In this episode, Jim Matera, EVP/Chief Retail Banking Officer at Apple Bank, talks about how his firm got involved with unsecured lending and how technology is becoming the new driver of loyalty in banking.

Jim has been with Apple Bank for over 30 years. Currently, he is in charge of all aspects of retail banking customer delivery systems and services. Apple Bank is the second-largest state-chartered savings bank in New York with over $16 billion in assets. The bank offers a full range of retail banking services to individuals and businesses across the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Counties.

We discuss:


- Pursuing unsecured lending through fintech partnerships


- Opportunities for new lending products


- Loyalty in a digital age


- Leading with lending over depository products


Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

Credit unions maintain a distinct advantage over larger banks. As a community-based institution, they are well positioned to truly understand the unique financial needs of their members.
Now, with the proliferation of digital technologies, credit unions can continue to meet the evolving needs of their members — even if they’ve moved across the country.
In this episode, Barry Roach, President & CEO at WPCCU, talks about how credit unions are pivoting to meet the challenges and opportunities of a digital world.
Topics covered:
- What makes credit unions unique
- Gaps driving new kinds of lending
- The value of loyalty and how to maintain it
- The importance of data in decision making
Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

Emerging leaders of the consumer lending industry all have a few things in common.

On this week’s episode, Upstart’s Senior VP of Business Development, Jeff Keltner talks about what he’s learned from nearly a decade of working in the consumer lending arena, where the industry is advancing, and his forecasts of who will rise to the top of the market.

What he talked about:


- Differences between the ] phases of fintech innovation


- Latest advancements in innovation and digital transformation


- Hybridization of fintech and traditional banking


OPTIONAL: Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkeltner/
Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for [Leaders in Lending] in your favorite podcast player.

Consumers are more comfortable buying online, even big ticket items like cars. A significant impediment to ecommerce in the auto industry is securing the loan and creating a frictionless digital experience.
In this episode, we interview Val Gui, Vice President of Automotive Lending at Upstart, about trends in the automotive lending space and get some insight on how he forecasts the future of the industry.
What we talked about:
- Increased awareness about automotive lending to financial institutions
- Consumer expectations for digital experiences
- Reshaping the ecommerce mentality in the auto lending space
- Trends for the next 3-5 years in auto lending
Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.

Banks are the economic first responders during our current economic challenges. How do regulations support banks in their work to support Americans?


On this episode of Leaders in Lending, we had a fantastic conversation with Rob Nichols, President and CEO at American Bankers Association (ABA) about regulations, economic recovery, and the optimistic future of banking.


What we talked about:



- Potential policy and regulation changes



- The economic landscape in the near future



- ABA and their relationship with Fintechs



- Future trends in banking and lending


Want more lending advice? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending in your favorite podcast player.