Fintech Unleashed: Unlocking Innovation in Finance

Join Virginia Heyburn, Director of Research, Insights, and Advocacy at Engage fi, as she discusses the future of financial institutions with industry experts Fabio Biasella and James White. Explore how economic trends, demographic shifts, and technological innovations will redefine strategies for banks and credit unions in 2026. Learn about the importance of data strategy, product innovation, and...

As we step in 2026, the financial services industry is facing a year defined by big questions, from economic uncertainty and shifting demographics to interest rates and accelerated technology innovation. In this episode of Leaders Give Back podcast, Virginia Heyburn is joined by our Executive Affiliates, John Cassidy, former CEO of Sierra Central Credit Union, Cathy Pace, former CEO of Allegacy Fe...

In this episode, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Engage fi’s Executive Affiliate, Cathy Pace, former CEO of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, to discuss mentoring the next generation of financial institution leaders. As a seasoned leader and now leadership educator, Cathy discusses the attributes that lead to sustainable leadership, the concerns she is hearing from young leaders, and what timeless less...

In today’s financial landscape where AI is rapidly evolving, digital transformation never stops. Technology can no longer live in a silo and neither can the leaders who guide it. In our latest podcast, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Engage fi’s Executive Affiliate, John Cassidy, former CEO of Sierra Central Credit Union, to explore how technology and business strategy must now move in lockstep. The...

Virginia Heyburn is joined by James White, Principal Strategist at Engage fi, for a deep dive into one of the most transformative and challenging topics in financial services: artificial intelligence. They explore what it really takes to build and execute an effective AI strategy, the most common mistakes we see, and what a true AI strategy actually looks like. With so many AI vendors entering the...

In this episode, Virginia is joined by James White, Principal Strategist at Engage fi, for a deep dive into CRMs and AI. They explore how AI has transformed CRM from a static system of record into a dynamic tool that drives meaningful action. Virginia and James highlight the tangible results financial institutions are already seeing with AI-powered CRMs and look ahead at how AI driven and CRM driv...

On this episode of Fintech Unleashed, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Fabio Biasella, Engage fi’s Director of Strategic Services, to discuss the economic outlook for the second half of 2025. They explore key trends shaping the landscape, including the employment market, interest rates, inflation, and the growing debt burden. They also take a closer look at where loan and deposit growth may be headed...

On this episode of Fintech Unleashed, Virginia Heyburn, Director of Research, Insights, and Advocacy, is joined by Jason Beckmann, Executive Vice President of Technology and Operations at Emprise Bank for an exciting conversation on emerging technology in banking. They dive into some of the hottest topics shaping the industry, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and ba...

Virginia Heyburn is back with another episode of Fintech Unleashed. On today’s episode, Virginia is joined by Joe Dugan, Strategic Advisor at Engage fi. Together, they explore the importance of operational efficiency, the challenges faced by banks and credit unions, and how channel optimization can enhance the member/customer experience and lead to significant cost savings.  They also discuss the...

Virginia Heyburn is back with another episode of Fintech Unleashed. In today’s episode, Virginia is joined by Dr. Art Harper, Engage fi’s Strategic Consultant, Payments, to explore the role of AI in payment decision making. They discuss how AI-driven solutions can streamline processes, enhance personalized offers to strengthen customer/member relationships, and even support financial literacy init...

Virginia Heyburn is back with another episode of Fintech Unleashed. On this episode, she is joined by Anne Miela, Engage fi’s Vice President of Implementations to explore core modernization as an efficiency strategy. They discuss what makes core conversions unique in today’s landscape, how financial institutions can leverage them to drive efficiency, and the key steps to ensuring a core conversion...

Virginia Heyburn is joined by Fabio Biasella, Director of Strategic Services at Engage fi to discuss the top trends banks and credit unions should be prioritizing in 2025. As we look ahead to a new year, the industry continues to evolve quickly, bringing both challenges and opportunities. From modernizing operations and embracing artificial intelligence to engaging the next generation of customers...

Virginia Heyburn is back with another episode of Fintech Unleashed. On today’s episode, she is joined by Duncan Taylor, SVP, Chief Operating Officer at the Washington Bankers Association to explore Gen Z’s role in shaping the future of the banking industry. They discuss what financial institutions are prioritizing when hiring Gen Z, tackle common misconceptions this generation has about working in...

Many FIs struggle with sunsetting communications systems and outdated technology, causing a disconnect across all channels. Integrating communication platforms will enable FIs to streamline processes among employees, customers/members, and partners and create a second-to-none customer experience. Engage FI's Stacey McClure addresses the pain points FIs face in this arena and explains why NOW...

In this episode, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Engage fi’s Co-founder & CEO, Jenn Addabbo, to celebrate National Women's Small Business Month. They discuss Jenn’s journey to entrepreneurship, female leadership in a male dominated industry, the unique strengths women bring to the table, and how today’s leaders can support and mentor the next generation of female trailblazers. Tell Us Your...

In this episode, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Jenn Addabbo, Co-founder & CEO of Engage fi to discuss the evolving landscape of the payments industry. They dive into the latest trends, from emerging payment types like real-time payments and digital wallets, to the growing importance of fraud management in a world where security is paramount. Virginia and Jenn will also explore the foundational...

Virginia Heyburn, Director of Research, Insights, and Advocacy is back with September's Ten in 10 where she addresses the most impactful news stories in the world of finance. In this episode, Virginia discusses significant developments in the regulatory landscape, profitability trends in fintech, lending challenges faced by credit unions, and the unprecedented amount of mergers between banks...

On this episode of Fintech Unleashed, Virginia Heyburn is joined by Jim Roche, President of the Maine Bankers Association to discuss the most critical and timely topics impacting bankers today. They cover the evolving regulatory landscape, trends in bank mergers and acquisitions, and the future of banking technology. Tell Us Your Thoughts

In this episode Virginia Heyburn is joined by Fabio Biasella, Director of Strategic Services, and Joe Dugan, Strategic Advisor, to dive into one of the most pressing topics in financial services – the anticipated interest rate cut. They discuss its impact across the balance sheet, covering everything from deposits and loans to operations and strategic planning for banks and credit unions.  Tell Us...

Randy Hultgren, President & CEO of the Illinois Bankers Association joins Virginia Heyburn to discuss the implications of the recently passed Interchange Fee Prohibition Act in Illinois, its broader national impact, and the importance of maintaining a level playing field and fair regulation for financial institutions.  Tell Us Your Thoughts

Virginia Heyburn is back with this month’s Ten in 10, where she explores the top news stories impacting the financial services industry. On this episode, Virginia discusses the impact the presidential ballot has on financial institutions, the growth of real time payment networks, trends in bank earnings, and the state of the economy. The CrowdStrike incident shined a light on the importance of ope...

Engage fi Co-Founder and CEO, Jenn Addabbo is joined by Carrie Birkhofer, President & CEO at Bay Federal Credit Union, Kathy Courtney, COO at Greenstate Credit Union, and Julie Kleffel, EVP & COO at Seacoast Bank. In this episode we shine a light on some of the incredible women who are making waves in the world of finance. We dive into their inspiring journeys to leadership, highlighting t...

In this episode, Virginia is offering her insights into the evolution of Apple's Buy Now Pay Later feature, the results of the FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile for Q1, and the rise in corporate bankruptcy filings. This month brought positive news for credit card issuers and borrowers, hear Virginia's take on this development.  Dominating the news cycle this month is the growing concern ove...

Renee Christoffer, President & CEO at Veridian Credit Union, Michele Dean, President & CEO at Suffolk Federal Credit Union and Whitney Woyke, EVP, Innovation & Strategy and Banking Services at Emprise Bank join Virginia Heyburn, Director of Research, Insights and Advocacy at Engage fi on part 1 of this exciting two part series. All these extraordinary women have broken the glass ceilin...

Forming a strategic plan is more than checking a box. It gives your bank or credit union both direction and purpose. Successful strategic planning requires a well-informed approach and actionable initiatives to support your strategic vision. On this episode, Fabio Biasella, Director of Strategic Services, joins Virginia Heyburn to discuss the intricacies of the planning process, timing and how to...