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2026 Program

All times in CT.

Wed, Sept 23
Thurs, Sept 24
Fri, Sept 25

Wed, Sept 23

7:30 AM – 5:30 PM	Conference Registration
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM	New Attendee Welcome Orientation
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM	ABA x The Girl Banker Brunch
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM	Break in The Hub
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM	OPENING GENERAL SESSION Make confidence your competitive advantage: High-performance mindset for next level growth In a world where expectations are rising and motivation is dropping, most leaders struggle to adapt to change and stay engaged with their goals. Unlocking next-level performance requires more than just ambition; it demands action. Confidence isn’t just a feel-good trait — it’s your organization’s ultimate competitive edge. Become empowered to set clear and actionable goals and turn today’s barriers into tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Juan Bendana, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, Best-selling Author
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM	Breakout Sessions I Precision marketing in community banking: Turning customer behavior into strategy Tags: Segmentation, Data & Analytics, Banks over 2 Billion Often, bank marketing runs on an ineffective calendar that leaves revenue on the table. Successful marketers are breaking that pattern. Walk through real campaign frameworks from signal to send: Discover how to spot a behavioral trigger in your data, build a targeted list around it and act without a strategy overhaul. Over time these personalized microcampaigns built on customer behavior will help you build more precise campaigns. Learn to make the internal case for moving to this model soon so your bank doesn’t fall behind. Kim Snyder, CEO & Founder, KlariVis "Always here": Driving low-cost deposit growth through authentic connection Tags: Deposit, Banks of all sizes Community banks struggle to grow low-cost deposits without eroding trust or overspending on incentives. Failure to modernize checking products limits adoption, increases funding costs and weakens customer relationships. This session shows how First National Bank and Trust revitalized checking through data-driven, authentic engagement — proving why now is the moment to align innovation and tradition to drive sustainable deposit growth and long-term customer loyalty. Theresa Wendhausen, First Vice President, Director of Marketing & Communications
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM	Breakout Sessions II Innovation isn’t what you think: The science behind human creativity in banking Tags: Leadership Banks struggle to stand out when they misunderstand innovation. It’s not simply about tools — innovation is a way of thinking. Without creative problem-solving, marketing stagnates, growth slows and AI investments fail to deliver ROI. This session reframes creativity as a learnable discipline — showing why banks must build human creative capability right now to unlock differentiation, maximize technology investments and drive sustainable growth in an AI-saturated market. Emily Schwartz, Director of Financial Education, MidFirst Bank Why your bank? Defining differentiation in a commoditized market Tags: Leadership, Strategy, Banks of all sizes The urgency to define — and defend — your differentiation has never been greater. Yet many bank marketers cannot articulate what sets their institution apart in a way that matters to consumers. The result? Increased price competition, eroding margins and missed opportunities to attract and retain clients. Learn how to pressure-test your current positioning, identify what your audience cares about and translate those insights into a clear, compelling narrative that drives loyalty. Amber Farley, Partner & EVP of Brand Development, FMS How to become your sales team’s best friend Tags: Deposits, Bank Finance Often, sales partners come to us with requests for ads, flyers or sponsorships — all the while missing out on the greater contributions marketing can make to their success. This is your opportunity to make a real change. Discover sales enablement, and learn how it can create strategic collaboration between marketing and sales by combining customer experience, product management, branding, training and “smarketing.” Craig Rodenberger, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Ephrata National Bank
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Opening Reception in The Hub

Thurs, Sept 24

7:00 AM – 5:15 PM	Conference Registration
7:00 AM – 7:45 AM	Industry Insights Breakfasts
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM	General Session
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM	Break in The Hub
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM	Breakout Sessions III The top five strategic drivers for the bank marketer Tags: Deposit, Bank Finance Are you overwhelmed by the volume of facts that swirl around the bank? Use this time strategically to focus on the top trends that matter the most right now. Drawing from over 12 billion consumer, business, and balance sheet data points, discuss the trends and metrics that will help inform your next strategy. Improve your ability to communicate about these items effectively with your CEO and CFO. Dan Marks, President, OptimaFI The accountability gap: How to redefine agency partnerships around performance Tags: Leadership, AI, Banks of all sizes, CMO It's time to tackle the uncomfortable truth: most bank marketing teams still struggle to connect their work to business outcomes, and agency partnerships often operate without real accountability. Explore the most common blind spots inside marketing organizations and learn how to bring transparency and aligned incentives into agency relationships. Discover how to transform vague deliverables into measurable performance and reframe your role and metrics effectively. Jessica Johnson, President & Co-Founder, Rosy Finch Method & Co. Brittany Mosley, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Rosy Finch Method & Co.
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM	General Session Lunch
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM	Dessert Break in The Hub
1:45 PM – 2:45 PM	Breakout Session IV CMO panel discussion: Marketing as a strategic driver Tags: Sales, Banks of all sizes During this interactive session, our panel of esteemed CMOs will share their knowledge, experience and wisdom on how to build a credible and valued marketing function viewed as a strategic driver instead of just a tactical executor. They will highlight the important role marketing plays in the success of your financial institution and provide insights on how to confidently convey the value you provide in order to gain organizational support and buy-in. AI SEO: Winning the new front door to your bank Tags: AI, Search, Banks of all sizes Search is no longer just keywords and rankings. It’s becoming an AI-driven conversation. As generative AI reshapes how consumers discover, compare and choose financial providers, banks that don’t adapt risk becoming invisible at the worst possible moment. From structuring content for AI-powered search to aligning SEO with compliance, brand voice and conversion goals, get practical steps now to stay discoverable, credible and competitive. Jessica Gardner, CMO, Academy Bank, Armed Forces Bank
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Partner Game Changers Partner Game Changers: Bridging cutting-edge solutions with today’s banking challenges Join us for a fast-moving, high-impact session featuring rapid product pitches and meaningful dialogue between innovators and banking leaders.
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM	Peer Roundtable Discussions
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Reception

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Fri, Sept 25

7:15 AM – 8:00 AM	Industry Insight Breakfasts
8:15 AM – 9:15 AM	General Session
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM	Break in The Hub
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM	Breakout Sessions VI The state of bank marketing in 2026: Budgets, priorities and the growth agenda Tags: Management Leadership, Strategy, All Sizes In this data-driven session, discover how budgets, staffing and channel investments are shifting — and where high-performing banks are focusing next. This discussion will highlight differences by bank size and growth strategy, explore how marketers are balancing brand and performance priorities, and reveal how AI, analytics and customer experience initiatives are reshaping the marketing function. Attendees will leave with actionable benchmarks and ideas to strengthen their 2026 marketing plans. Ally Akins, Senior Consulting Associate, Capital Performance Group TikTok made me do it: How banks win in a scroll-first world Tags: Social Media, Banks of all sizes TikTok is reshaping how consumers evaluate their finances. This session breaks down how TikTok fits into a modern marketing and advertising strategy, how it differs from platforms like Meta and LinkedIn and what it actually takes to make the business case internally. We’ll address common concerns around security and brand safety, share practical examples of how teams are gaining buy-in and outline how TikTok can support growth and marketing efforts. Brenton Riley, CMO, Q1 Media; Brianda Tamez, Regional Vice President, Sales, Q1 Media
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM	Closing General Session

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