FIsionaries

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May 2026

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About the show

The FIsionaries Podcast, sponsored by Alkami Technology Inc., shines a light on financial institutions (FIs) at the bleeding edge of digital transformation. The podcast, hosted by Jim Marous, features banks and credit unions sharing lessons learned from their digital transformation journeys as well as insights from fintech partners and other industry thought leaders. Each episode will provide regional and community banks and credit unions with insights, tips and tricks to elevate their digital banking game.

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41 recent

May 20, 202626 min

State Bank of Texas Pursuit of Frictionless Banking

What does relationship banking really mean when the back office gets in the way? Live from Alkami Co:lab in San Diego, Jim Marous speaks with John Hutcherson, SVP and COO at State Bank of Texas, about how a highly focused community bank is using digital transformation to make service faster, simpler and more useful for the customers it knows best. Hutcherson explains why operations are central to the customer experience, especially for a bank serving hoteliers, money service businesses, and relationship-driven commercial clients. The discussion explores how State Bank of Texas is reducing friction, improving workflows, strengthening digital banking, and ensuring technology supports the bank’s culture rather than being layered on top of outdated processes. This episode is about more than buying better technology. It is about knowing who you are as an institution, listening before changing, choosing the right partners, and building a digital experience that helps employees spend less time processing transactions and more time building relationships. Sponsored by Alkami Technologies. #FIsionaries #Alkami #StateBankOfTexas #CommunityBanking #DigitalBanking #RelationshipBanking #BankingOperations #BankingInnovation #DigitalTransformation #CustomerExperience #CommercialBanking #BankingLeadership #FintechPartnerships

May 13, 202636 min

How an Unconventional CEO Is Rebuilding Red Rocks Credit Union

What happens when a credit union CEO comes from outside the industry and refuses to accept legacy thinking as the cost of doing business? Live from Alkami Co:lab in San Diego, Jim Marous speaks with Darius Wise, President and CEO of Red Rocks Credit Union, about how an unconventional leadership path shaped the transformation of a $360 million credit union in Colorado. Wise shares how his background as a pastor and nonprofit leader helped him focus Red Rocks on a clear “why”: enriching lives. From there, the credit union built a culture of change, modernized its tech stack, improved digital account opening, launched AI-powered member support and pushed the organization to move with more speed. This episode is not just about digital transformation. It is about leadership, purpose, culture and the courage to move faster without losing sight of the people you serve. Sponsored by Alkami Technologies. #FIsionaries #Alkami #RedRocksCreditUnion #CreditUnions #CommunityBanking #DigitalBanking #BankingLeadership #CultureChange #DigitalTransformation #AIinBanking #MemberExperience #CreditUnionGrowth #FintechPartnerships

May 6, 202621 min

Colony Bank’s Digital Communications Playbook

Community banking has always been built on relationships. But when customers no longer need to walk into a branch to make decisions, those relationships must start earlier, move faster and become more relevant across digital channels. Live from Alkami Co:lab in San Diego, Jim Marous speaks with Jeffrey Wright, Digital Communications Manager at Colony Bank, about how community banks can use data, timing and digital engagement to build trust before a customer ever talks to a banker. Wright shares how Colony Bank is using real-time insights, customer journeys, segmentation and automation to move beyond generic campaigns. The goal is not more communication. It is more relevant communication that helps customers take the next best step without feeling sold to. Sponsored by Alkami Technologies. #FIsionaries #Alkami #ColonyBank #CommunityBanking #DigitalBanking #CustomerEngagement #BankMarketing #DataDrivenBanking #BankingInnovation #FinancialServices #DigitalTransformation #BankingLeadership #Personalization

April 29, 202628 min

How First US Community Credit Union Is Driving Digital Growth

What does it take for a $500 million credit union to compete like a much larger institution? Live from Alkami Co:lab in San Diego, Jim Marous sits down with Shonna Shearson, President and CEO, and Diana La Point, Chief Growth Officer, of First US Community Credit Union. The conversation explores how the credit union is moving beyond being “the best kept secret” by prioritizing digital onboarding, member experience, data-driven engagement, stronger partnerships and internal culture. Shonna and Diana explain why digital transformation is not about buying more technology. It is about knowing who you are, understanding how your members are changing, reducing friction and making sure employees see themselves as the brand. For community banks and credit unions trying to grow with limited resources, this episode shows how smaller institutions can use focus, speed and the right partnerships to punch above their weight. Sponsored by Alkami Technologies. #FIsionaries #Alkami #CreditUnions #DigitalBanking #BankingTransformation #CommunityBanking #MemberExperience #BankingInnovation #FinancialServices #DigitalTransformation #CreditUnionGrowth #BankingLeadership #DataDrivenBanking

March 5, 202642 min

88% Digital with Zero Silos: Belco's Omnichannel Playbook

Most financial institutions talk about omnichannel. Belco Community Credit Union built it. With 88% of members active in digital banking and a 4.8-rated mobile app, Belco has achieved what many credit unions are still striving for: a seamless member experience where branch, contact center, and digital services function as one. But the real story isn’t the numbers. It’s the strategic alignment behind them. In this episode of FIsionaries™, Jim Marous talks with Brittany Bollinger, Digital Banking Analyst, and Heather Cluck, Director of Product Strategy and Development at Belco Community Credit Union, to explore how they eliminated channel silos, aligned their organization around a member-first vision, and created a digital experience that enhances the branch rather than replacing it. In this conversation: • The Strategic Alignment that reset Belco’s priorities • Why 88% digital adoption made their branches more relevant, not less • How web and mobile are designed as one unified experience • The data and feedback loops used to remove friction across every channel • Real examples of member input driving cross-channel change • What’s next on their 12 to 18-month roadmap If you lead retail banking, oversee digital, or are trying to make your branch and your app feel like the same institution, this conversation will reshape how you think about omnichannel.

January 13, 202635 min

How OnPath Credit Union Turned a Merger into a Digital Growth Engine

Most credit union mergers promise transformation. Few deliver it. Jared Freeman, CEO of OnPath Credit Union, turned a merger with Louisiana Federal Credit Union into something rare: an actual catalyst for change. While other institutions get bogged down in integration challenges, OnPath accelerated innovation, reimagined their digital experience, and scaled personalized service across a growing membership. This isn't a story about technology adoption or digital buzzwords. It's about using a moment of complexity to build something better. A credit union that combines the reach of scale with the intimacy of community banking. In this conversation, Jared shares how OnPath leveraged data to deepen member relationships, chose technology partnerships that aligned with their vision, and kept teams inspired through major organizational change. More importantly, he reveals the specific decisions and principles that allowed them to move fast when most institutions freeze. For credit union leaders wrestling with growth, digital expectations, and maintaining culture through change, this episode offers a blueprint grounded in execution, not aspiration.

September 17, 202538 min

From Data to Delight: Building an Exceptional CX Journey

Right now, the greatest threat to banking isn’t fintechs or big tech—it’s member indifference. If your experience doesn’t engage, your members will quietly drift away. Your members don’t compare you to the credit union down the street. They compare you to Amazon, Netflix, and Apple. If your experience isn’t as seamless, you’re already behind. For banks and credit unions, falling short means disengagement, lost loyalty, and missed growth in a marketplace where switching has never been easier. On this episode of FIsionaries, I sit down with Jared Barr, Chief Experience Officer at Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, to explore how one institution is meeting this challenge head-on. Over the past eight years, Jared has helped Grow transform its approach to marketing, digital, and member services, culminating in his leadership of the entire customer journey as CXO. This conversation is both a wake-up call and a roadmap: competing on products and pricing is no longer enough. The real differentiator is experience. Jared shares practical strategies to break down silos, modernize engagement, and design journeys that don’t just meet expectations—but create loyalty, advocacy, and long-term growth.

June 5, 202532 min

How Trustmark Bank is Combining Human + Digital in Treasury Management

In this episode of the FIsionaries Podcast at Co:lab 2025, Ryan Hill, First Vice President and Product Director of Corporate Treasury Services at Trustmark National Bank, shares how Trustmark balances AI, technological advancement, and meaningful client engagement in commercial banking. Hill discusses the importance of communicating effectively with clients and internal teams, and how Trustmark approaches vendor partnerships to enhance its treasury management capabilities. Finally, Hill shares how Trustmark enhances security, improves client education, and prepares for an AI-driven future while maintaining the consultative approach that defines their business relationships.

June 3, 202524 min

How American Eagle FCU Improves the Financial Wellness of Members

In this episode of the FIsionaries Podcast from Co:lab 2025, Pamela Villanova, SVP of Digital Services, and Mari Gadlin, Director of Digital Banking Services, from American Eagle Financial Credit Union, share how they're building a digital-first mindset focused on personalization and financial wellness. The conversation explores how a credit union of modest size evaluates and selects technology partners, builds internal enthusiasm for digital initiatives, and creates solutions that members may not even know they need. Their enthusiasm is infectious as they share the challenges and triumphs of creating meaningful digital engagement while maintaining the personal touch that members value.

May 29, 202533 min

Mountain America's Member-Centric Digital Evolution

In this episode of the FIsionaries Podcast, we're joined by James Hilton, VP of Product Management for Digital Solutions, and Jesse Evenson, Director of Quality and Site Reliability, from Mountain America Credit Union in Salt Lake City. With a legacy of member-focused service primarily through branches, MACU is navigating the challenge of creating "a digital twin" of their acclaimed in-person experience. Hear how this credit union balances security with frictionless service, uses observability to measure member satisfaction, and why they believe anticipatory banking powered by AI will transform the member experience in the future. Our guests also share how traditional institutions can embrace digital transformation without losing their cultural identity.