Leaders in Lending

Latest Episodes:

Looking Towards the Future of Banking w/ Richard Hunt Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

Banking is changing.
The industry is at a transformation point. Consumers by and large have shown that they are ready to conduct their banking online. And the events of the last year have only accelerated this trend.
In this re-run episode, Richard Hunt joins us to talk about what all the changes mean for the future of banking. Richard formerly worked for SIFMA, a securities industry trade association. Now, he is the President & CEO of Consumer Bankers Association (CBA), a trade association focused on the consumer side of banking.
Some topics that we covered:
- How trade associations, like CBA, support the banking industry
- What the future of banking looks like under the Biden Administration
- What banks are focusing on as they move to a more digital experience
- Upcoming priorities for the CBA
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Balancing Digital Touchpoints & Traditional Offerings w/ Nathanael Tarwasokono Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

In the modern world, financial institutions are looking to strike a delicate balance between offering consumers easy transactional interactions online and offering more relational services by phone or in person.
The banks and credit unions that continue to adapt and to figure out how to add value in the way consumers want these days are the ones that will survive in the evolving landscape
Nathanael Tarwasokono, President & CEO at Firstmark Credit Union, joins the show to talk about the art of finding balance between what he calls the “bricks and clicks.”
We discuss:
- Why Firstmark is certifying in-branch staff as financial coaches
- New approaches to qualifications for consumer lending
- The strategy around being selective about the products you offer
- How financial institutions can combat buy now, pay later
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Delivering a Better Digital Experience to Earn Trust & Loyalty Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Building trust and loyalty in the digital age is an ongoing challenge many businesses face.
The question always comes down to: What investments should you be making to enable a digital experience that will leave your customers wanting more?
Jeff Keltner, Senior Vice President of Development at Upstart and the host of the show, shares his thoughts on what your financial institution needs to succeed in the modern world.
Jeff discusses:
- Three things a financial institution needs to offer their customers to earn loyalty
- Improving beyonddigital experiences that don’t meet expectations
- Three tips for enabling the digital experience
- The evolving value of the high-touch, person-to-person experience
Mentioned during the podcast:
- Episode 27 w/ Vince Passione from LendKey
- Episode 22 w/ Mark Pregmon from USAA
- Episode 7 w/ Jim Deitch from Teraverde Management Advisors
- Episode 3 w/ Robert Pirelli from TCF Bank
- Episode 2 w/ Cathy Myers from First Financial Bank
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

How Credit Union Leaders Are Navigating Digital Transformation Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

As community-based institutions, credit unions are well positioned to truly understand the unique needs of their members.
With digital platforms and evolving technologies transforming the landscape, credit union leaders have an opportunity to capitalize on the digital wave to grow and better meet the needs of their members - any time and any place.
Yet, navigating this new terrain can be complicated.
In this episode, Jake Darabos, Chief Financial and Administration Officer, and Chuck Eads, Chief Lending Officer, both with Abound Credit Union, join the show to discuss the digital transformation and how to deepen member relationships.
Topics covered:
- Investing in analytics and data to improve conversion
- How to drive consumer loan portfolio growth and obtain new members
- Where consultative conversations fit into a digital world
- Strategy around entering into partnerships with fintechs
Adapted from the webinar “How Credit Union Leaders are Navigating Digital Transformation: Fireside Chat” presented by NAFCU.
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Digital Banking: Bringing a Human Touch to a Branchless Experience Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Digital-only banks face a particular challenge:
How do you create that human touch without having the physical human touch?
As a branchless entity, Axos Bank has been tackling this tricky problem for the last 20 years.
Anthony Capizzano, the institution’s SVP of Direct Consumer Lending, joins the show to share the different ways they maintain a high-quality, high-touch relationship with their consumer base.
We discuss:
- The importance of soft touch points in a digital landscape
- Employing product specialists rather than customer service reps
- How electric vehicles are disrupting auto lending
- Upgrading systems incrementally through smaller value-adds
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Driving Loan Demand Through Marketing Personalization Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

Cash is up and loan demand is down.One way to navigate this challenge is by driving demand through personalized marketing.
Personalization is especially effective for credit unions. After all, as community-based organizations, they’re most effective when they are interacting with their communities at all times.
Chad Van Handel, Chief Lending Officer at Unison Credit Union, shares why personalization in marketing is so important.
We discuss:
- Transitioning from an agency to in-house marketing
- Community interaction at multiple touchpoints
- Using business lending as an income diversification strategy
- Near-term opportunities for credit unions to expand
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Product-Agnostic Lending: Focusing on What the Customer Needs Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

The old paradigm in banking involved developing a product and turning to life-stage marketing to sell that product to customers.
But that paradigm is evolving. Financial Institutions are identifying customer needs and providing solutions regardless of what the product is, rather than hawking a product
In this episode, Ted Krus, Director o f Consumer and Indirect Lending at Flagstar Bank explains the strategy behind taking a product-agnostic approach to product development and customer interaction.
We discuss:
- Why a product-agnostic approach makes sense
- How data is a crucial piece for meeting customer needs
- Focusing on the end-to-end customer experience
- Managing risk and governance groups during the process
Resources mentioned during the podcast:
- “What’s a Digital Lending Ecosystem and Why Should Banks Care?” by Alex Johnson
To hear more from Leaders in Lending, check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Leaders in Lending on your favorite podcast player.

Transforming Processes to Improve the Retail Lending Customer Experience Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

Around 15 years ago, non-bank financials had about 20% of the share of mortgage originations. Today, they have over 60% of the share.
Why? It’s because they are 100% focused on the quality of the experience.
That’s exactly what banks need to do to get back in the game.
Matt Cammarota, Head of Retail Lending at Liberty Bank in Connecticut, joins the show to discuss why process transformation, in an effort to improve the customer experience, is vital to success in retail lending.
We discuss:
- Strategies for navigating the decline in HELOC balances
- Building a culture that puts the consumer and the institution first
- Transforming the retail lending processes
- Making investments in technology to enable different processes
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.

Education Loans and Credit Unions: LendKeys’ Partnerships Approach Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

Around the time of the Great Recession, there weren’t many lenders originating educational loans. Most of them had exited the business because of the volatility of the market.
This void opened up the perfect opportunity for credit unions to help consumers achieve their educational goals while lowering the average age of their membership at the same time.
Vince Passione, Chief Execut ive Officer and Founder at LendKey , joins the show to discuss how his company saw this emerging need in the market and how they work with credit unions to digitally originate and sell in-purchase loans for education among other verticals.
We discuss:
- Starting out in educational loan refinancing
- The trend towards unsecured loans for home improvement
- What’s coming in the auto finance space
- Working with regulators early and often
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 Union Advocacy: Key Areas of Focus to Improve Accessibility Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Credit Union National Association , or CUNA, represents 5,000 credit unions in the United States serving more than 120 million americans.
In partnership with a network of state credit union leagues and associations, CUNA advocates on behalf of its members and works to ensure that they are able to improve their members’ financial well-being and advance the communities they serve.
Ryan Donovan , Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer, joins the show to discuss CUNA’s four primary areas of advocacy.
We discuss:
- What CUNA does and what their mission is
- Emerging consumer lending trends in credit unions
- Using AI and ML to improve business strategies
- Advice for fintechs that want to partner with credit unions
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.

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