Jared Bahner
Hapax
Manager - FI Partnerships
Jared Bahner is a 20 year veteran of the financial services industry. After starting his career working for a community bank, Jared moved into technology and has been helping financial institutions with their technology initiatives ever since. With a specific focus on digital banking, and all of the ancillary products/services/technologies that go into it, Jared has dedicated much of his career to guiding institutions through the various challenges and opportunities that are presented with digital transformation. After seeing AI sweep across the industry just like digital banking did at the beginning of his career, in 2024 Jared joined Hapax as Manager of FI Partnerships. Hapax is the industry's very first purpose-built, banking-specific AI solution and Jared is excited to see all the ways in which it will help financial institutions as they transition into the AI Age of Banking.
AI in Banking: How Your Credit Union Is More Prepared Than You May Think
Hapax
Manager - FI Partnerships
Jared Bahner is a 20 year veteran of the financial services industry. After starting his career working for a community bank, Jared moved into technology and has been helping financial institutions with their technology initiatives ever since. With a specific focus on digital banking, and all of the ancillary products/services/technologies that go into it, Jared has dedicated much of his career to guiding institutions through the various challenges and opportunities that are presented with digital transformation. After seeing AI sweep across the industry just like digital banking did at the beginning of his career, in 2024 Jared joined Hapax as Manager of FI Partnerships. Hapax is the industry's very first purpose-built, banking-specific AI solution and Jared is excited to see all the ways in which it will help financial institutions as they transition into the AI Age of Banking.
AI in Banking: How Your Credit Union Is More Prepared Than You May Think
Brenda Barrett
Husch Blackwell LLP
Partner
Brenda represents clients in the credit union industry, overseeing corporate transactions and providing general corporate counsel, and she co-leads HB’s Credit Union practice. Brenda brings 20 years of experience with credit unions and routinely represents these organizations in transactions and regulatory matters. She works especially often with her credit union and CUSO clients on strategic mergers with other credit unions, and she performs contract review, advises on corporate governance questions, and represents the credit union before both state and federal regulators. Brenda’s detail-oriented and goal-driven nature make her ideally suited to corporate and transactional work: she loves helping clients get to yes and helping both sides achieve a common goal. Brenda also served in the highly-respected position of Chair of the Credit Union Committee of the American Bar Association for three years.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Kansas & Missouri Legislative Updates
Husch Blackwell LLP
Partner
Brenda represents clients in the credit union industry, overseeing corporate transactions and providing general corporate counsel, and she co-leads HB’s Credit Union practice. Brenda brings 20 years of experience with credit unions and routinely represents these organizations in transactions and regulatory matters. She works especially often with her credit union and CUSO clients on strategic mergers with other credit unions, and she performs contract review, advises on corporate governance questions, and represents the credit union before both state and federal regulators. Brenda’s detail-oriented and goal-driven nature make her ideally suited to corporate and transactional work: she loves helping clients get to yes and helping both sides achieve a common goal. Brenda also served in the highly-respected position of Chair of the Credit Union Committee of the American Bar Association for three years.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Kansas & Missouri Legislative Updates
Alex McFall
Husch Blackwell LLP
Senior Counsel
Alex has built a reputation for delivering comprehensive and sophisticated representation to a diverse range of clients, including banks, credit unions, fintechs, mortgage companies, and commercial and consumer finance companies. With a multifaceted skill set encompassing regulatory compliance, licensing, and litigation, Alex consistently achieves exceptional outcomes in high-stakes disputes and provides strategic counsel on intricate regulatory matters.
Alex is a trusted advisor to financial services clients operating in a heavily regulated landscape. She possesses a deep understanding of the industry’s complexities, allowing her to guide clients through various challenges, particularly in areas such as new product launches, money transmission, commercial finance, unsecured consumer lending, retail installment sales, and comprehensive regulatory compliance and licensing issues.
What distinguishes Alex is her unique perspective, forged by her experience in both regulatory compliance/licensing and litigation. This dual proficiency enables her to provide clients with holistic and forward-thinking strategies, anticipating potential challenges and proactively mitigating them before they escalate into costly legal disputes. Alex’s ability to think creatively and offer innovative solutions is highly regarded by clients who value her sophisticated approach to problem-solving.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
How to Avoid Lawsuits
Husch Blackwell LLP
Senior Counsel
Alex has built a reputation for delivering comprehensive and sophisticated representation to a diverse range of clients, including banks, credit unions, fintechs, mortgage companies, and commercial and consumer finance companies. With a multifaceted skill set encompassing regulatory compliance, licensing, and litigation, Alex consistently achieves exceptional outcomes in high-stakes disputes and provides strategic counsel on intricate regulatory matters.
Alex is a trusted advisor to financial services clients operating in a heavily regulated landscape. She possesses a deep understanding of the industry’s complexities, allowing her to guide clients through various challenges, particularly in areas such as new product launches, money transmission, commercial finance, unsecured consumer lending, retail installment sales, and comprehensive regulatory compliance and licensing issues.
What distinguishes Alex is her unique perspective, forged by her experience in both regulatory compliance/licensing and litigation. This dual proficiency enables her to provide clients with holistic and forward-thinking strategies, anticipating potential challenges and proactively mitigating them before they escalate into costly legal disputes. Alex’s ability to think creatively and offer innovative solutions is highly regarded by clients who value her sophisticated approach to problem-solving.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
How to Avoid Lawsuits
Ken Otsuka
TruStage
With 35 years TruStageTM experience within risk management specializing in risks associated with payments, deposits, funds transfer/ACH, and fraud, Ken is a commonly featured author for our RISK Alerts and a speaker throughout the U.S. He was previously an insurance auditor.
Ken resides in Illinois and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Fraud Trends
TruStage
With 35 years TruStageTM experience within risk management specializing in risks associated with payments, deposits, funds transfer/ACH, and fraud, Ken is a commonly featured author for our RISK Alerts and a speaker throughout the U.S. He was previously an insurance auditor.
Ken resides in Illinois and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Fraud Trends
Jordan Pandolfo
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Economist
Jordan Pandolfo is an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He joined the Economic Research Department in 2023. His research includes topics in banking, macroeconomics, monetary policy, and competition. Prior to joining the department, Jordan was a financial economist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 2021.
Closing Session: State of the Industry
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Economist
Jordan Pandolfo is an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He joined the Economic Research Department in 2023. His research includes topics in banking, macroeconomics, monetary policy, and competition. Prior to joining the department, Jordan was a financial economist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 2021.
Closing Session: State of the Industry
JaMonika Williams
America's Credit Unions
Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel
JaMonika Williams joined America’s Credit Unions as Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel in July 2022. In this role, JaMonika assists credit unions with a variety of compliance issues.
Prior to joining America’s Credit Unions, JaMonika worked as a Virginia prosecutor. JaMonika also has experience as in-house counsel for a federal credit union, where she worked with and advised her client on issues such as collections, repossessions, and bankruptcy. JaMonika is a graduate of the Elon University School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from The College of William & Mary.
Year in Review: Compliance Trends and Issues
America's Credit Unions
Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel
JaMonika Williams joined America’s Credit Unions as Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel in July 2022. In this role, JaMonika assists credit unions with a variety of compliance issues.
Prior to joining America’s Credit Unions, JaMonika worked as a Virginia prosecutor. JaMonika also has experience as in-house counsel for a federal credit union, where she worked with and advised her client on issues such as collections, repossessions, and bankruptcy. JaMonika is a graduate of the Elon University School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from The College of William & Mary.
Year in Review: Compliance Trends and Issues
