Banking Out Loud

Key Takeaways:

• Lenders can use AI to build profiles on prospects and their companies ahead of meetings, helping them show up better prepared and anticipate borrowers’ questions.
• Setting aside just 10 minutes a day to experiment with AI is a simple, practical way to start building an AI-ready sales habit.
• Customizing AI settings with your role and objectives turns generic responses into tailored ones specifically to your work as a lender.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how community financial institutions’ sales teams prospect, prepare, and connect with their customers. In this episode of Banking Out Loud, hosts Nancy Ozawa and Jo Ellen McKinley speak with Craig Kirkpatrick, co-founder of Optimal AdvisorAI, about the practical ways AI is reshaping sales roles in banking.

The conversation explores how AI can act like a sales assistant, helping lenders rapidly prospect, prepare for customer visits, sharpen communication, and serve as a strategic prospecting partner. Craig also shares real use cases like building executive and company profiles before borrower meetings, and offers guidance on customizing AI settings, and finding just 10 minutes a day to start integrating AI into a daily sales routine.

Guest: 

Craig Kirkpatrick
Cofounder
Optimal AdvisorAI

Host:

Nancy Ozawa
Chief Marketing Officer
PCBB

Co-Host:

Jo Ellen McKinley 
SVP, National Business Development Manager
PCBB

Key takeaways: 

• AI frees bankers to be more strategic.
• Use AI to be more human. Saving time on time consuming tasks means more time developing customer relationships.
• Human judgment, AI policies, and training are essential.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how community banks work and how customers evaluate financial services. In this episode of Banking Out Loud, hosts Nancy Ozawa and Virginia Robbins speak with digital strategy expert and former community banker Eric Cook about practical, responsible ways banks can begin using generative AI.

The conversation explores how AI can reduce repetitive work, improve productivity, and give bankers more time for the relationship-driven work that matters most. Eric also addresses common concerns around job displacement, hallucinations and accuracy, customer data privacy, AI policy, and employee adoption. Listeners will come away with actionable steps for identifying AI use cases, setting appropriate guardrails, maintaining human oversight, and helping their organizations build an AI-ready culture.

Guest: 

Eric Cook
CEO & Chief Digital Strategist
WSI Digital
https://www.poweredbywsi.com/

Hosts:

Nancy Ozawa
Chief Marketing Officer
PCBB

Virginia Robbins 
EVP, Chief Solutions Officer
PCBB

Key takeaways: 

• Understand what community financial institutions need to know about digital assets and stablecoins from a banker who built a digital asset bank from the ground up.
• Learn how deposits, liquidity, and customer relationships can be affected as customers move funds into crypto exchanges and fintech apps.
• See which compliance and risk management upgrades community financial institutions should consider before offering digital asset or stablecoin services.
• Know when it makes more sense for community financial institutions to partner with digital asset providers versus building capabilities in-house.

In this episode of Banking Out Loud, Sheila Noll, PCBB’s Chief Operating Officer, talks with Patrick Gerhart, President of Telcoin Digital Asset Bank, about why digital assets and regulated stablecoins are becoming too big for community financial institutions (CFIs) to ignore. As more customers move money into crypto exchanges and fintech apps, Sheila and Patrick unpack what is at stake for CFIs in terms of deposits, liquidity, and long‑term customer relationships.

Drawing on Patrick’s journey from traditional community banker to digital asset bank president, the conversation surfaces the blind spots many bankers still have around stablecoins, blockchain, and evolving regulation—and how quickly that mindset is shifting. Sheila and Patrick dig into practical next steps, from upgrading compliance and risk management to deciding when to partner versus build, giving CFI leaders a candid look at what it will take to compete in a digital asset world.

From CEOs down through the front line, culture is no longer just a buzzword — it’s how organizations attract and keep talent, adapt to change, and drive performance. But what does healthy culture look like day-to-day, and how can leaders build and sustain it?

In this episode, we sit down with Megan Pelletier, EVP & Chief Operations and People Officer at HomeTrust Bank, and Crystal Hasan, SVP, Human Resources at PCBB to dig into how a strong culture can impact the success of an institution. They also explore how culture strategy should evolve for hybrid and remote work environments, the role culture can play in making mergers and acquisitions smoother, and why a clear cultural foundation is essential when rolling out AI and other new technologies.

GUESTS:
Megan Pelletier
EVP & Chief Operations and People Officer
HomeTrust Bank

Crystal Hasan
SVP, Human Resources
PCBB

In this episode of Banking Out Loud, PCBB’s Matt Helsing leads a discussion with three community bankers on how they’re modernizing their processes for clearing Canadian checks.

Listen in as our guests share how partnering with PCBB and Fiserv has strengthened their operations. By using PCBB’s Canadian Check Image solution offered on the Fiserv Clearing Network, these institutions have reduced costs associated with overnight check shipments and exchange rate adjustments.

MODERATOR: 
Matt Helsing 
SVP & Regional Manager, West Region 
PCBB 

PANELISTS: 
Lana Hollier 
SVP & Director of Deposit Operations 
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank 

Cory Flinn
VP, Payment Operations 
Bridgewater Bank 

Joanna Champagne 
VP, Operations Officer
Franklin Savings Bank 

In this episode of Banking Out Loud, our host, Nancy Ozawa, sits down with PCBB’s President, Mike Dohren, to predict what 2026 has in store for community financial institutions. They delve into how profitability, innovation, and technology will shape the year as banks work to adapt to changing customer expectations and new opportunities on the horizon.

The conversation also touches on how AI, digital payments, open banking, efficiency, regulatory shifts, and other likely opportunities could redefine banking strategies — including why staying agile and forward-thinking will be key to long-term success.

Tune in to discover what forward-thinking community banks are preparing for and glean insights to help your organization thrive this year.

Guest:
Mike Dohren
President
PCBB

RESOURCES:

• Check out this PCBB BID Article for even more 2026 banking trends. READ ARTICLE

This special episode brings together a powerhouse panel of industry experts to tackle the existential challenges facing community financial institutions (CFIs) today. In a banking environment shaped by market pressures, rapid technology disruption, evolving regulations, and shifting customer expectations, survival is far from guaranteed.

Moderator Curt Hecker, CEO & Executive Chairman of PCBB, leads a dynamic conversation with Gary Steven Findley, Esq., President of Gary Steven Findley & Associates; Aaron Donaldson, Financial Institutions Consulting Co-leader and Principal with RSM; and John Pietrzak, President and CEO of Devrai Capital. Together, they share practical strategies CFI leaders can put to work immediately — covering capital planning, board effectiveness, technology adoption, AI readiness, and more.

These insights are not just future-focused — they address what every CFI executive and director should act on now to ensure long-term relevance and resilience. This episode intentionally runs longer than usual, reflecting the depth and urgency of the topics discussed. To make it easy for listeners to dive in, chapters have been included for quick navigation. Listeners can choose the segments most relevant to their role or revisit critical advice.

The length, structure, and caliber of voices in this discussion make it an invaluable resource for anyone committed to shaping the future of community banking.

MODERATOR:
Curt Hecker
CEO & Executive Chairman
PCBB

PANELISTS:
Gary Steven Findley, Esq.
President
Gary Steven Findley & Associates

Aaron Donaldson
Financial Institutions Consulting Co-leader and Principal
RSM US LLP

John Pietrzak
President and CEO
Devrai Capital

In this episode of Banking Out Loud, host Sonia Portwood and Curt Hecker, industry veteran and CEO of PCBB, unravel the essentials of strategic planning for community financial institutions (CFIs). Discover how senior leaders and boards can leverage digital transformation, AI, and compliance best practices to drive growth, enhance customer experience, and stay competitive amidst rapid industry change. The conversation highlights actionable strategies, technology modernization, project management, risk mitigation, emerging fintech partnerships, and market trends shaping community banking in 2026. Tune in for expert insights and proven approaches to future-proof your CFI.

Guest:
Curt Hecker
CEO & Executive Chairman
PCBB

Download this episode's companion PDF for takeaways and tips on Strategic Planning. DOWNLOAD

Check out this PCBB BID article for even more Strategic Planning insight from Curt Hecker. READ ARTICLE

As the cannabis industry grows, community financial institutions face a pivotal decision — should they step into the Marijuana-Related Banking (MRB) space? In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of MRB, breaking down the risks, rewards, and regulatory complexities of taking on cannabis-related business customers.

Join us as we dive into the conversations CFIs are having with regulators about MRB, the potential impact of legislative changes like the SAFE Banking Act, and real-world insights from financial institutions already offering MRB services. We’ll also discuss reputation management, compliance strategies, and what it takes to run a successful MRB program.

If your institution is weighing the pros and cons of MRB, this episode will give you the knowledge you need to make an informed decision about this rapidly evolving sector.

Resources:
The Shield Compliance Cannabis Banking Playbook

GUESTS:

Tony Repanich
President and CEO
Shield Compliance
shieldbanking.com

Aviva Lipkin
SVP, BSA/AML & OFAC Officer
Risk Department
PCBB
pcbb.com

Banking Out Loud host Nancy Ozawa discusses relationship banking, its benefits, and strategies for success with guest Justin Armstrong, Co-CEO of UBank, and PCBB’s Northeast Regional Manager, Mike Foreman. The group delves into how prioritizing customer relationships over transactions radically transformed UBank’s approach to banking.

Join us as we break down UBank’s vision to level up community banking into actionable insights. Their winning strategy focuses on common sense, consistency, and efficiency, creating long-term, sustainable success for both their customers and their team.

This episode is a must-listen for those striving to elevate their own institutions to new heights.

Justin Armstrong
Co-Chief Executive Officer
UBank