CBA's Suite 550

Synchrony has made headlines of late by moving to a remote-first work model, but despite the option of working in PJs, the bank is anything but sleepy as it sits at the forefront of a rapidly changing digital age.  CBA Board Member and Synchrony Head of Consumer Bank Samantha Melting chats with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt about the work-from-home shift and how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift to digital banking. Samantha also talks about how she solves problems, personal savings and Synchrony’s award winning financial “edu-tainment” offerings.

After two decades covering the regulations, policies, trends and people impacting the banking industry, former Editor-in-Chief of American Banker Rob Blackwell joined IntraFi as their Chief Content Officer. Rob chats with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt about his insights and opinions on what the incoming Biden Administration should focus on first, how the pandemic has shifted the public’s view of the banking industry, working with the CFPB, consolidation in the banking industry and media as well as what the Dodd-Frank Act has meant for the industry a decade after it was signed into law.

CBA’s Board Chair Christine Channels with Bank of America joins CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss the impact the COVID pandemic has had on the banking industry, the role banks have played in providing assistance to customers and small businesses, as well as the future of the industry and how banks are stepping up to address top-of-mind issues like racial and gender equality.

The banking industry has been at the forefront of America's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this podcast CBA Board Members Rich Gold, President and Chief Operating Officer with M&T Bank, and Brant Standridge, Head of Retail Community Banking with Truist, discuss decisions to alter branch services to protect customer and employee health, the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program which saved an estimated 30 million jobs and even give a few quarantine television recommendations.

While CBA’s podcasts generally feature bank executives or focus on banking trends, this episode takes a look at the Seila Law vs. CFPB case being taken up by the Supreme Court. Hear CBA General Counsel David Pommerehn and Norton Rose Fulbright’s Jonathan Franklin and Peter Siegal discuss CBA’s amicus brief, the legal arguments and ramifications the Court’s ruling could have.

As BBVA USA’s Head of Retail Banking, Cagri Suzer spends a lot of time finding the happy medium between person-to-person banking and modern technology. Cagri, who is also a CBA Board Member, sat down with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss how BBVA has been one of the leaders in banking’s digital transformation and what that means for the future of physical bank branches.

Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting discusses with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt the recently released Community Reinvestment Act Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the process of drafting the NPR as well as some of the changes the proposed CRA rule would require. Comptroller Otting also talks about the joint agency process.

Desiree Wolfe, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Webster Bank and Vice Chair of CBA’s Deposits and Payments Committee, discusses the latest in real-time payments, fraud prevention and what banks are doing to make the payment process more seamless for their customers. Desiree was in Washington to brief the bipartisan Congressional Fintech and Payments Caucus on behalf of CBA.

John Pataky , the new Chair of CBA’s Mid-Tier Retail Executive Forum and EVP, Chief Consumer and Commercial Banking Executive at TIAA Bank, discusses who mid-size banks view as their competition, mergers and the impact of prolonged low interest rates. John also talks to CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt about the need for bankers to serve as strong advocates for the industry with policymakers and what it is likeworking with the new regulators in Washington, D.C.

Ernie Johannson, CBA Board Member and BMO Harris’ Group Head of North American Personal & U.S. Business Banking, calls into Suite 550 to discuss being selected one of the Most Powerful Women in Banking, a decade of BMO Harris’ team of women leaders being named the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance, and how BMO has been a “bold leader in changing communities, building communities, supporting businesses, and helping consumers achieve real progress in their finances.”

Nitin Mhatre, Executive Vice President, Head of Community Banking at Webster Bank and CBA's new Board Chairman for the upcoming year, sits down with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss the Association's legislative and regulatory priorities as well as his history in banking and the role consumer banks play in financing the dreams of consumers and small businesses. For the upcoming year, CBA’s priorities will be to: Highlight the Benefits & Soundness of Retail Banks Modernize Banking’s Regulatory Framework Support Uniform Data Security & Consumer Protection Right-Size Federal Student Lending

Bank of America’s Managing Director and Head of The Academy John Jordan and PNC’s SVP of Human Resources-Retail Distribution Jenny Rhodes sit down with Brenda Mechling, CBA’s SVP of Education Relations, to discuss what the banking industry is doing to recruit, retain and prepare the best and the brightest retail bankers. John and Jenny lead CBA’s Talent Management Committee and both of their banks have a focus on ongoing education for their team members.

Following a panel with CBA’s Talent Management Committee at CBA LIVE, several industry leaders on diversity sat down to discuss the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce, how to ensure organizations are recruiting and retaining top employees and how to recognize and overcome unconscious bias. IBERIABANK’s Chief Diversity Officer Monica Sylvain, Vigeo Alliance CEO and Managing Partner Cassi Chandler, TD Bank’s Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion Kelley Cornish and Wells Fargo’s Strategy Planning Manager Maggie Murphy Maertz all took part in the discussion moderated by CBA’s SVP of Education Brenda Mechling.

At CBA LIVE 2019, Woodforest National Bank was presented with CBA's 2019 Joe Belew Award (https://consumer-bankers-association.dcatalog.com/v/2019-Joe-Belew-Award-Nominees/?page=1) for its Woodforest Foundry program (https://www.consumerbankers.com/cba-media-center/media-releases/woodforest-national-bank-wins-cba%E2%80%99s-2019-joe-belew-award). Woodforest's CRA Executive Director Doug Schaeffer and CRA and Strategy Director Daniel Galindo sat down with CBA's Maren Colon after receiving the award to discuss the program as well as Woodforest's community investment programs. This year's Joe Belew Award was presented to the CBA member-bank applicant with the most innovative and impactful small business initiatives, highlighting its “Currency of NOW” efforts in the community. You can learn more about the Joe Belew Award and the other entries here (https://consumer-bankers-association.dcatalog.com/v/2019-Joe-Belew-Award-Nominees/?page=1)and learn more about the Woodforest Foundry here (https://www.consumerbankers.com/cba-media-center/media-releases/woodforest-national-bank-wins-cba%E2%80%99s-2019-joe-belew-award).

At CBA LIVE 2019, Citizens Financial Vice Chair of Consumer Banking Brad Conner moderated a student lending discussion with American Enterprise Institute Resident Fellow Jason Delisle and Bipartisan Policy Center Senior Policy Analyst Kenneth Megan – both recognized education policy experts. The three continued the discussion on a special edition of Suite 550 where they take a deep dive into PLUS loans, the explosion of college tuition rates and ways to help improve student lending outcomes for borrowers.

CBA’s Vice President of Congressional Affairs Kris Fallon sits down with CBA President & CEO Richard Hunt to discuss a recent poll examining Americans’ views on student lending. The CBA-conducted poll found Americans strongly believe student loans should carry clear, personalized, plain-language disclosures about the loan’s total costs. These disclosures are not included on federal loans but are already provided by private student lenders. The poll also found nearly 85 percent support placing responsible caps on federal loans to offer access to a quality education without setting up a debt trap post-graduation. Learn more about CBA’s student lending reform recommendations and the poll here: https://bit.ly/2BWmGv5 (https://bit.ly/2BWmGv5)

Josh Winstead, the new chair of CBA’s Digital Channels Committee and TIAA Bank’s SVP - Director of Digital Strategy and Operations, discusses with Tim Ruhe, Vice President of Real-Time Payments for Fiserv, what consumers are looking for in digital banking platforms, digital advancements and how banks are speeding up payment processing. Josh and Tim are joined by CBA’s Associate General Counsel David Pommerehn.

Rich Porrello, the chair of CBA's Auto Finance Committee and EVP - Auto Finance Group Director with Huntington, joined Lou Loquasto, the Auto Vertical Leader at Equifax, and CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss the latest auto lending trends, the continued strength of the auto lending market as well as what cars Americans are buying among other hot topics in the sector.

Todd Barnhart, Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Distribution with PNC Bank and CBA's Board Chairman for the upcoming year, sits down with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss the Association's legislative and regulatory priorities as well as the changes the industry has undergone since the financial crisis.