Most banks still treat community banking as a regulatory box to check. Queanne Smith, SVP and Group Strategy Manager at U.S. Bank, says that mindset caps growth instead of driving it, and breaks down how a 5% lift in client retention can swing profit by 25 to 90 percent.In this episode:- Community banking as growth infrastructure, not a side initiative- Getting embedded early in the customer lifecycle, pre-loan and pre-deposit- Why CRA requirements should be the floor, not the ceiling- Building trust and client readiness before the sale- Shared KPIs and cross-team accountability- Where institutions struggle most with this strategy- Balancing short term performance pressure with long term investment- The biggest misconception about community bankingIf you lead growth, strategy, or community lending at a bank or credit union, this conversation will change how you think about the ROI of community investment.Leaders in Lending is powered by Upstart and features conversations with banking and credit union leaders navigating the future of consumer lending.Chapters:00:00 What community banking actually means for growth00:29 Getting in early, before the loan and before the deposit01:25 Turning trust into measurable outcomes02:20 Building client readiness and stability from day one03:14 Stop treating this as a compliance checkbox04:07 CRA is the floor, not the ceiling04:34 Community investment and community development are the same thing05:27 Build the strategy with community, not for community06:10 Shared KPIs, shared accountability07:12 Where most institutions get this wrong08:01 What the customer journey looks like when it's done right08:20 Short term pressure versus long term trust09:42 The infrastructure question10:09 Where a leader should actually start10:45 A 5% retention lift, a 25 to 90% profit swing12:12 Readiness and trust are the real revenue drivers12:59 The soft and slow myth13:49 Intentional partnerships, not just reputation#LendingLeaders #CommunityBanking #BankGrowthStrategy

The regulations never went away. The exams slowed down, the enforcement pulled back, but every rule is still on the books. And when the pendulum swings back, everything being done right now is going to get looked at. Mike Reynolds from Zions Bancorporation and Aaron Rakowski from WesBanco co-chair the CBA CFPB Committee and have a clear message: this window is not a vacation. It's a chance to catch your documentation up, plug your compliance resources into product development, and stop yo-yoing your staffing every time the administration changes.Recorded at CBA Live 2026, this episode covers:Where CFPB engagement actually stands right now - Why this is the time to shore up your compliance program, not scale it backThe state AG and state regulation patchwork filling the federal gap AI oversight and why you can outsource the work but not the risk - Rules that were written before the technology existed - What a durable compliance program actually looks likeWhy a clear national guideline beats fifty state interpretations What the next iteration of the CFPB might look like If you lead compliance, risk, or operations at a bank or credit union, this is the conversation to have with your team this weekLeaders in Lending is powered by Upstart and features conversations with banking and credit union leaders navigating the future of consumer lending. #LendingLeaders #CFPB2026 #Compliance #CBALive2026

Innovation is accelerating across consumer banking.AI, digital assets and new payment models are reshaping the industry. But institutions still operate inside established regulatory frameworks.In this episode, Kyle Glenn of the Consumer Bankers Association joins Lynn Sauter Beale to discuss how banks can stay proactive as technology evolves and policy adapts. If you lead lending, compliance or strategy, this conversation will help you think through what comes next.

The banking product is commoditized. The experience is not.In this episode of Leaders in Lending, guest host Deepak Bhandari sits down with TJ Steele, director of digital channels at Eastern Bank, to discuss how banks can differentiate when rates, accounts and products look the same everywhere.They cover: • How to turn the mobile phone into a “wingman” for customers• Why AI is just another tool, not a strategy• The importance of data, process and infrastructure below the waterline• How to pilot emerging technology without chasing hype • Why customer experience beats feature checklists• Real-time payments, digital wallets and fraud resilience• Becoming the customer’s primary bank in a fragmented world If you lead digital, payments or customer experience strategy, this conversation is a blueprint for what actually matters.

Auto affordability isn't a cycle this time. It's a new baseline.In this episode, guest host Deepak Bhandari from Upstart sits down with Eric Earvin from First Commonwealth Bank and Michael Gilbert from Associated Bank, co-chairs of the CBA Auto Finance Committee, to talk about why it's time to stop waiting for costs to come back down and start rethinking how we lend.Insurance up 14% year over year. Debt to income ratios squeezed from every direction. Consumers still buying, but shifting downstream.And at some point the phone rings and they say here's the car.Recorded at CBA Live 2026, this episode covers:Why auto affordability is a permanent headwindHow debt to income ratios are being squeezed from every direction The compounding cost problem, insurance, gas, maintenance Where stress is showing up in early payment defaults and fraudThe AI arms race between lenders and fraudsters Why auto lenders are self-admitted copycats and what that means for innovationAlternative financing threats and reaching the next generationSubprime repossessions hitting all time highs again If you run an auto lending portfolio or sit on a credit committee, this conversation is the reality check heading into the back half of 2026.Leaders in Lending is powered by Upstart and features conversations with banking and credit union leaders navigating the future of consumer lending.

Banks don't know if they should be running disparate impact analysis or not. The CFPB is rewriting its own rules. State AGs are filling the gaps. And the legal questions around agentic AI haven't even been answered yet. CBA General Counsel David Pommerehn breaks down what's actually happening and what lending leaders should do about it.Recorded at CBA Live 2026 in San Diego, this episode covers:- The CFPB under the current administration- Reg B and the elimination of disparate impact- State AGs stepping in where federal enforcement pulls back- Agentic AI and the legal ramifications under Reg E- Section 1033 and the data portability rewrite- Data sharing versus data security- Fraud and scams as a whole government problem- Why UDAP reform matters more than you thinkIf you are navigating compliance strategy or staffing for the back half of 2026, this conversation matters.Leaders in Lending is powered by Upstart and features conversations with banking and credit union leaders navigating the future of consumer lending.Chapters:00:00 Top legal and regulatory risks for bank leaders01:12 How the CFPB has changed under the current administration03:48 Reg B and the elimination of disparate impact05:49 State AGs stepping in where the CFPB pulls back09:54 Agentic AI and the legal questions nobody's answered yet11:03 Section 1033, data portability, and the rewrite14:10 Navigating data sharing vs. data security16:13 What's actually working in fraud prevention19:04 The regulation assumption David has changed his mind on20:54 Why UDAP reform matters more than you think#LendingLeaders #CFPB2026 #CBALive2026

The biggest lending risk in 2026 may not be where you think. Experian Chief Economist Joseph Mayans calls today’s environment a one trick pony economy. Growth is concentrated. White collar strength is carrying the load. And if that shifts, prime borrowers may be the segment to watch.Recorded at CBA Live 2026, this episode covers: • The macro outlook into mid-2026• AI concentration risk• White collar labor exposure• Why prime credit could be mispriced• Small business formation in the AI economy• Why two to three Fed rate cuts are likely• Stablecoins and emerging deposit threatsIf you are allocating credit or setting 2026 strategy, this conversation matters.Leaders in Lending is hosted by the Upstart lending team and features conversations with banking and credit union leaders navigating the future of consumer lending.

How can lenders increase approvals without increasing charge-offs?In this episode of Leaders in Lending, Dan Harp, Chief Lending Officer at 717 Credit Union, discusses how decision engines and AI-powered underwriting models are reshaping risk assessment. From 2,000-variable models to borrower trajectory analysis, this conversation explores:Credit scoring limitationsAI and machine learning in underwritingDecision engines vs human exceptionsPortfolio performance monitoringMortgage risk strategyEconomic outlook for 2026Compliance burden in credit unionsIf you lead lending strategy, risk or growth, this episode offers practical insight into scaling responsibly.Listen on leadersinlending.ai

AI in lending is no longer a future conversation. It is operational today.In Episode 185 of Leaders in Lending, we discuss what is actually working in regulated environments. From underwriting and fraud detection to document verification and exception handling, AI is becoming more measurable and more embedded in daily workflows. We also examine fairness, human oversight and the competitive pressure from buy now, pay later products.The divide is growing between institutions leaning in and those standing still.#LeadersInLending #AIinBanking #CreditUnions #BankingLeadership #Fintech #LendingStrategy

In this episode of Leaders in Lending, Adam Landsverk, Chief Lending Officer at FOXCU, joins host Barry Roach to discuss leadership, responsibility, and what it really means to serve members in today’s lending environment.With decades of experience across consumer lending, mortgage, commercial banking, and wealth management, Adam shares his journey from traditional banking into the credit union space — and why that transition reshaped how he thinks about decision-making, diversification, and community impact. The conversation explores how credit unions differ from large financial institutions, why local autonomy matters, and how lending leaders can balance growth, risk, and member value. Adam also shares insights on housing market conditions, home equity demand, and what community-based lenders should be preparing for as we move through 2026. In this episode, you’ll hear about:Adam Landsverk’s path from banking to credit unionsThe role of a Chief Lending Officer in local decision-makingHow credit unions approach diversification across lending productsHousing market trends and home equity opportunitiesBalancing economics with member valueLeadership lessons for community-based lendersThis episode of Leaders in Lending offers a thoughtful, experience-driven perspective on why community-focused lenders continue to succeed where scale alone falls short.🎧 Leaders in Lending features conversations with executives shaping the future of lending, banking, and credit unions.