2026 Synergent Connect Conference Agenda

Agenda subject to change. 

Tuesday, August 11

7:30 am-8:45 am:
Breakfast 

Enjoy networking and conversation over breakfast.

8:30 am-3:00 pm:
CU Spotlight Podcast
Sponsored by BankSocial

Join Jonathan Taylor and Shirley Senn for conversations that could be featured on a future CU Spotlight Podcast episode!

8:45 am-9:45 am:
Change Is Strength: Build Future-Ready Teams Through Transformational Change
Chris Ruden, Internationally Recognized Speaker on Resilience, Change, and Culture

“Only the strong survive” — but strength comes from adaptability. In today’s fast-paced world, change isn’t optional, it’s inevitable. Yet most teams are unprepared. In this impactful keynote, Chris Ruden, a leading change management speaker and DEI keynote expert, challenges teams to let go of outdated thinking and embrace the mindset required to lead in uncertainty.

Instead of relying on yesterday’s logic to solve tomorrow’s problems, Chris empowers audiences to develop forward-thinking change strategies rooted in resilience, adaptability, and trust. Through personal storytelling and actionable insights, Chris teaches teams how to:

• Reframe resistance to change as an opportunity for growth
• Let go of limiting beliefs and outdated processes
• Build psychological safety and trust to support organizational agility
• Develop a mindset for navigating disruption with clarity and confidence

9:45 am-10:00 am:
Break

10:00 am-11:00 am:
Built for This Moment: How Credit Unions Win in a Disrupted Financial Future
Nicole Harper, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy & Planning – Jack Henry

The future of financial services will not belong only to the biggest players. It will belong to the institutions that stay most relevant to the people and communities they serve. Credit unions were built for moments like this because they can leverage the human advantage and “people helping people” still wins when it shows up in modern form. We’ll explore ways credit unions can win relevance, drive efficiency, and unlock growth opportunities in today’s environment of volatility and disruption. The market is changing, but the credit union movement’s mission has never been more relevant. When credit unions lead with mission, execute with discipline, and effectively balance short-term pressures and long-term ambitions, they can lean in and grow with confidence.

11:00 am-11:15 am:
Break

11:15 am-12:00 pm
Breakout Sessions – Round 1
Presented by Alkami, Compass IT, and BankSocial

Three breakout sessions will take place from 11:15 am-12:00 pm. You will have the option to select one to attend. Presenters from Alkami, Compass IT, and BankSocial will lead these breakout sessions. Additional speakers and session descriptions coming soon.

Turning Data Into Growth: How Credit Unions Can Drive More Relevant Member Engagement
Sarah Mealey | Solution Engineer, Alkami 

Credit unions have access to more member data than ever before, but the real opportunity lies in how they use it. As member expectations continue to rise, institutions are looking for smarter ways to turn insights into meaningful engagement, stronger relationships, and measurable growth. In this session, we’ll explore how credit unions can take a more strategic approach to data-driven marketing, moving beyond one-size-fits-all outreach to create more timely, relevant member experiences. We’ll also share real-world examples of how institutions are putting data to work to better understand member needs, uncover growth opportunities, and strengthen performance across the member lifecycle.

Are You Doing Your Due Diligence on Your Partners? Best Practices for Both New and Existing Vendor Reviews
Derek Boczenowski, MBA, CISA, CISM, QSA, CMMC CCP | Chief Architect, Compass IT Compliance

Today’s credit unions rely on an ever-expanding network of third-party vendors, from core processors to fintech integrations and cloud services, creating significant operational, regulatory, and cybersecurity risk exposure. Yet many institutions still treat vendor management as a checkbox exercise rather than a living risk management discipline. This session examines where credit unions most commonly fall short in both new vendor onboarding and ongoing due diligence, and provides practical, NCUA- and FFIEC-aligned advice for building a vendor management program that satisfies examiners, protects members, and scales with your vendor population.

The Cooperative Blueprint: How CUSOs and DeFi Define the Future of Credit Unions
Becky Reed | Chief Operating Officer, BankSocial

Discover how a financial renaissance begins when the transparent, real-time infrastructure of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is paired with the trust, governance, and community focus of the cooperative model. Learn why this strategic combination creates a stronger, member-centered financial model and how to start anchoring your credit union in the next era of finance using the digital wallet.

12:00 pm-1:00 pm:
Lunch

1:00 pm-1:45 pm:
Breakout Sessions – Round 2

Three breakout sessions will take place from 1:00-1:45 pm. You will have the option to select one to attend. Presenters from Alkami, Compass IT, and BankSocial will lead these breakout sessions. Additional speakers and session descriptions coming soon.

Turning Data Into Growth: How Credit Unions Can Drive More Relevant Member Engagement
Sarah Mealey | Solution Engineer, Alkami 

Credit unions have access to more member data than ever before, but the real opportunity lies in how they use it. As member expectations continue to rise, institutions are looking for smarter ways to turn insights into meaningful engagement, stronger relationships, and measurable growth. In this session, we’ll explore how credit unions can take a more strategic approach to data-driven marketing, moving beyond one-size-fits-all outreach to create more timely, relevant member experiences. We’ll also share real-world examples of how institutions are putting data to work to better understand member needs, uncover growth opportunities, and strengthen performance across the member lifecycle.

Are You Doing Your Due Diligence on Your Partners? Best Practices for Both New and Existing Vendor Reviews
Derek Boczenowski, MBA, CISA, CISM, QSA, CMMC CCP | Chief Architect, Compass IT Compliance

Today’s credit unions rely on an ever-expanding network of third-party vendors, from core processors to fintech integrations and cloud services, creating significant operational, regulatory, and cybersecurity risk exposure. Yet many institutions still treat vendor management as a checkbox exercise rather than a living risk management discipline. This session examines where credit unions most commonly fall short in both new vendor onboarding and ongoing due diligence, and provides practical, NCUA- and FFIEC-aligned advice for building a vendor management program that satisfies examiners, protects members, and scales with your vendor population.

The Cooperative Blueprint: How CUSOs and DeFi Define the Future of Credit Unions
Becky Reed | Chief Operating Officer, BankSocial

Discover how a financial renaissance begins when the transparent, real-time infrastructure of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is paired with the trust, governance, and community focus of the cooperative model. Learn why this strategic combination creates a stronger, member-centered financial model and how to start anchoring your credit union in the next era of finance using the digital wallet.

2:00 pm-3:00 pm:
AI & The Octopus Organization™
Jonathan Brill, Strategic Advisor, Inventor, Best-Selling Author, and Renowned Keynote Speaker

Firms that adopt AI holistically today will be the leaders of tomorrow.

The age of AI is upon us.

How can your business use it to grow?

Over the next five years, companies that fully integrate AI will pull significantly ahead of those that only experiment with it. Organizations willing to embrace change, evolve their thinking, and adapt quickly will define the future of their industries.

In a world of constant change, resilience is no longer enough. Organizations must evolve beyond endurance to agility—developing the capacity to sense market changes early, respond intelligently to customer needs, and adapt faster than competitors. Agility is not about moving faster; it’s about thinking faster—through decentralized intelligence, AI-augmented decisions, and empowered teams at every level.

This means rethinking the traditional hierarchical model and imagining an organization structured like an octopus. While it has a central brain for strategy and oversight, each arm has its own mini-brain—autonomous, responsive, and deeply aware of its market surroundings. A neural ring coordinates these nodes in real time, allowing the institution to make rapid, informed decisions across its entire system—often faster than the central brain could alone.

This isn’t theory. I’ve studied organizations already moving in this direction, guided dozens of transformations, and drawn on over a million workforce surveys. What I found is clear: success comes not from simply automating tasks, but from reimagining how organizations function at every level.

3:00 pm:
Conference Adjourns

3:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Lobster Bake at 120 Exchange St
Sponsored by Systems Engineering 

Wrap up the day the New England way! Join us for a Maine lobster bake hosted by Systems Engineering, our exclusive Diamond Sponsor. Kick back with fellow attendees over classic Maine fare ­– fresh lobster, clams, corn, and all the fixings – in a relaxed, no-agenda setting, just great food and good company to close out the conference. All attendees welcome, so come hungry!

Location: Outdoor lot of 120 Exchange St. (Lot entrance on Federal St. – look for the lobsters!)