SPEAKERS

James Branco

Director Financial Institution Partnerships, Upgrade, Inc

As a former banking executive and seasoned fintech executive, James Branco, Director Financial Institution (“FI”) Partnerships, Upgrade, Inc, has 20+ years of experience in developing partnerships with financial institutions. Based in Columbus, OH, James is responsible for relationships in the northeast.

He was most recently a managing director handling fintech / FI business development for an advisory firm, specifically developing bank partnerships in the asset, card and payment sectors.

Previously, James was a Vice President of Client Development at Citibank. In addition, he spent 10 years in various roles building partnerships at Bread Financial / Comenity Bank, formerly known as Alliance Data.

James also speaks at industry events across the country, including IBANYS Executive Leadership Symposium, Connecticut Bankers Director & Senior Officer Symposium, New Jersey Bankers Economic Leadership Forum, Community Bankers Association of Ohio CFO Forum, and Pennsylvania Association of Community Banks Annual Convention.

Sean Carter

President and CEO, NEACH and NEACH Payments Group (NPG)

Sean Carter is the President and CEO of NEACH and its subsidiary, NEACH Payments Group (NPG). He is based in Burlington, MA, and is committed to strategic and innovative advancements in both payments and people. He adheres to the philosophy that innovation is simply about greater efficiency and improving the end-user experience.

As the President and CEO of NEACH Payments Group, Sean serves the industry at a personalized, one-on-one level. Specifically, he helps financial institutions, corporations, and vendors solve operational and regulatory challenges, manage risk, and drive financial and business improvement through a suite of audit, risk management, and consulting services.

Sean is a frequent speaker on payments topics at events and key forums across the country. He has spoken at national conferences including Nacha Payments; The Association for Financial Professionals; TRANSACT Connect, and CNP Summit, as well as many other regional gatherings.

With his focus on supporting the industry and shaping the future of payments, Sean has participated in a number of groups, including: the Fed Payments Improvement Security Group, Nacha’s Rules and Operations Group, Nacha’s Risk Management Advisory Group (RMAG), and the Center for Payments.

Sean has been certified by Nacha as an Accredited ACH Professional since 1999 and was reaccredited in 2004 and 2009.

Candace DeBarger

Director of Payments, Profit Resources Inc.

Candace DeBarger has 37 years in financial services, including 30 years at Mastercard. She has a foundation in debit card operations and technology, project management, and product management. The latter half of her career has been spent working with financial institutions under $10B in assets, helping them to grow and manage their debit and credit card programs. Candace has a deep understanding of network profitability, card program KPIs, card marketing strategies and the connection between an engaged card user and profitable checking customer.

John Findlay

CEO, LemonadeLXP

John Findlay is the CEO and co-founder of LemonadeLXP, the award-winning learning and knowledge platform for financial institutions. With decades of experience in digital engagement and training, John leads the charge in helping banks and credit unions modernize staff onboarding, support, and compliance through AI-powered tools and engaging learning experiences.

Dave Gagnon

Vice President, Executive Benefits Consulting, OneDigital

Dave Gagnon is Vice President of Executive Benefits at OneDigital, where he advises banks and corporate clients on executive benefit strategies that help attract, reward, and retain key talent. His work spans plan education, design, implementation, and funding analysis, with a focus on delivering thoughtful, client-centered solutions.

Before joining OneDigital, Dave served as Vice President of Consulting at BoliColi, where he played a key role in driving the firm’s growth and building its reputation in the executive benefits space. His work is grounded in a deep understanding of benefit planning and long-term relationship management.

Earlier in his career, Dave spent over seven years at ADP, managing strategic partnerships with CPA firms across New York City. There, he advised firms and their clients on employee benefits and HR outsourcing, further refining his skills in complex plan design and client service.

Dave is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.

Outside of work, Dave enjoys golfing, live music, and snowboarding. He has recently taken on a new role of Dad to his son, Ryan, and looks forward to getting him on the ski slopes soon.

John Gagnon

Senior Vice President, Executive Benefits Consulting, OneDigital

For more than 30 years, John Gagnon has provided consulting services in executive benefits, bank-owned life insurance (BOLI), and corporate-owned life insurance (COLI). He brings deep knowledge of the legal, actuarial, and financial considerations involved in designing and administering these programs. His work supports organizations as they evaluate executive benefit strategies with a focus on long-term planning and leadership continuity.

Before joining OneDigital, John was Principal and co-founder of BoliColi, an executive benefit firm serving organizations throughout the Northeast. He has worked with corporations and financial institutions to assess and implement non-qualified benefit programs and insurance-based funding structures. Known for his detailed approach, John guides plan design, timeline coordination, and board-level communication.

He serves on the board of directors for Lowell Five Bank and is a member of its audit and compensation committee.

His experience includes navigating regulatory complexity and supporting long-term organizational planning.

He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc., and an active member of FINSECA, where he participates in the COLI/BOLI Working Group and M Financial’s Government Relations Advisory Committee. John also holds memberships with the American Bankers Association (ABA), the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), the Financial Managers Society (FMS), and several state-level banking associations.

He and his wife, Joanne, divide their time between Dover, New Hampshire, and Jupiter, Florida. In his personal time, John enjoys golf, skiing, motorcycling, and spending time with family.

Riley Newman

Senior Digital Strategist, SilverTech

A polished Digital Strategist with a focus on UX (user experience), Riley has a proven ability to translate user insights into high-performing digital experiences. She leverages a deep understanding of customer behavior and market trends to inform strategic decision-making, ensuring digital products resonate with target audiences and drive measurable ROI. Riley leverages research, data analysis, and innovative thinking to create intuitive and engaging digital strategies and solutions that meet and exceed client goals. The vibrant energy and authentic passion she brings to every interaction, makes the client-agency collaborative a highly enjoyable experience.

Michael Pierce

Assistant Vice President – Intergrations, COCC

Michael Pierce is a seasoned subject matter expert of the Integrations Team at COCC. As Assistant Vice President of integrations, he plays a vital role in overseeing complex API and third-party implementation projects, a task that involves seamless collaboration with clients, vendors, and internal teams. Mike’s leadership is pivotal in fostering innovation and ensuring that COCC continuously meet the evolving needs of banks integrating with diverse third-party vendors. Mike’s strategic approach and deep understanding of the fintech landscape continue to drive the success and innovation of COCC’s wider implementation projects.

Adam Sandoval

Solutions Sales Manager, Domain Expert, Branch & Digital, Diebold Nixdorf

Adam Sandoval currently serves as a Solution Sales Manager specializing in Branch & Digital solutions for financial institutions. With over 16 years of experience in software solutions, Adam helps financial institutions connect with their consumers through advanced software solutions and digital integration. Adam has end-to-end experience in all aspects of the consumer journey and branch transformation and has worked with hundreds of financial institutions in building out and implementing their self-service strategy with advanced solutions, such as video teller, core integration and digital integration to deliver a more personalized consumer experience.

Aaron Silva

Founder and CEO, Paladin fs

Aaron Silva, founder and CEO of Paladin fs, LLC (2007). Silva is a respected thought leader and negotiations expert known for his direct “tell it like it is” approach. A lifelong successful entrepreneur, Silva delivers dynamic, engaging and humorous presentations that consistently earn 5-star ratings from audiences. While his sessions are about technology issues – his advice and insights are targeted toward CEOs, COOs, CFOs and classically trained CIOs – not “IT Geeks.”

Aaron has educated thousands of CxOs and senior executives leading institutions with assets ranging from $150 million to $20 billion. Silva’s expertise lies in empowering FI’s with strategies and tactics needed to navigate complex multi-million dollar technology contract negotiations and procurement against legacy Core, IT and fintech suppliers such as Fiserv, FIS and Jack Henry.

In 2007, he founded Paladin fs. In 2016 he launched the Golden Contract Coalition (GCC). In 2025 Silva will launch Tonto.AI, the first AI-based agent designed to provide market intelligence and pricing data directly to bankers so they can achieve negotiations on their own.

Tina Sparrow

VP, Corporate Development, OneDigital

Tina Sparrow is an engaging and trusted builder of relationships. Her tenure includes over 30 years in the healthcare industry in the carrier space. Tina’s ability to articulate an organization’s value proposition has been demonstrated consistently over her tenure. In her role as Vice President of Corporate Development with OneDigital, Tina is seen as a confident champion of the company’s brand and value in the insurance marketplace. Prior to joining the OneDigital team, Tina was a Senior Account Executive with Delta Dental of New Jersey. Her legacy there included being a top producer in New Jersey and Connecticut and a member of the Delta Dental Hall of Fame Presidential Awards. Tina played an integral role in the development of wellness seminars for new business clients and her ability to mentor and develop account manager-level colleagues was seen as a best practice standard. Tina holds a Producer License in Life, Accident, and Health Insurance in Connecticut and New Jersey and represents OneDigital on the Connecticut Health Council.

Greg Spencer

Director of Financial Services, Passerelle

Greg Spencer is the Director of Financial Services at Passerelle, helping to guide product and service offerings that respond to the specific needs of financial institutions – today, and in the future. With more than 20 years as a data leader in the regional banking space, Greg has a holistic view of the opportunities and challenges facing banks and credit unions today.

Philip Wess

Principal, CSM, CSP, Wolf & Company, P.C.

Philip is a Principal in Wolf’s Data Solutions group, where he leads the implementation of value-driven data strategies and custom software development in the Wolf Data Solutions product line. Philip has two decades of experience building software and data systems across multiple industries.

Philip began his career leading and managing software development teams and operating personnel for a scalable algorithm-based pharmaceutical drug analysis program, designed to monitor and improve patient behavioral and medical health outcomes. Over the last decade, he has focused on building scalable data applications for mid-market, private equity-owned companies aiming to enhance their understanding and utilization of enterprise data.

Paul Whittier

Principal Cybersecurity Advisor, Adlumin

Paul Whittier is an accomplished cybersecurity leader with over 25 years of experience in the technology sector. As the Principal Cybersecurity Advisor at Adlumin, Paul collaborates with account managers across various sectors, including banking, ensuring top-tier cybersecurity solutions for clients. Over the years, he has held leadership positions at Adlumin, Checkpoint, Sophos, and Dell SonicWALL, as well as Novell, consistently delivering exceptional customer satisfaction. Paul has been a speaker at numerous conferences and possesses an excellent understanding of the security landscape, as well as the necessary steps to stay protected in an ever-evolving environment.

PRESENTED BY